The Other 23 Hours: Reform Stalling Practices (SHORT FILM)
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- The horse industry needs to reflect on some normalized care practices to help improve the welfare of horses and safety of riders. What are your horses' "other 23 hours" like?
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Study references:
Colic:
pubmed.ncbi.nl....
vetmed.illinoi...
actavetscand.b...
www.mdpi.com/2...
www.aphis.usda...
ker.com/equine...
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
ijarbs.com/pdf...
beva.onlinelib...
Stalling impacts:
www.mdpi.com/2...
academic.oup.c...
www.mdpi.com/2...
www.sciencedir...
www.sciencedir...
www.sciencedir...
beva.onlinelib...
beva.onlinelib...
www.sciencedir...
www.sciencedir...
www.sciencedir...
beva.onlinelib...
www.sciencedir...
idp.springer.c...
www.cabidigita...
www.sciencedir...
www.cambridge....
www.jstor.org/...
www.sciencedir...
beva.onlinelib...
www.cambridge....
www.mdpi.com/2...
www.sciencedir...
www2.ca.uky.edu...
www.horsetalk....
beva.onlinelib...
www.sciencedir...
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For anyone interested in what sources I used for this information, I have listed a bunch of studies in the video description.
I also have a resources page on my website (a bit outdated right now, but update coming soon): MilestoneEquestrian.ca/resources
I love your website. It's a great resource. My youngest horse is a Morgan filly who turns 4 next month. It's the first time I've ever started a young horse. I appreciate all the common sense advice I can find.
The fact you used your own clips in this short film is such a clear sign of how much you have grown. I can't imagine how much energy and time it took to deprogramme yourself, and then go on to try and educate others despite how defensive and aggressive people can get on this topic.
Your book was an amazing insight into that process. Keep going Shelby!
I noticed those clips too. It's really brave of Shelby. And no kidding about how aggressive people get - I was on Insta a while back and saw a clip where a horse kicked both her hindfeet off the ground towards a human, who walked towards her in a stall. I commented about how the human had his arms spread out a little, which could be seen as threatening, and that the pat on the chest isn't any reward once he got to her. Scratches release more positive hormones, it imitates what horses do to eachother to be friends. I also suggested that you could let them approach you at liberty, with space. Like Shelby did with her mustangs. Guess what? A guy was like "you've obviously never worked with racehorses, come work for me and I'll teach you to shut up about horses". The dude even insulted my hobby as an artist! And mocked by claim that I use scientific studies. It made my skin crawl with anger 😔
Also, your videos are nice, so cool to see you here on Shelby's channel
I appreciate you so much Shelby. You're doing such important work here!
If the horse needs to be inside, couldn't the stalls at least be made bigger so they could have a buddy in there? I guess that could still cause problems if they had no room to get away from each other in the event of a spat
Yes there are places that do group housing, which is more like an open concept barn / loafing shed idea so there’s lots of space for the horses to get room from one another.
A lot of the issues with fighting / resource guarding do stem from the frustration isolation creates as well as certain feeding practices / going without hay for extended periods of time.
😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
I’m really glad I was introduced to ethical horse keeping before ever owning a horse. I’ve done research on horse care since I was 13 (im now 18), and still have never leased or owned a horse, I’ve only taken riding lessons. Having to deal with lesson horses who have behavioral issues caused by stalling and lack of exercise is also frustrating. I never even want to own a horse unless I can keep multiple on my own property. It’ll be a long time, but I can’t imagine owning a horse any other way.
This is wonderful, thoughtful and mature, you'll be a great horse owner one day !
i'm 35 and totally agree, i can't imagine having a horse at someone else's boarding barn living at the whims of other people. Very few places i've ever been have had adequate turnout or enough frequency of available forage. I lease.
I may be a daydreamer, but here's my idea - a 'horse people' neighbourhood. The stable and paddock are shared and there's housing for people nearby. So you own one horse and share the cost of their home, and they get more space and friends to socialize with.
