Question: Knight has started cribbing on his stall. I thought that I might get the paint you can put on the wood so that when they chew, it tastes bad and hopefully they will learn NOT to chew. I also thought about getting him a Jolly Ball to play with so he won't be bored. Do you reccomend any products to use on him to keep him from cribbing? Thanks! Taylor

Answer: Hi Taylor, Is Knight cribbing or wood chewing? Cribbing is when they set their top teeth against something hard then pull back and down sometimes making a wind sucking sound at the same time. When they do this it releases endorphins in their brain and makes them feel good - which is why it is a very hard vice to cure once it gets started. Wood chewing is usually something they do to pass the time until their next feeding or visit from their owner. Although sometimes wood chewing can be a sign of insufficiencies in their diet, my guess would be that he is bored. Remember he lived in a pasture his whole life until recently. Some suggestions: The best cure would be to put him in a pasture setting if you can. But if he really is cribbing he might continue to crib even in pasture. Next best would be to keep him active. A jolly ball is a good start, you could also try empty milk jugs in his stall to kick around, feeding him smaller portions more often throughout the day, or break up his feed into several stacks placed around his stall. There is an outside possibility that he's not getting enough to eat and he's hungry which could cause him to chew/eat wood - try increasing his feed slightly. Let me know how it goes.