Educational video on windsucking horses

This is an educational video for people wanting to know about windsucking. We are not experts, but as we run a rescue facility we have learned some things along the way.

There are a lot of different trains of thought about what causes windsucking and not a lot of conclusive proof. One supposed cause is early weaning. Whether it be the stress of being weaned too soon, or that they are introduced to the wrong kinds of feed too soon. Other potential causes are boredom or stress, and the list goes on. What is clear is that what seems to start out as something to do, soon turns into a very difficult to break habit.

There is some debate as to whether or not windsucking horses get an endorphin rush when they suck. There is also some debate that windsucking promotes increased saliva, which gives them pain relief if they have gut problems. Often windsuckers and gastric ulcers go hand in hand, so this makes some sense. But I question whether the windsucking causes the ulcers, or the pain of gastric ulcers can be enough to cause the windsucking.

There is also some belief that other horses can learn the behaviour. I have not personally had it picked up by any other horses here and our horses are in shared paddocks, but that is not to say it doesn't happen.

I personally believe each horse is different and different things trigger windsucking for different horses.

Windsuckers cause premature wear on their front incisors, they can be prone to colic, and it is often very difficult getting and keeping weight on them. Cruze is on 2 to 3 hard feeds per day all year around and he has access to ad lib hay and is turned out 24/7 and he is still underweight. He is a thoroughbred, so that doesn't help either.

There are also many supposed ways to stop winksucking varying from painting chilli and other unpleasant concoctions on fencing, to collars that restrict them from tensing their neck muscles. I have personally seen many of the collars on the market, and chose not to use them on Cruze. Some were inhumane in my opinion, some did not work and I also felt that he was more stressed and more inclined to want to windsuck when the collar was on.

We tried running hot tape around the perimeter of his paddock so that he didn't have access to any fence posts, but he resorted to winduscking on trees, gates, whatever else he could find. I have even heard of horses that will suck on thin air, or other horses.

We are trying various natural supplements to reduce his windsucking and have even tried replacing this habit with others. It is still a work in progress, and we are learning each and every day.

I hope this video helps just one other person out there who is trying to understand this often times frustrating behaviour. Some windsuckers are put to sleep and many end up at sanctuaries like Gunyah because of the damage they can do to fences or themselves.

For more information on Gunyah Animal Healing Sanctuary, visit our website http://.www.gunyah.org

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• windsucking
• horses
• welfare
• sanctuary
• windsucker
• windsuck
• animal
• animals
• charity
• rescue

[miniaturegalforlife]

Can you help me? I just realized my horse is a winduskcer. Should he have 24hour turnout?

[kathymunslow]

@miniaturegalforlife Am so sorry to hear that. I would be checking for gastric ulcers, as that could be one possible cause. There is a good herbal mix you can give daily to help with his digestive tract containing slippery elm, licorice root, marshmallow root, chamomile. I would also be giving him as much turnout time as possible, company if possible & ample forage. You could also try to distract him with toys or treat balls. Works with some, but didn't work for Cruze unfortunately.

[myflatlove]

It's good to know. I've been looking at your videos because I am doing some research on horses and horse facilities - I'm doing my Master's thesis in architecture and it was useful to me. So, thanks for posting the videos.

[kathymunslow]

@myflatlove Windsucking is an interesting topic. There seems to be lots of different beliefs & opinions out there. I did a heap of research & talked to a lot of people who had experience with windsuckers after Cruze came to the sanctuary because I knew nothing. I also watched him a lot & took a lot of notes. Even with all of that I still feel there is so much I can learn to help him & others in the future. All the best with your Masters & research & hope the video helped in some way :)

[myflatlove]

He has to graze on food all the time and that should do it. Horses are natural grazes. Let him eat all the time and he will behave.

[kathymunslow]

@myflatlove Ample food & turnout is enough to stop some, but it doesn't always work. It's much harder to stop them when it's become habitual. Since Cruze was rescued he's always had 24hr access to hay and grass, and he gets 2 to 3 hard feeds per day. He's also got company, as some horses will windsuck if they're bored or alone. Each horse and each case is different. Some will stop after a dental if their teeth are bad, some will stop if put in a new environment, others will never stop.

[Rabicon1]

Watch out Burnie, this one's rampaging!

[kungfufona]

I get sad watching him! 8(

[fateephat]

All seriousness, just feed that horse a shit ton of beer, and keep it up each time it's inclined to windsuck.

[kathymunslow]

@wraeki Gastric ulcers often go hand in hand with windsucking, but not sure if the pain of ulcers causes the windsucking, or if the windsucking causes the ulcers. There is a chemical treatment which Cruze had, & he's also on a daily herbal blend to aid his entire digestive tract. Not 100% sure, but it seems any kind of trauma, stress, anxiety or boredom can cause certain horses to start, whether in a large paddock or not. Think we still have a lot to learn about why they start & how to help.