How do holidays at grass affect stabled horses?

Many domestic horses spend the bulk of their time housed in individual stables. Turnout routines can differ between disciplines and establishments. Some horses are turned out in a paddock for a few hours every day, with turnout times changing depending on the season. However, others may spend long periods of time stabled (sometimes months at a time) and then have a ‘holiday’ period of 24/7 turnout – perhaps of a few weeks – before returning to their stabled life. This management routine can occur in riding schools, on competition yards and is often used by the police or army for their working horses.

Researchers in France have studied the effects of these holiday periods on horse behaviour. The study looked at four behavioural indicators that would indicate a poor welfare state: whether the horse performed stereotypies; if they were aggressive towards humans; whether the “withdrawn posture” was seen (where the horse is unresponsive to their environment); and the “alert posture” indicating hypervigilance and anxiety. 

31 horses that were usually stabled were turned out at grass for a period of 1.5 months on pasture. Their behaviours before, during and after the turnout period were compared to those of 29 horses kept continually in individual boxes. 

When the horses were turned out, the researchers saw no stereotypies or aggressive behaviours towards humans and the occurrence of the “alert posture” decreased. Unsurprisingly the researchers saw an increase in natural behaviours such as movement, exploration and social behaviours.

However, the “withdrawn posture” increased during the first five days at grass. A decrease in this behaviour was seen after 20 days, returning to the level previously observed when horses were housed in stables. 

These results suggest that going out to pasture does improve horse welfare, but also that several days of adaptation would be needed, probably due to the novelty of the environment and the social situation. Being in close proximity to other horses is something that horses who are individually stabled long-term would not be used to and may well find difficult.

When the horses were returned to confinement after their holiday period the researchers saw a sharp increase in the occurrence of stereotypies and of both the “withdrawn” and the “alert” postures – indicating the beneficial effects of turnout do not last when horses return to individual boxes.

The research team recommended that we need to keep domestic horses permanently at grass whenever possible.

STUDY HIGHLIGHTS

• A temporary period on pasture did not improve the horse’s welfare when stabled again.

• A strong occurrence of three indicators of poor welfare was observed after pasture.

• Stereotypies and aggressive behaviours toward humans decreased on pasture.

• The pasture environment enhanced the expression of natural behaviours.

• Sudden and marked environmental changes may be challenging for horses.

Study: Effects of a temporary period on pasture on the welfare state of horses housed in individual boxes. Alice Ruet et al.

You can find the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105027