I have a client with a foal that was weaned a few days ago, and it has started cribbing. Within only a few hours after it was separated from the mare, it was seen doing something funny that the owners now appreciate was cribbing. Once they realized what it was doing (on day two or three), they immediately turned it out and have not seen it crib outside. This foal had been used to being in the stall, so they don’t think it’s just the stall. There are other weanlings in stalls all around it. It doesn’t appear to be any more stressed than the others.

Any comments or suggestions? Have you ever seen a foal start cribbing in association with weaning? Any new studies or references on cribbing that we all could read? They really want to nip this in the bud. —Veterinarian via phone

 First, your call is not the first to describe a foal that was seen to start cribbing within hours after weaning. I have not seen it myself. Almost all the foals I have observed regularly before and after weaning were weaned naturally by their dams. In that population, none have become cribbers