A New Game!

I discovered a new game that not only helps engage Satin's mind, but it gives me a way to direct my energy instead of my normal tense and frustrated feeling. Why am I frustrated, you ask?
Well, Satin is an avid cribber (to put it lightly) and prefers to crib than to do anything else, aside from eating. And if given the choice between cribbing and eating food from a toy, she'll play with the toy until it's no longer easy to get the food and then off she goes to get her fix.
The habit was a big issue from the time she was a foal until she was about 5 years old. She colicked many times a year; almost always "gas colic". But as she aged her body adjusted and she hasn't had any health issues associated with the cribbing. The veterinarian dentist assures me there is no real harm in having no front incisors besides potentially dropping food, but this mare doesn't drop a crumb from her lips.

Needless to say, I subconsciously hate that any horse would be afflicted with such a powerful addiction to something that has no benefits and may be a symptom of something more serious (mentally, physically, or emotionally). So I find myself throwing things at her to break the pattern, hence my frustration.

For a more constructive way to 'deal' with this behavior, I've started making it into a game. She can crib any day or time so long as I am not in ear shot, because if I am in ear shot I will quickly be in reach. "Don't make me pick up the stick!" has become our new game and she really seems to be having a lot of fun which is surprising because I thought it would just annoy the heck out of her. It turns out that she probably would rather be doing something with her mind. Surprise, surprise!

A scenario:
Satin is free-roaming in the barn and sidles up to a stall to crib. I stand relaxed with the CS and wait, smiling. I'll do friendly game with her, then go about my business, always staying juuust in reach. She waits and waits at the stall door (outside of the stall), and watches me closely, waiting for me to turn my back or get too far away. As soon as she plants her teeth on the stall I put a lot of rhythmic pressure on her with the CS and she trots out of the barn. She turns and looks at me and I just wander off and ignore her. The game quickly becomes "What can I get in to to make the human chase me! This is fun!" And I know she's enjoying it because she's constantly asking to come back to me and I always allow and do lots of friendly. I bet this would be an excellent way to get her mind warmed up to play with me. Maybe I can put an obstacle at the end of the barn so that she'll have to jump it. I need to get creative!
We did this for over an hour yesterday. I have to say that it was quite a challenge for me to do very little "work" for an hour, but I took it as quality down-time and a much needed break from farm chores. My clever Satin would nibble a piece of hay on the ground while watching me, then sniff this and touch that, doing all sorts of random behaviors to see what made me pick up the stick. She would even go as far as stand in position to crib, lip hovering above the wood, and just wait there, her on on my relaxed body.
Her extrovert side was displaying loudly as she trotted away playfully, then she would swing back around and look at me. Next time I will have to get it on video because you can just see the fun she's having in her expression!

This doesn't address the issue of cribbing when I am not around and I have been strongly considering a new type of device (her windsucking muscles are so strong that the miracle collar can't stop her any more). But to what end?

I'll discuss my theory on cribbing in another note! For now I am just thrilled to have found the creativity to turn something negative into a game!