I'm curious...I say that cribbing can cause colic, but what type of colic? For one thing, they can ingest materials such as wood or nails from cribbing. As rare as it is, I know it happens. (I know horses who've died from colic as a result of being a very heavy cribber - Always at the fence post in the pasture - always cribbing) Is it possible that cribbing could cause Gas Colic as well? The amount of air they ingest when Cribbing in combination with Wind Sucking...I'm just curious if anyone here has had a horse whose vet has told them they had Gas Colic from cribbing, etc. Thanks so much! :)
Yes, I'm convinced that cribbing can cause colic which is a very general term for abdominal pain. I had a heavy cribber die of colic many years ago.
Cribbing itself does not cause colic as far as I'm concerned. I think horses that crib may be more likely to colic simply because they are stressed (which is often why they crib), but the cribbing is not the cause, just a common factor in two outcomes. We have 2 horses in the barn who are heavy cribbers. One we have had for over 5 years, never any slight instance of colic *knock on wood*. The other is a pony who we've had for 15 years. His air goes right through him. We joke that he cribs so he can get his air that then comes out the other end as his "jet propeller" cuz he's really lazy. I can only think of one time he had a belly ache, and it was mild enough that a dose of banamine cured him.
On the other hand, we have a couple of horses who get gas colic from time to time who have never cribbed a day in their life.
On the other hand, we have a couple of horses who get gas colic from time to time who have never cribbed a day in their life.