Most horses have some sort of vice and most are harmless while others can have a serious effect on your horse’s heath and mentality. Most people will just ignore these vices or may try to stop them. Depending on the severity of the vice, there may be nothing you can do other than try to make the horse as comfortable as possible. Horses may develop vices based on various reasons, they may learn them from a neighbor or they may simply do them out of boredom. Here is the scoop on the most common stable vices:
Horses will sway side to side on his front legs. They may do this in their stall or the may do this while tied. The nose often moves in a figure eight fashion as the horse sways. This vice may supply the horse with some type of pleasure and many veterinarians suggest that the movement releases endorphins into the brain. The best way to prevent weaving is by allowing your horse adequate time in the pasture so that he will not have to occupy himself by moving excessively.
There is a cribber in just about every barn. This horse bites onto anything from a fence pole to the stall door. They then suck in air and swallow it. This air can cause the horse to be prone to gas colic as the horse may be unable to release the air. The air can also interfere with digestion. There are different options for cribbers depending on how much money you are willing to spend. Most people opt for the cribbing collar, the collar is supposed to keep the horses from expanding their neck muscles and sucking in the air. Many cribbers will attempt this despite the collar. There is also surgery and special drugs that are an option for horse owners. The drugs must be maintained or the horse will begin cribbing again.
Horses that constantly turn circles in their stalls are considered box walkers. The often act oblivious to the world while they walk and may barge into you. Many horses do this out of boredom and will often benefit from being turned out in a pasture or on a regular basis. Some horses may walk to relieve pain, this pain will be able to be determined if the horse continues his behavior in the pasture.
This behavior occurs most frequently during feeding time. Some horses are food possessive and they may kick the walls to alert others to stay away. Then there are the door kickers who do it out of boredom. These door kickers put themselves at risk for lameness and soundness problems. They may even kick hard enough to break the little bones in their ankles.
These are among the most serious vices you will find in a stable. If your horse exhibits any of these, you should begin troubleshooting their cause. Most horses develop vices out of boredom and you may see what you can do to make life a little more interesting for those horses. You may also consult your vet and see if there is an underlying health issue.