Stereotypic behaviours in horses — crib-biting, weaving, box-walking — are indicators of compromised welfare. Understanding their causes guides prevention and management.
Stereotypic behaviours in horses are one of the most visible and well-understood welfare indicators in companion and sport animals. They develop when horses are managed in ways that prevent the expression of natural behaviours — particularly social contact, continuous foraging, and free movement — over extended periods. Once neurologically established, stereotypies persist because the repetitive movement itself activates the horse's reward pathways, providing relief from frustration. Management designed to prevent stereotypies — early social contact, continuous forage access, turnout, and avoiding early weaning — is far more effective than attempting to suppress existing stereotypies through anti-weaving bars or cribbing collars, which address the symptom while leaving the underlying welfare problem unresolved. The welfare goal is an environment so well-matched to equine needs that stereotypy development is unlikely.