Domestication hasn’t altered what creation has ingrained in horses.
Why space matters.
Our horse’s environments encompass a wide range of factors and include more than just the space in which they live - though that plays a crucial role. Environment also includes: food resources, herd and social interactions, stressors, and even toxins.
In an ideal world, horses would travel 12+ miles daily over varied terrains with their herd members moving from food source to water source. They would be able to take care of all their own needs: physical, mental, emotional, and social. Unfortunately, domestication has changed that. Their lifestyle has shifted and now they rely on us to meet their needs and make sure they live in an environment where they can thrive.
Their needs can be broken down further to three simple things.
Movement.
Forage variety.
Social interaction.
Where horses are kept - whether stall, paddock, pasture, or track system - affects all three of their basic needs.
Behaviors, both positive and negative, can be directly traced back to the environment in which they live.
The stalled horse.
Some of the things you may see pop up with your stalled horse due to the stress of confinement:
Stall vices such as, weaving, cribbing, wood chewing, and wind sucking.
Shift in “attitude”: suddenly your sweet, friendly horse is “mean”, “nasty”, “pushy”, “overreactive”, “witchy”, or any number of other labels. They pin their ears, present their hindquarters, or try to bite people passing by their stalls. They become difficult to handle or are high strung under saddle.
Digestive issues: diarrhea or loss of appetite, even ulcers.
They become “anxious/rude” during feeding time: They don’t want anyone in or near their stall while they are eating. This is referred to as resource guarding and is a sure sign that they aren’t getting enough food to satisfy them. They feel the need to protect their hay/grain ration.
They may come out of their stall stiff/sore. Their legs may be puffy or swollen from fluid buildup up. They may develop respiratory issues, which is something that affects 50% of stalled horses.
If/when they do get some outside time, they are difficult to catch and bring back in.
What can help a stalled horse?
As much outside time as possible, preferably with other horses that they can interact with. This takes care of all three basic needs. They can move in order to self exercise, blow off some steam, and have better circulation. They can socialize which is beneficial for their mental and emotional state. And, if it’s not a dry lot, they have the chance to graze and/or forage. If you board at a barn that only gives the horses a few hours outside or not all all, it might be time to find a new barn.
Hay nets. Have your horses hay put in a net to make it last longer - they have something to munch on, they are creating a buffer against stomach acid (ulcers!), it will give them something to do besides chew on the walls, and it will satisfy them longer to reduce the chance of them being hangry at feeding time.
Stall enrichment. Give them something to play with to stem boredom and stimulate their minds.
Say “no” to solid walls. Make sure they can see and interact in some way with their friends while they are stalled. Again, this is important to their mental and emotional health and ultimately, their all-around well being.
The pastured horse.
A horse living outside 24/7 with access to shelter, food, and water is definitely a bonus, but it can come with its own set of stresses.
Overgrazed pastures/minimal forage/not enough hay. This can led to resource guarding which will cause horses to spat and tussle with one another over food. This could led to injury or the other horse not getting enough to eat.
Manure pile up. Pastures that go without being picked out can result in a breeding ground for bacteria, perfect conditions for flies, and could increase your horse’s worm load. It also gets churned into a deep, sloppy mess after rain/snow which can cause injury, usually in the form of a pulled muscle or strained tendon/ligament.
Herd mates not getting along. In theory, all horses should get along without there always being a kick or bite to doctor. Horses relate to one another on a one-to-one basis and know where they stand in the relationship. They are motivated to cooperate within the herd, not dominate.
Boredom. If your horse(s) don’t have much to do out in the pasture, they will likely find something to do that isn’t ideal - such as chewing on the side of the run-in shelter, eating each other’s manes/tails off or figuring out a way to get out of the pasture. (This could result in the neighbor calling you at 6 am because your horses are in her hay field - because that never happened.)
What can you do to help?
Make sure your horses have enough and a variety of forage to spice things up. Put hay out in the pasture even if there is grass so they can choose. Spread the hay out in dozens of small/mid-sized piles so there is reduced fighting. You can also browse for horse friendly plants and herbs - dandelion, cleavers, burdock, comfrey, chickweed, branches from horse safe trees, etc. They will eat what they want and leave what they don’t.
There are lots of ways to set up manure management, find something that works for you and stick to a schedule.
If horses aren’t getting along, there is most likely more to it than meets the eye. The true root cause may be that one or another horse has some inward healing that needs to take place in order to operate within the herd.
If your horses are displaying signs of boredom there are few things that can be done to curb this. First, increase forage and variety to make things interesting. Also, you can include enrichment type activities in the pasture from jolly balls to treat balls - be creative! You can also go for nature/foraging walks with your horse to give them a change of scenery and stimulate their brains. If they are extremely attached to a buddy, it is usually best to go with a friend to avoid additional stress until your horse can confidently walk out on their own.
If they could all live on miles and miles of track over different terrain and build healthy bodies, minds, and hooves, that would be amazing. But, not everyone has access to that luxury. Making small changes in your horse’s day-to-day living will not only improve their quality of life, but also their quantity of years.
-Emily
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