| Horses are naturally herd animals and in the wild they | | | | behaviours as they are bored, in need of company |
| would roam as a pack. Sometimes it is necessary for | | | | and have excess energy. There are many products |
| the domestic horse to be kept stabled either if they | | | | on the market that are aimed at helping horses with |
| are in training for competitions or for rehabilitation of an | | | | these problems. These include: stable mirrors, stable |
| injury. When kept stabled, particularly if they are not | | | | toys and licks, balls etc. There are other products |
| used to this type of management, it increases their | | | | which aim to prevent the horse from displaying these |
| stress levels. Some horses are able to cope well with | | | | characteristics: weave bars or grills on stable doors, or |
| being kept stabled; however approximately 15% of | | | | creosote to prevent chewing. |
| stabled horses develop stereotypical behaviours | | | | It has been suggested that simply preventing this |
| previously described as stable vices. | | | | behaviour will make the horse much more stressed. |
| Examples of stereotypical behaviours are: | | | | However all of these behaviours cause health |
| Weaving - shifting of their weight on their front legs | | | | problems if allowed to continue for long periods. They |
| from side to side whilst swaying their head in a | | | | will build muscles in the wrong places and can cause |
| rhythmical manner. | | | | injury or strain to the musculoskeletal system and |
| Box walking - tracing a route round and round the | | | | other problems. |
| stable, generally in one direction. | | | | Wherever possible it is advisable to make changes to |
| Crib-biting - grabbing something such as the door or a | | | | the horse's management to try to alleviate these |
| fence in their teeth and gulping and swallowing air. | | | | behaviours. Often just a short period of turnout will be |
| Windsucking - as with crib-biting but generally without | | | | a great help, also try to avoid leaving one horse in on |
| grabbing anything they just make a large gulp and | | | | their own for long periods, if you have another horse |
| noise when swallowing air. | | | | that doesn't mind being kept inside then this will help. |
| Aggressive behaviour - this can vary but generally | | | | Obviously in some cases this is not always possible |
| includes biting or charging at either other horses or | | | | for example when rehabilitating an injury however care |
| handlers. | | | | must be taken to ensure that the behaviour doesn't |
| There are no real substitutes for natural management; | | | | cause further problems to the injury. |
| it is generally believed that horses display these | | | | |