Stereotypic behaviours in horses including crib-biting, weaving, and box walking indicate welfare deficits. Understanding their causes enables prevention and reduces their welfare impact on affected horses.
Horse stereotypies are welfare indicators of chronic management deficits. A horse that cribs or weaves developed these behaviours because its management failed to meet core welfare needs — most commonly insufficient access to forage (horses evolved to eat 16-18 hours per day), inadequate social contact, and insufficient turnout. Once established, these behaviours are maintained by neurological changes that make them partially independent of the original trigger. Management correction in horses with established stereotypies improves general welfare but rarely eliminates the behaviour. The welfare priority is prevention: young horses managed with ad libitum forage, social companions, and extensive turnout rarely develop stereotypies.