Study links bedding and exercise to abnormal behavior in working horses

A new study in Equine Veterinary Journal examined 77 rural working horses in Pullally, in Chile’s Papudo commune, and found that nearly 30% showed abnormal behaviours, including wood chewing, crib-biting, and windsucking. The strongest management signal was bedding: horses kept with absent or inadequate bedding had more than five times the odds of abnormal behaviours, while longer daily exercise was associated with lower odds. The researchers also found that housing problems were common, with insufficient bedding in just over half of stalls, dirty bedding in nearly 60%, and only about 21% of horses getting daily exercise. The paper is currently available as a preprint posted January 5, 2026, and notes that findings come from a single rural area and include some pet parent-reported management data. (d197for5662m48.cloudfront.net)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals working with equine clients, the study reinforces that stereotypic and redirected behaviours in working horses may be closely tied to everyday management, not just individual temperament. That fits with broader equine welfare guidance from WOAH, which lists oral stereotypies such as crib-biting and windsucking as potential indicators of stress, and with equine behaviour experts who argue these behaviours should prompt a closer look at housing, forage access, turnout, and exercise routines rather than simple suppression. In this Chilean cohort, hoof disorders were also common, suggesting welfare conversations may need to connect behaviour, stall conditions, and physical health in the same visit. (woah.org)

What to watch: Watch for peer-reviewed publication details, and for whether these findings drive more field-based welfare work on practical housing and exercise interventions in working equids across Latin America. (d197for5662m48.cloudfront.net)