When horses suck air, it's called windsucking, crib biting, or cribbing: Behavior Horses windsuck by arching their necks and using their mouths to suck air into their esophagus, then blowing it back out while grunting. Causes Windsucking can be caused by stress, boredom, gastrointestinal discomfort, or a lack of forage, movement, or company in the horse's early life. Effects Windsucking can lead to dental abnormalities, stomach ulcers, weight loss, and colic. It can also make it difficult for ho