Turnout’s Effects on Stall-Kept Equine Athletes

A team of researchers found that a little turnout time can improve behavior in stall-kept equine athletes.
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More often than not, performance horses are kept in stalls for the better portion of the day. Fear of injury is one of the most common reasons these equine athletes are confined, but does a lack of turnout have an effect on the horse’s behavior both in a stall and under saddle? According to a group of German researchers, a little turnout time could improve a stall-kept horse’s work ethic.

"Many competition horses are housed in single stalls, in many cases without any opportunity for free exercise outside the stall," explained Hanna Werhahn, MSc, in her PhD thesis, written at the University of Goettingen’s Department of Animal Science, Germany. "This way of life constricts the natural behavior patterns of a horse to a great extent."

Werhahn continued to explain that wild horses spend about 16 hours per day foraging at a slow but steady walk. Wild horses generally trot while exploring and canter while fleeing or playing. Horses stalled for much of the day aren’t able to partake in such activities, Werhahn noted.

"The aim of the present study was a systematic investigation of the influences of three turnout practices on the behavior of a group of competition horses housed in single stalls," she said

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Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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