Simple tools such as hay feeders, large rubber activity balls, and shatter-proof mirrors can help improve the health and welfare of horses kept in stables, according to new research from the University of California, Davis. The study, published in the journal Animals, found that these enrichment items can keep horses engaged and reduce behaviors associated with frustration.
Lead author Miranda Brauns, who conducted the research as a master’s student in animal biology at UC Davis, explained the importance of providing mental stimulation for animals: “Just like humans, animals can be bored, so enrichment can be a way to stimulate the mind. These enrichment tools really are improving the behaviors of animals, and by improving behavior, they’re also improving the animal’s physical and mental health.”
The study highlighted differences between wild and stabled horses. Wild horses typically walk up to 20 miles daily and spend much of their time grazing. In contrast, stabled horses often remain in stalls with limited opportunities for natural foraging. Amy McLean, associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis who oversaw the research, noted: “A lot of horses, as well as zoo animals held in captivity or in these smaller confined spaces, may display behaviors that are not wanted as a way of coping with their environment that has less stimulation in it. We can improve the environment so it’s not compromising their health just standing in one spot.”
The project involved collaboration with the UC Davis Intercollegiate Equestrian Team. McLean said: “We had a lot of student athletes who were monitoring behavior and assisted throughout those studies. I love working with the equestrian team, and I think that’s important for the student athletes to have that research opportunity as well.”
Nine competition horses—American Quarter Horses and American Paint Horses—were fitted with smart halters measuring heart rate and respiratory rate to monitor physiological responses during interaction with enrichment items. Brauns explained: “Incorporating the physiological parameters was a way that we get insight into the emotional state of the animal.”
Over four weeks, student athletes and volunteers introduced enrichment items four times each day while observing and videotaping horse interactions for later analysis.
Researchers observed changes depending on when enrichment was provided; during midday periods without food present there were increases in heartbeat rates as well as more movement and grazing behavior among horses. Frustration-related actions such as stomping or tail swishing decreased during these times.
McLean commented on how timing affects engagement: “I see that as a positive response because the horse is interacting with the enrichment tool. If you know in between feedings or in between exercise your horse may be a little bored in a stall or confined space—that’s when you should offer a hay ball or jolly ball. By introducing these various tools at certain times of day I think it really can improve equine welfare for the industry.”
During part of their work researchers also played Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 to examine effects on horse behavior; results from this aspect were not included in this particular paper but will be explored further by McLean’s lab.
Ahmed Ali from Clemson University and Jeannine Berger from Sacramento Veterinary Behavior Services contributed to this research.
