Horses confined to stables require enrichment to prevent boredom, stereotypies and social deprivation. Evidence-based enrichment approaches meet behavioural needs within the constraints of stable management.
Stable enrichment is fundamentally about bridging the gap between the natural equine lifestyle — continuous foraging, social contact and movement across varied terrain — and the necessities of domestic management. The most important enrichment is not novel toys but ad libitum forage access, which satisfies the most highly motivated equine behaviour and prevents the gastric ulceration caused by extended periods without feed. Social contact — whether through visual contact with neighbouring horses or shared paddock time — addresses the isolation stress of single stabling. Regular, even brief turnout access provides locomotory freedom. Manipulable objects and novel stimuli add value but are secondary to these fundamental needs. The welfare improvements from getting these fundamentals right are far greater than the benefits of any commercial enrichment product.