Hey again...
I found the assignment I did for Tafe on Vices - I focussed on Windsucking, Weaving, Food Aggression and Biting... I can email this to you if you send me you email address in a PM.
I just had a look over it again and thought - wow it's basic, Tafe essays don't need to be near as long as I complete for my Post grad mental health courses, but it does discuss some of the more recent theories such as:
- research suggests that winducking is not a learnt behaviour, and that a horse is infact predisposed to the steroetypy through their genetics, however it only comes apparent with some likely related to high stress,
- research involved testing various parameters including bloods and gastric Ph and found that there was no significant difference in the number of ulcers in the windsucking group and the non-windsucking group of subjects, nor differences in gastric pH or hyperkeratosis prevalence. Interestingly however the researcher acknowledged a difference in serum gastrin concentration at time intervals post feeding concentrates, paving the way for further study,
- that sterotypies are highly linked with unnatural environments ie stabling, limited access to feed, being isolated,
- that windsuckers do not demonstrate higher stress levels than non windsuckers in the same environment, however when they are stopped from doing the stereotypy their stress levels do increase,
- research suggests that windsuckers are slower learners,
- windsuckers had a higher heart rate and top heart rate prior to a novel stimulus,
- high link found with foals that have been taken from their mother and fed high protein diets and concentrates - more so not being able to suckle, socialise, in stressful environment and feed,
- that management of changing the environment to more natural is best - ie more time in paddock, more foarge time - offering more time to eat also produces greater saliva which buffers the Ph Level possibly reducing the behavioursm, trickle feeding an instruments to reduce the quantities of hay that a horse can have in one bite may allow for ongoing eating (however may increase stress levels), reducing any high protein rations and feeding with more fibre, collars can be utilised, however it was shown that when a collar is then taken off that 9/10 horses increased the time windsucking prooving that they do not lose the drive - this also goes for more drastic collars such as electric shock. Surgery still goes on, but isn't prooven to work either.
Anyway, thats a summary of the research I know about and partly whats in the assignment I can send you...
And my actual experience - As I mentioned my TB was a HUGE windsucker, would also weaving, paw, have barrier frustration.... All things he displayed in times of stress particulary although winsducking he would do heaps! Infact he hardly grazed initially... He came with the nutcracker collar but this only inflamed his neck.
I bought him a miracle collar and used this for a while. I started to take it off when he was in the paddock where he had made a friend, then when alone at night in a paddock would put it back on as we had metal gates.
Then we moved. I now have him and his best mate (my other horse) on 25acres, which we fenced deliberately with electric fencing (which the top strand lays along the top of the posts so he can't use that either to grasp on to), he's not stabled at all, fed lots of fibre and a normal protein percentage (not high), was put through courses of clean culture for his hindgut, lots of grass to eat all day - never restricted from grazing... And all this - I found he doesn't windsuck at all anymore, even in the paddock with trees and rocks that he could possibly fix his teeth on. I also had bloods to check for gastic ulcers or signs of these but by that stage everything was well.
He does stress when I take the other one out, and will weave still, but still no windsucking... I know from the research that the bahviour stays though and can't be 'cured' but with everything he has to do he seems settled enough and doesn't appear to want to windsuck anymore...
So... thats my story.
I found that the miracle collar is much better than the nutcracker but I have heard of some horses who it hasn't worked for. Again though, as La Fiaba said it wouldn't be good just to whack on a collar only if she doesn't have other ways to relieve stress. But then if her teeth are anything like my mans then you may need the collar for the sake of him being able to eat in the future (his teeth were sooo bad...)...
Anyway, questions - just ask cos I'm not sure how much sense I made tonight... Bit tired!
