Equines

The Welfare of Stabled Horses

Horses kept in stables for significant portions of the day face welfare challenges from social isolation, limited movement, and inability to perform natural foraging behaviors.

Key Facts

Horses evolved to move 15-20 kilometers daily while grazing for 16-18 hours
Stabling reduces movement to a fraction of natural levels and prevents social contact
Gastric ulcers affect 60-90% of stabled performance horses due to stress and feeding management
Stable vices including cribbing and weaving are stereotypic behaviors indicating chronic stress
Turnout time and equine companions are the most effective welfare interventions for stabled horses

Welfare Considerations

The modern horse husbandry model of individual stabling, twice-daily feeding, and limited turnout is the opposite of the horse's evolved social and behavioral needs. A horse evolved to graze with a herd for most of its waking hours cannot be adequately compensated by two hay feeds, two hours of ridden exercise, and social isolation. Gastric ulcer prevalence in performance horses reflects the physiological cost of this management mismatch.

What You Can Do

Maximize turnout time for stabled horses whenever feasible and safe
Provide social contact with other horses — even visual and tactile contact over a fence improves welfare
Feed ad libitum hay to satisfy foraging needs and reduce ulcer risk
Consider track systems or herd living environments as alternatives to conventional stabling