03/11/08 Smart cribbers

So you think you horse has ADD? Well keep your attention "focused" here on the American Rancher program until after the commercial break to find out. Can't get your horse to stand still and quit fidgeting, despite what you may think your horse probably isn't exhibiting attention deficit disorder, it's more likely a training issue. Now if your horse really does have a condition similar to ADD it really could affect his ability to be trained. Here is Susan to fill us in. Jeff, researchers in France believe that they have found a way to determine if a horse is a slow learner by watching for stable vices. We have all seen them , the head tossers, wind suckers, cribbers, pawers, and wood chewers exhibit a condition the researchers believe is similar to ADD. After conducting learning tests on 70 horses, the French team of specialists determined that less than 30 percent of the horses with stereotypic behavior could perform the simple tasks in the allotted time as other horses and noted that horses with these vices lie down and even sleep less. In the end the French study contributes to the fact that as owners and trainers we need to provide adequate turnout so that the horse prone to stable vices doesn't get started negatively patterning in the first place Thanks Susan , Funny I have known some good horses that were cribbers but that research makes you think twice about buying a horse with these issues I'm Jeff Keane