The environments we keep our domesticated donkeys and horses in are so different from those in which they evolved, where the average equid covered 12-plus miles a day with access to a wide variety of plant species and herd interaction. | Photo: iStock

Q: I have a donkey that lives in a stall with a relatively small paddock. He is fed twice a day with appropriate forage, but I’d like to find some ways to provide some nutrition-based enrichment opportunities for him. Do you have any suggestions that he might enjoy?

A: Many horses and donkeys can benefit from various types of enrichment, which is the process of providing your donkey (or horse) with an engaging environment and activities, including food-based varieties.

The environments we keep our domesticated donkeys and horses in are so different from those in which they evolved, where the average equid covered 12-plus miles a day with access to a wide variety of plant species and herd interaction. This lifestyle presented great diversity, variability, and mental stimuli. In comparison, we often meal feed our horses twice a day and maintain them in areas that don’t allow long bouts of movement. As a result, management, can lead to several health and behavior problems, but offering enrichments might help mitigate some of them