Today’s Post By: Rhonda Stinson
While living in Arizona, I helped out on a horse ranch. Chores included feeding, grooming and mucking. One of the horses caught my eye on my first day. It was a beautiful male quarter horse, but it wasn’t his beauty that drew me in. The horse had its top incisors hooked onto the wooden fence post, and with its neck arched, he was drawing in large amounts of air. The owner told me the behavior is called “cribbing”. Apparently, this horse preferred to do it constantly. Thunder had come from a traumatic home environment and resorted to cribbing as a means to ease his anxiety.
Horses can develop coping mechanisms just as people do. They use different types of behavior to deal with anxiety, boredom, isolation, change of environment, etc. Cribbing releases endorphins into the horse’s brain. Side effects of cribbing include enlarged throat muscles and damage to the upper incisors.
Like Thunder, we might develop some coping mechanisms to help us manage stress. These may include exercising, eating, not eating, spending money, drugs, alcohol, excessive working, praying, or reading the Bible. All of these have side effects whether they are positive or negative.
Are you a “cribber”? Do you latch onto things which only temporarily put you at ease? Try talking to someone about what you’re feeling. Start journaling your thoughts or find some other positive outlet. God is only a prayer away.
Cease cribbing and start living. God cannot use you to your full potential while you’re still latched onto the fence post.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
