Whether horses like being kept in stables overnight is a topic of debate among horse owners and experts. On one hand, stabling provides shelter, safety, and consistency for horses. On the other hand, some argue that confining horses goes against their natural instincts to roam and graze at night. There are good arguments on both sides of this issue.
Benefits of stabling horses at night
There are several potential benefits to stabling horses overnight:
Shelter from the elements
Stables provide shelter from rain, wind, snow, and extreme temperatures. Horses are naturally outdoor animals, but extremes of weather can be stressful and dangerous. Stabling gives them a chance to get relief from the elements.
Reduced risk of injury
Keeping horses confined overnight reduces the risk of injuries from kicking or getting cast (stuck on their backs and unable to stand up). It also prevents injuries from running into objects in the dark or getting tangled in fencing. Stabled horses are contained in a safe environment.
Security from predators
Stables keep horses protected from predators like coyotes, foxes, and bobcats that may try to hurt or kill them. The solid walls and closed doors of a stable keep horses safely contained and less vulnerable.
Less fighting with herd mates
When horses are stabled separately for the night, it prevents injury from fighting with more dominant or aggressive herd mates. The pecking order and natural hierarchy of a herd can lead to biting, kicking, or other means of establishing dominance. Stabling allows horses to take a break from this at night.
Consistent feed and water access
In a stall, a horse’s food and water can be monitored and kept full. This ensures the horse has what it needs, even in bad weather when pasture grazing may be limited. Stabled horses are less likely to run out of essentials.
Easier monitoring of health
Stable staff can easily check on horses overnight if they are stabled. They can catch signs of colic, injury, or illness right away and get veterinary treatment faster. It is more difficult to monitor horses’ health when they are outside 24/7.
Downsides of stabling horses at night
While there are some benefits to stables, there are also some potential downsides:
Less ability to move around
Horses have a strong natural instinct to walk and graze. When confined to a stall, their movement is restricted. This limits their ability to move around, socialize, and graze on forage.
Development of stable vices
Stable vices are repetitive behaviors horses develop when confined, such as cribbing, weaving, box-walking, and wood chewing. These likely arise from boredom and frustration. Stabling appears to increase the chances horses will develop these behavioral issues.
Less social interaction
Horses are highly social herd animals. Stabling separates them from the herd and limits their ability to interact. Lack of social interaction can be stressful for horses.
Respiratory issues
Stables often have dust, mold, and ammonia fumes from urine. These irritants can contribute to respiratory issues like inflammatory airway disease and recurrent airway obstruction in horses. Stabling may increase respiratory health risks.
Hoof problems
Standing on hard surfaces can lead to issues like thrush and abscesses forming in hooves. Movement is important for circulation in the hooves. Lack of movement when stabled can contribute to hoof problems.
Colic risk
Changes in feed, water intake, and reduced ability to graze may make horses prone to gastrointestinal issues like colic when stabled. Colic is a serious health threat to horses.
Horse behavior when stabled overnight
How do horses actually behave when they are stabled? Do they seem content and relaxed, or frustrated and stressed? Here is a look at some common overnight behaviors of stalled horses:
Sleeping
Horses will lie down and sleep deeply during parts of the night as in the wild. However, stabled horses may sleep lighter and get less REM sleep overall. Discomfort from hard surfaces and unnatural lighting can impair quality sleep.
Eating hay
Horses will spend a significant amount of time eating hay overnight. This natural grazing instinct continues in the stable. Non-stop munching occupies bored horses.
Drinking water
Horses need regular access to fresh water. Stabled horses will drink frequently overnight to balance fluid loss from respiratory evaporation.
Rolling
It is normal for horses to periodically roll completely over while lying down. However, space limitations in stalls may restrict horses from rolling comfortably.
Walking circles
Stabled horses may walk tight circles or pace in frustration. Repetitive circling is believed to be a stereotypy stemming from boredom.
Watching the door
Intensely watching and standing at the stable door may indicate a horse eagerly awaiting release from confinement. This suggests a desire to get out.
Kicking stall walls
Kicking, biting or rattling the stall door with hooves shows irritation. Stabled horses may direct frustration onto the confining structure.
