I got in a lot of trouble with that Miracle Collar. I could not adjust it correctly. I must have punched a dozen or so holes in it and the brow band kept falling into Kate's eyes and she could have lost an eye!
Here is one of many articles on the subject.
There are just so many to read. I just grabbed the first one that came up but do a search and you may get some newer information than what this one has to offer. There is supposed to be one about the research that Lisa is talking about but I didn't see that one yet.
Aerophagia or Oral 'Windsucking' in Horses Disclaimer
Dr John Kohnke BVSc RDA
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‘Windsucking’ or ‘crib biting’ is the term used to describe the technique developed by a horse where it anchors its top teeth on a rail or post, arches its neck and gulps in air, making a characteristic ‘grunting’ sound as the air is swallowed.
New evidence suggests that stretching the neck and gulping air is a pleasurable sensation due to endorphin release, and the expanded stomach makes the horse feel contented and satisfied.
Windsucking often leads to excessive teeth wear, and in bad cases, the top front incisors may be worn away, making it difficult for a horse to graze efficiently on shorter pasture. Swallowing air also leads to digestive upset and poor condition die to interrupted feeding and loss of appetite as a result of feeling ‘full’ with air in the stomach.
Causes of windsucking
Remedies for winduscking
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Causes of windsucking Top
Confinement to stables, resulting in boredom and frustration may cause a horse to initially nibble or chew wood, and then develop the windsucking habit.
Horses and foals will mimic and learn the technique from other horses.
Occasionally, a horse will even windsuck by arching its neck and anchoring its teeth on its own knee joint or cannon bone.
Remedies for winduscking Top
Unfortunately, there are no totally successful methods to prevent or curb windsucking.
Initially, crib biting can be deterred by liberal smears of hot tasting greases, such as Stop Crib, applied to all horizontal surfaces or favourite cribbing ledges, tops of posts or rails in stables, yards and paddocks. However, as a windsucking horse only rests it stop teeth on rails or tops of posts, these preparations may not be tasted and in some horses will be less effective.
Preparations with an offensive or irritating smell, such as creosote, may be helpful in keeping horses from chewing rails, but are messy to apply.
Metal mirrors affixed to the back of the stall may reduce the frequency of windsucking in a young, nervous and lonely horse confined to a stable.
Replacing half of the lucerne (green) chaff with cereal (white) chaff can slow down the rate at which a meal is eaten by 15 – 20 % and help prevent boredom
A 75mm wide, thick leather calf neck strap fitted carefully and snugly around the throat latch area appears to be successful. A wide, flat pliable strap is less likely to cause pressure sores on the throat latch, as can occur with the traditional metal-hinged windsucking straps.
In severe cases, a modified Forsells operation to prevent arching of the lower neck muscles to windsuck may be successful in the short term in young horses – however, surgical techniques are largely ineffective, often expensive and can result in a scar and loss of hair around the throat area.
In the mid 1980’s the compound Nalmefene was heralded as a deterrent for crib biting and windsucking. It acts by blocking the release of endorphins, which are thought to produce a ‘high’ feeling during the windsucking habit. A low continuous dose released by pellets deposited under the skin was reported to suppress crib biting and windsucking for up to 4 weeks. However, the drug is expensive, may cause side effects resembling low grade colic and, once the blocking effects of the drug wears off, a chronic windsucker and crib biter is likely to return to its habit with renewed vigour.
