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Published on: December 29, 2014
Foraging enrichment for stabled horses: effects on behaviour and selection
D Goodwin1, H P B Davidson, P Harris
1Anthrozoology Institute, University of Southampton, UK.
Equine Veterinary Journal
|November 29, 2002
Summary
Providing competition horses with multiple forage sources in stables reduces stereotypic behaviors. Offering a variety of forages enriches the environment, promoting natural foraging and improving horse welfare.
Area of Science:
- Equine behavior and welfare
- Animal science
- Comparative ethology
Background:
- Competition horses often have restricted pasture access, leading to stereotypic and redirected behaviors.
- Providing multiple forage sources may reduce these undesirable behaviors, but the underlying reasons are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of single versus multiple forage sources on horse behavior in a stable environment.
- To determine if environmental enrichment with diverse forages influences stereotypic behaviors and foraging patterns.
Main Methods:
- Four replicated trials were conducted with up to 12 horses in identical stables.
- Stables contained either a single forage type or six different forage types for 5-minute periods.
- Behavioral patterns were videotaped and analyzed, with single forage varying between hay and a preferred type.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in behavior were observed between stables with single and multiple forages.
- Horses in single-forage stables exhibited increased door-watching, movement, straw-foraging, and resource-searching behaviors.
- These effects were consistent whether the single forage was hay or a preferred type.
Conclusions:
- Enriching the stable environment with multiple forages may offer welfare benefits for horses.
- This enrichment can reduce straw consumption and encourage motivated foraging behavior.
- Further research is needed to assess long-term effects of multiple forage provision.
Related Concept Videos
00:54What is Behavior?
Behaviors are actions that an organism engages in—they can be related to finding food, reproducing, defending against threats, and many other possible actions. Behaviors include activities related to the environment around the animal—such as migration—as well as social interactions within a species or population. Many behaviors involve motor output—that is, muscle movements—while others involve less visible actions, such as learning.
00:48Optimal Foraging
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.