Stable design has a profound impact on horse welfare. Horses evolved as social, wide-ranging grazers, and stable environments that restrict movement, limit social contact, and reduce foraging opportunities can cause significant behavioural and physical health problems.
Traditional stable design was built around convenience and safety rather than equine behavioural needs. Modern understanding of horse psychology reveals the welfare costs of isolation, restriction, and foraging deprivation. While management constraints limit ideal environments for many horses, incremental improvements - more turnout, social contact, ad lib forage, and environmental enrichment - can significantly improve welfare within existing facilities.