Changing horses’ routines 

Horse owners are frequently told that ‘horses thrive on routine’ but at certain times in a horse’s life, their routine may change, and this can be very stressful for them. We are going to explore: 

• How routines may change at different times of the year 
• How to introduce horses to being stabled if they have never been stabled before.  

We advocate for horses living out as much as possible to meet their fundamental needs through the 3Fs (friends, forage and freedom). However, we recognise that the facilities on many yards can’t accommodate this and that stabling may be necessary, particularly in the winter. 

Transitioning horses from being stabled to living out  

After a long winter being kept in stables, horse owners need to consider increasing the time their horse spends turned out. As with all changes of management, this should be done gradually. Lush spring grass can be very high in sugar. If horses have been stabled, with limited turnout on grass for most of winter, then allowing extended periods of grazing on high sugar grass in spring could disrupt their digestive system leading to colic.

If they are overweight and/or have a metabolic disorder such as insulin dysregulation, their risk of developing laminitis is also increased. Horses that have had restricted access to grass are likely to demonstrate compensatory eating behaviours (i.e., what we may call gorging themselves). Ponies have shown that they can eat 2–3% of their body weight in grass in as little as 3 hours following restriction. That would be the same as us eating 4 or 5 large roast dinners in quick succession!  

When transitioning horses to living out, plan ahead and set a timeline as you will need to increase their time spent at grass in intervals of as little as an extra 10 minutes per day within the first couple of weeks. You can then increase the time intervals to suit your horse’s needs and the yard routine going forward. This may seem like a painstakingly slow process but the benefits to your horse’s physical and mental health by gradually making this change far outweigh any frustrations we may feel.  

If you are on a yard where all the horses share a similar routine, this can be relatively easy to achieve. If you are on a yard where everyone has a slightly different routine (e.g., a DIY livery yard), it’s worth working together so that your horse and their friends start the process at the same time, ensuring that no horse is left stabled or turned out alone.  

Transitioning horses from living out to being stabled 

A transition from living out to being stabled typically occurs at the end of the summer. Similar to the process of transitioning horses to living out in spring/summer, we need to consider a gradual introduction to being stabled overnight again in autumn and winter months. For many horses, if they came in for an extra 10 minutes per day in the first couple of weeks that should be fine. However, for horses that find it in any way stressful to have their space and access to friends and forage restricted, you may have to increase the amount of time they are stabled by much smaller time increments. It’s really important that you can read your horse’s body language and monitor them for signs of stress and set increasing time intervals that suit their needs. 

Where possible, consider using social stabling to minimise the stress-related behaviours that may be caused by social isolation, restricted movement and the reduction in time spent foraging that typically accompanies increased stabling. These behaviours include difficulty settling and stereotypic behaviours. Existing individual stables can be adapted to create social stabling by lowering the walls between stable, or by making large windows between stables. These adaptations allow horses to touch and groom one another. Alternatively, large internal pens can be created so that horses can be housed in pairs. 

It’s also important to consider how returning to living in may affect your horse’s physical health. Lack of movement and a change in diet to primarily conserved forage rather than fresh grass can increase the risk of colic. We also need to ensure the stabled environment is as dust free as possible, with good ventilation and drainage to minimise the risk of respiratory disease. Think also of the position of any hay nets or hay feeders. Having their hay on the floor or low can help with drainage of horses’ respiratory systems and is better overall for their musculoskeletal system. However, from a enrichment perspective, providing forage in multiple locations and at varying heights around the stable could help minimise the stress of being stabled. 

Introducing horses to stables if they have never been stabled before  

For young horses, or horses that have previously only ever lived out, being introduced to the confinement of a stable is going to take time and patience. It should be done at the horse’s pace, and it’s important to monitor their behaviour for subtle signs of stress. The process may begin with you walking your horse around the yard or, ideally, letting them explore the area without being restrained to build their confidence. All stable doors should be closed, the area should be clear of any hazards and the stables should be empty to avoid any incidences of aggression over stable doors. Your horse may find it beneficial to explore the area with a friend who is habituated to the stable environment.  

You want to aim to make the experience as positive as possible so consider providing hay nets or scatter treats in the area, if there is enough space to avoid conflict over resources with the other horses. Build up the time the horse spends exploring gradually. You may want to start with walking them into the yard and immediately (but calmly) back out to their field again and building up from there.  

Once your horse is comfortable exploring and/or being led in the area in front of the stable, open the stable door to let them explore inside. Their friend could be out with them, or in their own stable. Again, we want to reinforce that the stable is a positive space so consider using hay nets, treats or something else the horse finds rewarding. It’s really important to let them take their time. They may put their head in one day and that’s enough. Then the next time they may put their head and one foot in. Some horses may be confident enough to go in, turn around and come out again on the first day. Some horses may not approach the stable at all. Be led by your horse and their reaction to what you are asking of them and use that information to guide your next steps.  

Do not consider shutting them in the stable until they are comfortable spending prolonged periods of time in there. When you do think that time is right to shut them in, introduce this slowly, shutting the door for a few seconds initially and building up from there if the horse is comfortable with the door being closed.  

As above, consider social stabling opportunities to make their time spent stabled less stressful. Whatever the limitations of the facilities on different yards, we should all be aiming for an environment that promotes friendly physical contact with other horses, provision of a variety of forage, enrichment opportunities and an environment in which the horse can move and lie down comfortably.