“The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.” ― Alice Walker
Horses need physical, mental and social/emotional stimulation, just like we do. Confining horses to an empty, flat paddock or a small stable or even a stall with sufficient hard feed and nice fencing might be appealing to us, but to a horse it can be a physiological and psychological nightmare, akin to being sent to jail/goal. Why? Let's just have a think...
Horses have been perfected over thousands of years to eat and move at least 16 hours PER DAY. In the wild they walk, they select their own food, they put their heads down, bite and tear off their food, and chew. Or they raise their heads and browse fodder trees and bushes. They move their heads and look around. They scent the air. They check the herd. They scratch themselves. They digest. They take a step and do it all again. For up to 16 hours PER DAY. When people confine horses to small areas and feed them daily, instead of letting them roam and graze with other horses, they are altering – and in fact seriously inhibiting and in some cases stopping altogether – their MAJOR behaviour. Altering this affects their ENTIRE BODY. It also affects them emotionally.
And this is without even considering interactive behaviour. Companionship is as vital as room to move. Horses need healthy physical, mental and emotional stimulation from their environment to live healthful lives, just like we do.
They need nourishment, in all forms, and yes this includes appropriate training and time spent doing things with their humans, for domesticated horses. There are so many things you and your horse can enjoy together, while you help your horse live a healthful and stimulating life.
Horses provide so much for us, after all.
Ethologists and scientists have recorded up to 180 different behaviour patterns exhibited by certain groups of horses living in the wild. Most of these involve locomotion/movement. Up to 20 of these behaviour patterns alone are dedicated to getting rid of flies and biting insects. So what are we doing when we are restricting movement and ‘helping’ our horses by rugging and putting on fly veils? Yes if your horse has no way of moving away from flies or no buddies to help remove flies with, we feel obliged to help…but should we be looking at helping in better ways, like finding more space for our horses or allowing them to roam at least in a small herd to give them mates to encourage this more natural and far healthier behaviour? Mates can help remove the flies. Feed with less sugar...appropriate minerals...bushes/trees to stand beneath while the wind stirs the leaves and helps remove insects...there are so many better ways to provide relief to your horse than rugs and chemical sprays.
Yes some older horses may appreciate a rug to keep their joints warm on cold days, but if you have to do this, consider also allowing them lots of room to move and things to do, to keep warm and stimulated. Standing around in a boring paddock or stable/shelter, even if rugged, doesn't improve circulation or keep an animal whose body needs to move to survive (to digest, for proper hoof function, etc.) 100% healthy. And yes, there are toys available if your horse must be stabled. For the welfare of the horse give it something to think about and at least some ways in which to move. Better still, provide an open shelter in a paddock so the horse has the choice to stable itself.
Please consider what is best for the horse, not what is the easiest or most comfortable for the human. If you can't provide for these fundamental needs, perhaps consider not owning a horse at all.
(Written with thanks to the work of Ethologist Lucy Rees. All photos (c) KAW)
