Why Do Horses Develop Stable Vices?

As horse owners, we have all seen horses complete strange and unpurposeful behaviours, otherwise known as stereotypies or stable vices. However, it begs the question, why do horses develop stable vices?

Horses are likely to be stabled for extended periods for many different reasons and owners may begin to notice this type of management proves challenging for horses and their behaviours may alter as a consequence.

Cribbing, weaving, box walking come under the ‘stable vices’ term, however thrashing around and aggressive behaviour can also be seen as an unwanted behavioural reaction due to being stabled for longer periods. However, other environmental factors may cause stress that can bring on stable vices such as feeding time, horses coming in and out of the stable, a mare’s season, being left on their own, poor hygiene and ventilation, too much noise around the stable yard … and the list goes on.

This article investigates why these behaviours, otherwise known as stable vices, may occur including what owners can do to minimise stress and frustration exhibited by the horse.

Boredom and Frustration

It has been suggested that stable vices occur due to a lack of mental stimulation. It is argued that vices are not present in horses who are free-roaming, however, they are in those who are stabled, suggesting a lack of environmental stimulation causing the onset of ‘vices’.

However, although it is thought by researchers that boredom may cause the development of stable vices, there is little research to support this. In fact, it had been found that during quiet periods of the day, horses tend to spend their time dozing or foraging for food, as opposed to displaying the unwanted behaviours.

Although not a direct cause of stable vices, it is still thought that lack of mental stimulation and behavioural frustration does contribute to stable vice development. Researchers suggest that due to lack of competing behavioural needs in a low stimulation environment, behaviours are heighted due to the absence of competing feelings or distractions.

They also suggest that horse have to redirect behaviour they may want to perform in a confined space, into an alternative behaviour, in order to adapt to their environment.

Poor Feeding Practices

When it comes to what you should and shouldn’t feed your horse, the equine ‘nutrition world’ can be hard to navigate. Usually, the modern-day horse’s diet is made up from hard feed (otherwise known as ‘concentrates’) and forage. However, an imbalanced ratio of these two types of feed could be impacting our horses behaviour.

As a general rule, horse owners should be offering more forage than hard feed to their horses. Hard feeds, although they can provide essential nutrients for factors such hoof quality, they are higher in energy and sugar than forages, therefore disrupting the way the horse naturally digests food.

Horses thrive off forage and fibre, nourishing the bacterial colonies in their hindgut with the bulk of the feed providing something to absorb stomach acid and it’s harsh effects. Providing less forage, and leaving long periods without this crucial feed stuff, can therefore be detrimental on horse’s gastrointestinal health, being expressed through behaviours.

As grazing animals, horses without adequate forage will express their motivation to feed through behaviours such as crib-biting and windsucking, which service to fill the gut, but with gas instead of feed. This provides a level of satisfaction for the horse, however can contribute to the development of stomach ulcers due to stomach acid build ups, leading to further motivation to perform such behaviours.

Lack of Turnout

The benefits of turnout are inarguable, and horse’s lacking this vital part of routine may show this through the development of stable vices.

Through turnout, horses can exhibit the natural behaviour to graze and roam. However, when confined to a stable, horses are restricted and cannot cover the ground that they naturally would. This has been suggested to be a root cause of the vice, ‘box-walking’, with horses attempting to replicate the activity they have in a free-roaming space.

In addition, turnout can supplement mental health, being a key period for horses to engage in social interaction, which is an indication our horses are happy and comfortable. As herd animals, horses love to groom, play and even just see each other, providing a level of comfort and increasing the circulating, mood-boosting hormone, dopamine.

Routine

Although horses thrive off of a solid routine, it can be a major contributor toward the development of stable vices. As behaviours can be developed from a routine, stable vices are not always an indicator of poor welfare.

Owners may notice that their horse performs certain behaviour before events such as feeding or turning out. These behaviours are performed in related to the action, timing or key event happening in the horse’s environment. Over time, the horse has associated the behaviour they perform with a form of reward. For example, your horse may kick the door before you feed them. As you feed them, the action of giving them food acts as a reward for the door-kicking behaviour.

In the longer term, stable vices could be manged by consistently changing routine, to ensure no accidental cues ae given to the horse. However, do be aware that the stress that comes from a lack of routine can also manifest its self into stable vices.

Should I Stop My Horse From Performing Stable Vices?

Horses complete stable vices because they are missing something from their routine or because they think it is something they should be doing.

By completing stable vices, it is believed that horses are trying to replace an essential step which is missing from their routine, whether this is movement or the need to graze. Overtime, these behaviours become habitual, as they are rewarded by the happy hormone, dopamine, or a reward-action you may completing as a horse owner.

We can prevent their development and attempt to stop these behaviours from occurring, by identifying what is missing within our horse and correcting this.

Punishment or forcibly trying to stop horses from completing these behaviours may not only result in distress but cause more violent episodes of the stable vice.