Active enrichment strategies during prescribed box rest prevent the psychological welfare deterioration that confinement causes in horses accustomed to movement and social contact.
Box rest enrichment is not a luxury — for horses accustomed to hours of daily movement and social contact, confinement without enrichment causes measurable psychological welfare deterioration within days. Stereotypy development, increased agonistic behavior toward handlers, and cortisol elevation are predictable consequences of unenriched box rest. Enrichment that maximizes foraging time through slow feeders, provides novel sensory experiences, and maintains social information access substantially buffers these consequences without compromising recovery. The investment in enrichment is modest relative to the welfare benefit and the cost of stereotypy that develops during inadequately managed box rest.