Most horse owners want the very best for their animal. But especially if you live in the western part of the Netherlands, the possibilities are sometimes limited. There is often little or no space for free movement and even if there is a paddock, many horses need to use it and the time per horse is very limited. In addition, many people are traditionally somewhat reluctant to turn sport horses out, fearing that these valuable animals may injure themselves. But horses are not made to stand in a stable for 23 hours a day. This is very bad for both their physical and mental health. Why is that?

Physical disadvantages of spending too much time in a stable

A horse’s body is designed to move calmly throughout the day and occasionally sprint as well. That is what horses do in nature. Not only the muscles are adapted to this, but also the tendons, ligaments, joints, and hooves of your horse. All these parts of the musculoskeletal system suffer when your horse stands still in a stable too much.

Hooves:

Hooves stay healthier when the hoof mechanism functions properly. This is a kind of pumping mechanism through which blood rich in nutrients and oxygen enters the hooves because they slightly compress and expand again during movement. Waste products are removed through the same system. This pump only works when the horse walks. Horses that live in a good pasture day and night therefore often have much healthier hooves, which grow faster and have fewer problems such as thrush, than horses that are always stabled. Thrush becomes even more problematic for horses that spend a lot of time standing in manure or urine, something that happens more quickly in a stall than outdoors.

Bones:

Bones become stronger when they are subjected to load. This is especially important for growing horses, but it remains essential throughout life. A bone that constantly has to absorb the impact of movement remains stronger than a bone that hardly experiences any “shocks.”

Tendons:

Tendons also need a lot of movement, preferably over different types of surfaces. If your horse is used to dealing with different kinds of footing and regularly makes somewhat “unusual” movements rather than only moving neatly straight ahead in the arena, the tendons become more resilient to unexpected movements. Variety in movement is important. Repeating the same movement over and over leads to overload and tendon injuries.

Muscles and ligaments:

The muscles and ligaments essentially keep your horse “together.” A horse that gets plenty of free movement uses all its muscles and ligaments more intensively. This leads to greater stability and trains all the deeper structures that support your horse. This also includes muscles that we cannot really train while riding, but which are still very important for health.

Mental disadvantages of spending too much time in a stable

Too much time in a stable is not only unhealthy for your horse’s body, it is also mentally problematic. Horses are naturally curious and social animals. Standing alone in a stall is boring and lonely. It can lead to depression, boredom, and stereotypical behaviour in your horse. Because a horse that spends too much time stabled has very limited opportunities to express natural behaviour, chronic stress can develop. In this situation, your horse’s cortisol levels remain permanently elevated, leading to anxiety and depression, but also to all kinds of physical problems, such as chronic inflammation in the body and stomach ulcers. A lack of freedom of choice can also cause a horse to withdraw into itself and become mentally unreachable. This also creates problems during training.

Fear of turning horses out

Sometimes people are afraid to allow their expensive horse to move freely. “Because then he’ll go crazy.” A horse that is not used to it may indeed react when suddenly turned loose. Are you worried about this? Then initially turn your horse out after work, when it is already somewhat physically tired, in a small paddock with a calm horse nearby. This way your horse cannot completely lose control, but it can still explore and roll around. Having calm horses nearby will also make it feel safer. You can gradually expand this to a larger paddock or more hours outside.

Horse does not play

Other people think their horse does not need turnout because the animal “does nothing” when standing in the paddock. They believe a horse in a paddock should always run and play. That is not the case. Wandering around a little, dozing, watching neighbouring horses, or rolling once is already very enjoyable for your horse. The important thing is that it has some freedom of choice, and fresh air is never a bad thing. A “stable horse” becomes conditioned to standing in a stall, but that does not mean it is the best situation for it. If you stay nearby, your horse may constantly walk toward you, but that certainly does not always mean it immediately wants to go back into the stable…

No space and medical stall rest

Do you truly have no way to give your horse more freedom of movement? Then at least try to spend a little more time outside with your horse. For example, by letting it graze in hand. You can also enrich the stall by allowing social contact with a friendly neighbouring horse, hanging up toys, and offering part of the feed in a way that provides more mental stimulation, such as with a hay ball. This keeps your horse occupied with more than simply staring ahead for much of the day. A horse that temporarily requires stall rest for medical reasons can also be supported with extra attention, for example through long grooming sessions. See whether your horse can have a stall with an outdoor window, so there is something to observe in the environment.

Moving your horse?

A horse walker and training on the lunge or under saddle are not substitutes for free movement and contact with other horses, even though they may solve part of the problems caused by being indoors all the time. If you truly cannot give your horse what it needs, relocating to another stable may be a solution. You may have to travel farther yourself, but if your horse has a better life with more freedom of choice, you may also need to visit less often just to take it out of the stall.