Calling or neighing
Frequent vocalizations like neighing demonstrates motivation to reunite with the herd. Nighttime calling may express restlessness.
Chewing wood
Wood chewing tends to arise from stress and the need to occupationally graze. This destructive stable vice appears more often in stalled horses.
Do horses relax and rest more when stabled overnight?
Whether stabling actually provides a better environment for horses to relax and achieve deep rest is questionable. Here is an overview of the evidence:
More lying down
Several studies show stabled horses spend more time lying down compared to pastured horses. However, lying down more does not necessarily equal better rest.
Light vs. deep sleep
EEG readings indicate stabled horses spend more time in light sleep and less time in REM or deep sleep. Their sleep is more frequently interrupted.
Shorter sleep periods
Horses kept in stalls had shorter overall sleep durations broken up by more standing awake periods compared to pastured horses in a 2008 study.
Stress hormones
Blood tests revealed higher cortisol levels in stalled horses. Cortisol is an indicator of stress. Higher levels suggest stalling is more stressful.
Immune function
Stalled horses have been found to have reduced immune strength parameters compared to pastured horses. This implies stabling is harder on their health.
Behavior changes
Stereotypies, wood chewing, aggression, and other vices appear more often in stabled horses. These behaviors signal frustration and compromised welfare.
The evidence overall indicates that despite spending more time lying down, stabled horses do not rest as deeply or benefit in terms of reduced stress. Nighttime confinement appears to produce conflict, not relaxation.
What are some alternatives to stabling horses at night?
Rather than keeping horses in conventional stalls overnight, what are some alternative approaches? Here are a few options:
Paddock or pasture turnout
The simplest alternative is to allow horses to stay outdoors together in a pasture or paddock overnight. This allows natural herd dynamics, grazing, and movement.
Run-in shed access
A run-in shed in the pasture gives horses free choice to go in for shelter, but does not force them to stay inside. Horses can come and go as desired.
Enhanced stable design
Large open barns, spacious stalls, outdoor access, and natural lighting can create a shed row stable that reduces confinement stress.
Slow feeder hay nets
These nets extend foraging time by requiring horses to pull out small amounts of hay. They provide mental stimulation.
Companionship
Allowing a buddy horse for social contact or visibility between stalls reduces isolation distress. Herd animals are calmer with companionship.
Bedding choice
Deep shavings, straw, or sand bedding allows horses to sleep more comfortably and naturally than hardstall surfaces.
The core aim of alternatives is granting more freedom and catering to horses’ natural instincts than conventional stabling typically allows. This supports horse welfare.
Do individual differences influence horses’ tolerance for stabling?
Horses have unique personalities, backgrounds, and needs. This likely affects how well they tolerate being stalled overnight. Some considerations for individual differences include:
Breed traits
Some breeds like Standardbreds or Thoroughbreds are more high-strung and may resist confinement more than mellower breeds. Warmbloods and draft crosses may be most tolerant.
Training history
Horses trained to stand calmly tied up for long periods may adapt better to stalls than horses not taught patience. Early experience matters.
Shoe status
Going barefoot with additional movement may help strengthen hooves and reduce discomfort on stall floors vs. shod hooves.
Feed type
Hay fed horses may have stronger urge to graze overnight than horses also getting grain or complete feeds. Fiber-only diets need continual foraging.
Personality
Laid back, easygoing horses are likely to handle confinement with less stress than high-strung, energetic horses who need more freedom.
Age
Older horses who need more rest may tolerate and benefit from stalls better than young, vibrant horses with greater physical demands.
Making stabling more compatible with the individual horse’s needs and traits can help improve tolerance when full-time turnout is not feasible.
Case studies on individual horses’ experiences
The following case studies provide some real-life examples of how individual horses respond to being stabled overnight:
Roany, 31 year old Appaloosa gelding
Roany has Cushing’s disease and arthritis. He spends most nights in his deeply bedded stall. He seems to enjoy eating hay and resting without being pestered by younger herd mates. Roany lies down to sleep deeply and does not develop any stable vices. His individual needs are met by stabling.
