Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hello Dr. Getty. I have an eleven year old appendix Quarter Horse. He is a cribber (sucking wind) who has worn down his front teeth quite a bit. He also has Kissing Spine on his back. Is there a supplement I could be using that would help him with one or both of these issues? Actually he does not seem to be suffering from either but I am wondering if there is something I could be feeding him now that would help for the future. He's on two feedings of hay and one of pellets per day. Thank you for your assistance. P.S. If you're ever out my way I'd love for you to meet Tobi and me 
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Where are you from? Scottsdale, AZ
How did you locate this forum? I found this site by searching for help with nutrition
Hello Anna,
The best way to alleviate and even stop cribbing is to offer hay and/or pasture, free choice -- 24/7 -- never runs out. Horses that crib usually have ulcers and need to be able to graze all of the time to produce saliva, a natural antacid. His stomach secretes acid constantly, even when empty and I guarantee that he is in pain when he has an empty stomach. Give him all he wants and once he realizes that he will never run out of hay, he will start to walk away from it -- self-regulate his intake. I've seen this thousands of times.
About the inflammation in his back -- I would make sure that his omega 3 fatty acid level is adequate. You can give him Nutra Flax or if he is experiencing a great deal of pain from inflammation, reduce it further by giving him a combination of omega 3s from flax (alpha linolenic acid) plus from from fish oils (DHA and EPA) with a product called Omega-3-F.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
!Where are you from? Waverly, OH