The Effects of Diet and Exercise on the Behavior of Stabled Horses

Davidson, N., J.D. Pagan, D. Goodwin, P. Harris and S. Cook. 1998. The effects of diet and exercise on the behavior of stabled horses. In: Proceedings of the 32nd International Congress of the International Society of Applied Ethology, p. 23.

Although it is widely asserted by horse owners that diet affects the tractability of horses, there have been few controlled studies of this subject. A preliminary trial was conducted to investigate the effects of diet and exercise on the behavior of four stabled horses. The horses were maintained on all combinations of two exercise regimens (light and strenuous) and two diets (forage and mixed forage and grain). Horses were kept on each of the four diet and exercise regimens for a period of four weeks in an order determined by a Latin square. Observations were made on 3 consecutive days in the second and fourth weeks of each period, during a set handling routine, and on 3 consecutive days  in the second week during a four hour period when housed in stalls.

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