Do Horses Get Bored?

In short, yes! horses do get bored. We answer this common question by investigating bored horse behaviour and what to do about it; we’ll help you bust your horse’s boredom once and for all!

Signs Of Boredom in Horses

Bored horse behaviour can include the development of stable vices. Stable vices, such as crib-biting and box-walking often stem from frustration, stress and lack of mental stimulation. These vices lend a hand to relieve boredom and distract from other stressors.

On the other hand, boredom may manifest through more subtle signs in your horse’s body language. Does your horse look happy? Or are they lethargic and disinterested in their environment? If there are no other signs of illness and infection, busting boredom may just put the spring back in your horse’s step.

Why Should We Keep Our Horses Entertained?

Whether our horses are recuperating from injury in their stable or reaping the benefits of turnout, it is important that we keep them entertained.

Keeping our horses free from boredom will ensure their mental and physical health stays in tip-top condition.

Mentally, boredom can cause horses to switch off to tasks more easily. It can mean it is harder to teach our horse’s new commands, either not engaging with commands at all or repeating manoeuvres will similar commands. This can become frustrating to both the horse and the owner.

Physically, boredom may cause the onset of stable vices. Stable vices can cause significant wear and tear to musculoskeletal structures, causing injury or increasing the likelihood of injury.

In addition, extreme boredom can lead to stress and it’s negative side-effects. Producing the hormone, cortisol, stress can take it’s toll on the body’s internal systems and increase the likelihood of illness and infection.

How To Prevent Boredom

Preventing boredom is much easier said than done! First you need to understand what motivates your horse and then try to get them to engage with your boredom-busting technique.

If food motivates your horse, an easy way to bust boredom is by providing a treat toy in the stable or field. Treat toys usually come in the form of a horse ‘lick’ or a treat ball.

However, some horses may not engage with these toys, out of fear or disinterest. Therefore, using carrot stretches to captivate your horse for a portion of their day may help alleviate boredom. Carrot stretches are great to add into routine, not only for interest but the suppleness and strength of your horses’ body, as well as the strength of your bond with each other!

Another great way to grasp the benefits of carrot stretches, as well as bust boredom, is trick training using treats as an incentive!

If your horse is maybe a more playful character, food-centred toys and activities can stimulate the brain. However, for lively horses the benefits of turnout with a herd can work wonders! It is much harder for horses to become bored when turned out due to the ever-changing environment. Plus, when grouped with other horse, they can play, interact, and let off steam to their heart’s content!

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