Equine Behaviour

As part of the Five Domains Model of animal welfare, equine behaviour is explained as the interactions with humans, animals, and their environment.

What is normal behaviour for an equine?

With other horses

Horses are herd animals, they naturally live in groups (herds), and enjoy socialising. They can be seen to groom each other, as well as playing, grazing, relaxing and laying down in their herds.

They spend most of the day roaming and grazing with the herd and use body language to communicate and play with others, depending on their position in the herd.

If they feel threatened or fear something they can demonstrate a natural flight or fight response, this is a stress response that causes a reaction to the threat. Their first line of action as a prey animal is to run away, but if faced with a confined space they may bite and kick out. They can also respond by standing still and rooting to the spot, where they become immobile, this can be confused with being stubborn but it is a natural response to fear or pressure. It is quite often followed by the flight mode.

Horses communicate with each other through body language, facial expressions, physical touch, vocalisation and smell.

With humans

We, as humans, can learn to understand equine behaviour through their body language. They can inform us of how they are feeling by their facial expressions and presenting their bodies in different stances. This will support us in identifying different behaviours and how to keep the horse happy and healthy.

Positive contact is important as it will develop a bond and trust between the horse and human, for example grooming or scratching.

We advise the *correct training methods* are used when working with horses, this lowers stress levels and makes the horse more confident when challenged with new situations.

*Correct training methods can vary hugely depending on what you are training for and why, and what’s best suited to your equine.

Body language and facial expressions

Ears

Eyes

Identifying pain

Environment

Regarding their environment, we advise you try to mimic their natural environment as much as possible. Ensure they have enough sustainable grazing land to live off, access to water and freedom to roam, play, graze, rest and socialise.

If social contact is restricted with other horses, it can have a negative effect on the horse’s mental health. If your horse can’t be turned out with others, then it is important that they can always see other horses, whether stabled or turned out, and that they are exercised by going for walks in hand, hacking or schooling with other horses. When stabled, it is advisable to allow contact with other horses by being able to physically touch through open windows or over stable walls, etc.

Forage should be their main diet as they have evolved with a forage based digestive system. You can learn more about this on our equine nutrition page.

Shelter should be available from the cold wet weathers but also from the extreme hot temperatures that we can experience in the summer months.

Rather than just meeting the basic needs for a horse’s environment, you can also provide enrichment. Below are some ideas of how enrichment can be offered to stable kept and grass kept horses:

Provide different types of forage and herbs.
Different substrates, sand area, wood chip areas, different types of bedding.
Offering safe toys – wellington boots are ideal for playing and foraging if they are stuffed with hay.
Fibre / hay balls.
Scratching posts and mirrors.
It has been shown that enrichment has a positive impact on a horse’s mental state.

Different types of housing could also be considered for example:

Group housing in barns / crew yards.
Herd living.
Track systems, especially if you are requiring weight management methods.

Stereotypical behaviours

These are abnormal, repetitive behaviours that have no obvious- purpose or goal, they are stress-related, coping mechanisms for the horse, usually started due to a lack of their basic behavioural needs being met. Also, it can be due to long-term stress, either physical or emotional. Whenever a horse feels stressed, they can show these behaviours, therefore looking at the way they are cared for and managed is required. Looking at ways to reduce stress levels, seek veterinary advice if physical or emotional we advise:

Turning horses out more.
Providing more forage.
Providing extra company.
Changing their management system / the way they are housed.
Providing a consistent routine.
Providing enrichment.

Promoting the three F’s – Friends, Freedom and Forage will support the horse’s behaviour and can reduce stereotypical behaviours thorough identifying the potential cause and changing management systems, but they may never stop completely.

Below are the most common stereotypical behaviours:

Crib-biting – the horse uses their incisors (front teeth) to grasp the top of a gate or stable door, for example, to pull back and makes a grunting noise while gulping in air.
Wind-sucking – a horse will open their mouth and gulp in air, arching their neck. This can be seen without needing to grasp onto an object.
Weaving – the horse will be standing but moving the head and neck from side to side. Can involve lifting each foreleg up in time with the sway. Can be seen usually over a stable door or gateway if feeling restricted or isolated.
Fence / stable walking – the horse will walk in repeated circles around the stable or up and down a fence line. Usually associated with anxiety from isolation from other horses or restriction in the stable.

Other behavioural issues

There are other behavioural issues that could be quite easily identifiable.

Aggression to other horses

Due to the pecking order of horses living in herds you may witness dominance over another horse, some horses can live in fear of others, it could be dominance over the territory of the herd, food and water. We advise these two horses are separated.

Wood chewing

If horses are biting and chewing wood, potentially eating it, this could be due to a lack of forage. We advise providing more forage to mimic the natural behaviours of grazing and chewing.

Eating faeces

This can be normal behaviour for a foal, it is believed they gain some essential nutrients by doing this. If an adult horse is seen doing this it can be a behavioural issue, this is normally seen when they are lacking forage in their environment in which they are living. We advise providing more forage, if it is restricted for weight management, try soaking the hay to reduce calories, allowing more to be fed or using some form of enrichment.

Signs of a depressed horse:

Appears withdrawn from other horses, handler or from what is happening around them.
Although appears to be withdrawn they show times of heightened anxiety. They react and spook to things they would not normally be worried by.
Physical stance, they lower their head and neck, stand for longer periods of time without moving. A glazed look can be seen as they detach themselves from their surroundings. They may stand with their heads turned towards a wall.
Loss of appetite, they may appear disinterested in food, which in turn can cause them to lose weight, muscle loss, lack of energy.

We advise any signs of stress or depression are checked by a vet as they can lead to other issues, for example, colic and gastric ulcers.

Top tips for preventing abnormal equine behaviours:

Turn the horse out regularly and with other horses.
Make sure they can see or have contact with another horse if stabled.
Provide space for free exercise, playing, rolling, grazing etc.
Understand the body language of your horse and what they’re telling you.
Make sure your training methods allow your horse to be stress free and therefore confident in new work.
Be able to identify when your horse is in pain by reading their behaviours.
Provide enrichment for mental and physical stimulation.
Provide the three F’s – Friends, Freedom and Forage.

Test what you've learned

Take our behaviour quiz

Remember we are here at Bransby Horses to support you with the health and welfare of your horse, if you require further information on any of the above or you would like to discuss your management plan please call 01427 787369 or email welfare@bransbyhorses.co.uk.