HorseWorld’s Guide To Enriching The Environment For Stabled Horses
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Time to read 4 min
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Time to read 4 min
At HorseWorld, we believe that every horse deserves a life enriched with friends, forage, and freedom. Ideally, horses should graze in herds, moving freely across varied terrain, and expressing the natural behaviours evolution has designed them for. However, we understand that horses sometimes spend extended periods stabled - whether for recovery, health reasons, or due to seasonal or land restrictions.
During these times, stable enrichment is essential to maintain both physical and mental wellbeing. Together with Shires Equestrian, we’ve compiled practical tips and product recommendations to create a stimulating, comfortable, and safe stable environment.
1. Space, Air and Social Contact
A stable that supports a horse’s natural needs starts with space, fresh air, and opportunities for social interaction. These simple factors make a big difference to your horse’s comfort and wellbeing.
Air and light: Adequate ventilation and natural daylight are essential for respiratory health and overall wellbeing. If your stable feels dark or stuffy, consider adding a window or changing the setup to improve airflow. The EZI-KIT Stall Chain allows the door to be safely secured while increasing fresh air and light within the stable.
Room to move: Whenever possible, combine adjoining stables, give access to a barn or pen off a larger area so the horse has more space. Using the EZI-KIT Stall Chain helps keep the door area open and flexible, effectively allowing increased movement without compromising safety.
Companionship: Horses are herd animals, thriving on visual and tactile interaction with others. Place stables so they can see and touch one another safely. The EZI-KIT Stall Chain keeps the door secured yet open enough for shared sight and easy communication between neighbouring horses.
2. Forage and Feeding Enrichment
Horses are natural trickle feeders, designed to graze for most of the day. Long periods without forage can cause stress, digestive issues, and unwanted behaviours such as crib-biting or weaving. Providing variety and encouraging natural grazing habits can make stable life much more comfortable.
Slow feeding: Use small-holed haynets or slow-feeder nets to extend feeding time and mimic natural grazing patterns. The Shires Greedy Feeder Haynet is designed specifically for this purpose, helping to keep horses occupied while preventing waste.
Variety and placement: Hanging multiple haynets at different heights or corners of the stable encourages gentle movement and exploration, supporting both physical and mental wellbeing.
Fresh turf: Rotating small pieces of turf provides the opportunity to nibble grass and ingest beneficial microbes from the soil, supporting gut health.
Forage games: Hiding small treats such as carrot slices or apple pieces within the hay adds an extra layer of stimulation and encourages natural foraging behaviour.
3. Touch and Texture
Horses explore their surroundings through touch, and many find comfort and stimulation in interacting physically with their environment. Providing a range of tactile experiences helps to satisfy these natural instincts and can significantly reduce boredom.
Interactive play: Horses often enjoy using their noses and muzzles to push, roll, and investigate objects. The Shires Ball Feeder offers a fun and rewarding way to encourage movement and curiosity, releasing small amounts of treats as it’s rolled around.
Scratching and rubbing: Offering different textures for rubbing helps horses maintain coat condition and comfort, particularly when they can’t reach itchy spots themselves. The Equine Scratcher provides a safe, durable surface that horses can use without risk of injury or damage to stable walls.
Rotation and variety: Regularly changing enrichment items keeps them novel and engaging, helping your horse stay mentally stimulated during longer periods indoors.
4. Smell and Scent
Scent plays an important role in how horses interpret their surroundings and connect with one another. Familiar and pleasant smells can have a calming, rehabilitative effect, especially for horses spending extended periods in the stable.
Natural smells: Horses take comfort in the scent of companions and familiar environments. Hanging a towel or cloth carrying another horse’s scent, or placing a small amount of clean bedding from a field mate’s stable nearby, can help reduce anxiety.
Gentle grooming scents: Regular grooming not only supports skin and coat health but also provides positive scent associations through gentle, horse-safe products. The EZI-GROOM Range from Shires offers a selection of brushes and sprays that can be used during quiet, bonding moments to reinforce calm and connection.
Essential oils: If using aromatherapy, always select horse-safe oils and ensure the area remains well-ventilated. Start with mild scents like chamomile or lavender, and monitor your horse’s response closely.
5. Visual Stimulation
Horses feel safer and more relaxed when they can see what’s going on around them. Providing visual interest helps reduce stress and boredom, especially for horses on restricted turnout or box rest.
Clear views: Horses prefer to keep an eye on their surroundings. Fitting half-doors, windows, or open-top partitions helps them feel connected to daily activity. The Shires EZI-KIT stall chain is a simple and safe way to let horses look out and observe the yard while keeping them secure.
For smaller horses and ponies: Consider using lower partitions or split doors so they can see out comfortably. Even being able to watch other horses move about can make a big difference to their mood.
Changing scenery: If possible, stable your horse where they can view the yard or paddock. Seeing people and other animals coming and going offers valuable mental stimulation and helps mimic the social buzz of herd life.
Key Takeaways
While nothing can truly replace the benefits of freedom, forage, and friendship in a natural environment, thoughtful enrichment can make a huge difference to a horse’s wellbeing when stabling is necessary. By engaging their senses, encouraging natural behaviours, and providing variety and choice, we can help horses feel calmer, healthier, and more content in the stable.
At HorseWorld, we believe every horse deserves an environment that nurtures both body and mind, and with Shires Equestrian’s equipment and products, creating a more stimulating and comfortable space has never been easier.
This blog post was written by the team of experts at HorseWorld in Bristol. HorseWorld is a horse rescue charity based in the South-West. For more information, please visit their website:
