Product Review

Reviewed by April D. Ray 

Cribbing is a compulsive behaviour in which the horse places his upper incisors on a hard surface such as fence board or stall door, flexes his neck, pulls against the object, and sucks in air. He then releases the air all at once in a grunting or belching noise. Cribbing is a stereotypy or repetitive behaviour that appears to serve no practical purpose. It poses an increased risk of colic, and causes wear and tear on the horse’s teeth as well as damage to fences, stalls, and barns.

When deciding how to manage this habit, it’s important to try to address the reason behind the unwanted behaviour, which can be caused by lack of grazing time, gastrointestinal discomfort, or lack of social interaction. The behaviour can be reduced by using a cribbing collar, but it’s unlikely the horse will stop altogether. Another option to deter the horse from cribbing and chewing is to treat the surfaces the horse comes in contact with. In the past, many horse owners used creosote to treat fences and walls, but this product is no longer available to the public. Luckily, EQyss has answered the need for a better solution with their product, Equine Crib-Guard Spray and Gel. 

This effective new product will not only deter your horse from practicing this harmful behaviour, it will do so without any adverse impact on surfaces and the environment. Equine Crib-Guard is alcohol-free, will not irritate skin or harm vegetation, and is safe to use on leather. 

Equine Crib-Guard comes in both a spray and a clear gel with a brush applicator. I tested the spray on blankets, wraps, and bandages, and tested the gel on fences and stalls, both with great success. It is also long-lasting as only one application has done the trick with the cribber at our barn: “My 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding is such a horrible cribber [that] he has stumps for his top teeth! I’ve used every cribbing strap out there to no avail. We used this product in his paddock and can honestly say he hasn’t touched the fencing it was put on!”

Whether your preference is spray or gel, EQyss Crib-Guard is a must for every barn with a chewer or cribber in residence. 

For more information, visit www.eqyss.com. 

This review was originally published in the Summer 2018 issue of Canadian Horse Journal. 

Photo: iStock/CHMuller