Stereotypic behaviours in horses such as crib-biting, weaving, and box-walking are stress indicators that, once established, are difficult to eliminate - making prevention through good welfare critical.
Horse stereotypy welfare reveals an important distinction between addressing welfare problems and suppressing their expression. Devices that physically prevent crib-biting or weaving stop the visible behaviour but do not reduce the underlying stress and frustration that drives it - and may worsen welfare by denying the animal even the partial coping mechanism the stereotypy provides. The evidence-based approach is prevention: providing ad libitum forage to prevent hunger frustration, appropriate social contact, adequate turnout, and work variety that meets behavioural needs before stereotypies develop. Horses in these conditions have significantly lower stereotypy rates than those in traditional management systems.