If your horse requires restricted or non-standard management of the diet to facilitate health concerns , veterinary advice must be sought and followed .
Stabling
Research has shown that a horse stabled for more than 13 hours a day can be associated with abnormal oral and ingestive behavioural problems .
These unwanted behaviours generally arise due to one of the following mechanisms , or a combination of these :
• A medical condition causing physiological changes and / or pain ; such as Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome
• Excess energy production due to high feed values and limited exercise
• Lack of turnout
• Lack of social interaction with other horses
• Boredom leading to displacement behaviours which can become repetitive and addictive
• Fear / Anxiety due to being stabled alone or punished for unwanted behaviours resulting from the above causes
Often , we see the need to restrict grazing and turnout to manage a variety of health issues such as obesity , laminitis , PPID and other metabolic conditions . However , these
34 • EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE : JULY 2021 restrictions can prove challenging when handling the horse ' s natural needs whilst ensuring their physiological health remains optimal . Similarly , trying to provide for the needs of a horse on box rest whilst recovering from injury or surgery can be just as challenging and equally important .
If grazing is restricted , it is important that the opportunities to socialise , move and browse remain available by facilitating contact with a known grazing or stable mate . Non-grass paddocks for turnout are desirable , or at least the ability to graze next to each other within reach for mutual grooming to be enabled .
Movement
For horses and ponies who may need to be stabled or restricted for longer periods walking in hand ( if not precluded through a medical condition ) is recommended . Browsing and grazing walks , often called ' picnic walks ', are an excellent way to provide the horse with movement time and allow them the positive experiences of satisfying their foraging behaviours . At the same time , this can contribute to developing a positive relationship between the horse and owner / handler .
Horses on box rest may be easily deprived of both social companionship and browsing / foraging access . Wherever possible , it is an advantage to provide a horse on box rest with a companion . Some situations may allow for more extensive shared stabling / barn arrangements for social companionship , whilst others may provide for an outside stable where the resting horse can be in contact with and / or line of sight of other horses . Horses should be provided with the opportunity to groom with others ( some of which can be provided by human ' grooming ' of the horse ).
To help reduce boredom and potential negative emotional states , including depression and frustration , it can be valuable to provide a range of enrichment resources for the restricted horse . These may include :
• Horseballs
• Foraging games such as hiding carrots or similar in the shavings bed for the horse to find
• Hiding or dividing food around a nongrass turnout area
• Introducing scent work for the horse ,
• In hand training ( little and often ) to mentally stimulate the horse
• Providing the horse with puzzles to solve to earn low-calorie food rewards