Valdez, 7 year old Arabian stallion
Valdez is a high-energy horse who has been mostly pasture kept. When stabled for a short hospital stay, he paces incessantly in his stall, neighs constantly, and chews on his stall door. He does not nap or rest, instead becoming highly agitated. He maintains this anxiety when temporarily stabled overnight at horse shows. Valdez clearly dislikes confinement.
Dakota, 4 year old Quarter Horse mare
Dakota must stay stalled overnight for two weeks following an injury. She quietly munches on hay and drinks normally. However, after a week, she begins weaving side to side repetitively. She flickers her top lip, showing signs of anxiety and frustration accruing over time spent stalled. Her previously calm behavior is changing.
Neville, 16 year old thoroughbred gelding
Neville has always been kept in a stall overnight with a small paddock run during the day. He seems relaxed in his stall, lying down to nap and chew his cud. However, over time he has developed chronic respiratory issues and persistent thrush from his enclosed environment. The stalling likely does not serve Neville’s health needs, despite his accepting temperament.
These cases reveal how horses may either appear to accept or resist stabling based on personality. However, health effects may emerge over time regardless of apparent contentment. Extended stalling seems to uniquely compromise each horse’s welfare.
What are some tips to make stabling more bearable for horses?
If stabling is necessary, there are ways horse owners can try to make the experience less stressful and frustrating:
Allow social interaction
Let horses groom each other and make contact over stall guards. Housing horses together reduces isolation.
Provide enrichment
Equip stalls with trickle feeders, hanging toys, or salt licks to entertain horses. Mental stimuli relieves boredom.
Ensure big stalls
Bigger stalls allow room for horses to walk and lie down comfortably. 12×12 minimum size is recommended.
Bed deeply
Deep shavings or straw bedding allows horses to nestle down in a natural way. Sand stalls are also cushioning.
Play music
Soothing music can muffle startling noises to keep high-strung horses calm.
Allow paste chewing
Distribute apple sauce or rice bran mash in feed tubs for occupational chewing activity.
Hang hay nets
Letting horses pull out hay strand by strand mimics natural grazing. It slows consumption.
Incorporate turnout
Even a few hours of free exercise daily prevents health risks from non-stop confinement.
Optimizing housing and feed practices tailored to each horse can offset some downsides of stalls. Enrichment and turnout time remain essential though.
How can you tell if a horse is comfortable being stabled overnight?
It is not always easy to discern how a horse truly feels about overnight stabling. Some signs a horse is settled and comfortable in a stall include:
– Lying down flat out to sleep deeply
– Chewing softly with eyes half closed or dozing
– Evenly eating hay or ration without anxiety
– Lowered head and licking/chewing
– Standing relaxed, not facing door
– Moving around calmly without pacing
– Not calling out or kicking stall
– Absence of stress behaviors like weaving or boxwalking
– Bright, relaxed expression, not anxious
– Horse comes freely into stall at night
– Regular gut sounds and manure pile
Conversely, signs a horse is not comfortable in a stall may include:
– Pacing, circling, or boxwalking
– Head tossing or wood chewing
– Banging on walls or rattling door
– Aggressive behavior like biting or kicking
– Abnormal vocalizations like neighing
– Avoiding entering stall
– Little interest in hay or water
– Stress colic episodes
– Expression appears worried or irritated
– Body seems tense, not loose
– Excessive alertness, inability to relax
Careful observation of horses’ demeanor can give insight into whether stabling causes them distress. Their body language is telling.
Conclusion
There are valid arguments on both sides of the stalled versus pasture kept debate. While some horses seem untroubled by stabling, it poses risks to others’ welfare. Mounting evidence indicates conventional stalls are not a natural environment suited to horses inherently designed to roam and graze continually. Their rest patterns, social needs, and hoof and digestive health may be compromised. Yet practical concerns often necessitate some stabling. Ultimately, horse owners must weigh the pros and cons for each individual horse and aim to minimize confinement time when possible. Creative solutions to make stalls more horse-friendly can also help ease the stress of this artificial setup. With conscientious management, a compromise may be reached between meeting horses’ natural instincts and fulfilling human requirements. Their health and happiness hang in the balance.