A SURGICAL SOLUTION

A more drastic means of stopping a horse from cribbing is surgery to sever nerves and muscles on the underside of the neck with the goal of preventing the horse from retracting his larynx to suck air.

The procedure doesn’t always work as expected, however. “Some horses still find a way to crib even after the surgery, without arching the neck. They are very innovative in finding ways to crib,” says Amelia S. Munsterman, DVM, PhD, DACVS, DACVECC, of the University of Wisconsin– Madison, adding that the body’s ability to heal may also affect long-term results “The scar tissue that forms after the surgery can sometimes allow the muscle to reconnect and the horse can start cribbing again four or five months later.”

That said, a 2015 study from Louisiana State University reviewed cases of horses who had undergone a newer, laser-assisted method of this surgery to stop cribbing. Of the 90 horses available for follow-up, 76 had stopped cribbing for a year or more—a success rate of 84.4 percent. Still, says Carissa Wickens, PhD, PAS, of the University of Florida, “From a welfare standpoint, most of my colleagues and I do not recommend surgery except as a last resort.”