Stable keeping of horses

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A modern horse spends a significant part of its life in the stable. It is good if there is the possibility of several friendly horses living together in a large shelter with the possibility of a permanent exit outside. But, alas, such an opportunity is rarely provided in Belarus.

Horse stable maintenance: good or bad?

Many people are frustrated by a zoo with cramped entrances that contain animals – and rightly so. But, unfortunately, not many people think about whether a horse lives well in a stable. Horses are good at adapting, but stable maintenance is not their choice, but a forced necessity that they have to put up with. However, if natural desires and needs are excessively suppressed, it is fraught with physical and psychological health problems. Stable keeping may be justified if the horse is sick or needs to be rehabilitated after an illness, in bad weather, or for safety reasons. But the stall should not become a prison for the horse. People who are little familiar with the needs of horses are touched when they come to a perfectly clean stable, where horses stick their heads out of the stalls and stretch their necks to communicate. But how happy are these horses?In the photo: a horse in a stallHorses have lived for thousands of years in open spaces, where they could move freely and cover long distances every day, looking for a variety of food. And well-known relatives provide emotional stability.

Why do people prefer stable horses?

The stable maintenance of horses appeared for a reason. When the horse was used as a draft force, a vehicle or for military purposes, it had to be available at any time and at the same time cleaned and ready for work. The owner did not have time to look for it in a large pasture, and then clean it for a long time. But now that the horse is more of an entertainment, do you need to lock it in a stall around the clock? The horse has needs that need to be taken into account. And our convenience should not outweigh the scales. Moreover, boredom can cause stable vices. To understand what a horse is like in a stall, you can conduct an experiment. Try to spend a day in a locked room, without TV, books and computer. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served there. Other people you see only through the window. What does this remind you of? If your answer is “prison” – you are close to the truth.  In the photo: stable maintenance of horses

How to brighten up the stable content of a horse?

Round-the-clock keeping in the stall is justified only in case of illness of the horse. In all other cases, it is not allowed. Therefore, it is worth taking care that the horse has the opportunity to move daily – and not only in training, but also freely. Horses, even in the stable, need the opportunity to see other horses and understand what is happening around. The horse must constantly feel that he is part of the herd. There are special toys for horses that can be placed in the stall. Or hang a large root crop (for example, a pumpkin). Of course, if the horse is not afraid of these toys. Some horses like to chew willow branches, and some are happy to gnaw on birch logs. In winter, spruce branches can be offered. But not all horses like to chew them, this is a matter of individual preference. Give the horse food that he will eat for a long time – so he can keep himself busy. It is better to put hay in small portions, but often, than in a large pile 1 to 2 times a day. In a clean bed, you can hide a treat that the horse will seek out. Turn on the radio (quietly) for at least a couple of hours. she could lie down comfortably and relax.

In the photo: horses in the stable

“My horse doesn’t want to leave the stable!”

Some people justify XNUMX/XNUMX stables by saying that their horse just doesn’t want to leave the stall. Indeed, such horses do occur. But most often this happens if the horse eats only in the stall, and they take it out for work that it does not like at all. Or to the levada, which is isolated from the rest of the horses and where there are no other entertainments like food or safe toys. Naturally, she does not want to go out at all, because the stall is the only place where she can relax.

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