Me too! I'm about your age and really got into horses at 12. We have a farm but due to health stuff we can not upsize, which means no horse right now. I'm very blessed to have a wonderful mentor who has had horses that were such a basket case that they were headed to slaughter, to helping them become awesome therapy horses for kids. Right now I'm working with a neighbour's horse who has some PTSD from a kid's trail camp.
❤Blessings.
So many people say, as long as they get out to be rode they are fine... that's like your dad keeping you in your bedroom and only letting you out for an hour to work on the car.
one thing I love about shelby is she’s not afraid to use footage of her own from years before. We’re allowed to learn and better ourselves and we shouldn’t be ashamed of who we were before, but proud that we educated ourselves and made a change to better our horses lives
This should be a wake up call to those who keep their horses in a gilded cage. I love watching my horses be horses. I have seen horses get injured within their stalls. Even a hanging water bucket can cause injuries not to mention casting and colic. This video should be shared with everyone who loves and cares about horses.
I have a degree in Animal Science and minored in Equine Science. The way I was taught and shown how to car for horses in college makes me sick looking back. In college I knew a lot of what I was being taught was completely wrong but nobody would listen to me. I would not trust a single thing the professor said now. The horses we had at the college were, looking back, severely mistreated. We were considered one of the best programs in the state at the time. We started long yearlings under saddle with harsh methods. Everyone used spurs to train these babies. There was absolutely no turn out. They were on a strict feeding regiment and we were not even allowed to hand graze them or give them anything other than the extremely measured out hay and grain that was tracked like crazy. I feel so sorry for the animals.
Have you become a horse ambassador now? It would be good when you talk to other horse people, because you've been well educated, so you have a place to speak from. People can then hear that you have the courage to update your knowledge.
I feel like it's particularly disgusting that for working class equestrians not living in farmland areas, it's almost Certain the only way to have a horse is through constant stabling. Even when pasture boarding is available it's often incredibly expensive. It's yet another case of economic factors directly determining what animals face abuse and what animals prosper.
Doubly disgusting is how so many giant stables have been built on massive plots of land that could have easily been used as pastures that would easily house MORE horses than the stable blocks can. Facilities absolutely COULD be a building for the humans, massive pastures, and arenas, while maintaining that stupid classy vibe we all seem to thirst for, and it'd be better for the horses, more economically viable for literally everyone involved, and allow for the homing of more horses. But no, for some reason we still build megastables on giant plots of land and turn it into stupid squared off horse prison rooms that serve no purpose at all outside of aesthetics and making it Slightly easier to catch horses for a ride.
And seriously, if that's true, are we really gonna build stupid prison cells and not just... ask ourselves why the horses wouldn't want to come to us in the pasture, or why we wouldn't tolerate that happening every now and then? Yet another case of humans refusing to let horses have any autonomy or form of consent giving, AND of us failing to realize our horses totally would want to be around us and come to us if they were actually happy and didn't hate us as their captors.
100% we need the money that’s put into building big barns with tons of stalls to be put into track systems and loafing sheds because it could make use of the same space but be infinitely better for welfare.
Humans can tough it out and do without a nice warm barn to hang out in / being able to get their horse from a stall rather than a large turnout.
It’s what we owe them if we’re going to take on the responsibility of having one.
It’s wild that with most other animals, no one would argue that it’s fair to get a species of animal knowing that you cannot provide all basic needs, but it’s such a common argument for horses instead of talking about how we can improve welfare in existing facilities.
Forty years ago I spent two weeks walking thoroughbreds at a major American track. What none of the books or movies ever tell you about is the life these horses lead when they are not in the public eye. The only time they leave their stalls is to either exercise, race, or board a van for the long trip to the next track. They are not allowed any freedom or to interact with other horses. If a colt shows sexual interest in a filly, or acts up in any way, he is disciplined by a sharp downward yank on the line attached to his halter which has a chain wrapped around the noseband. This is called shanking. There is nothing gentle about it. You must be prepared to shank HARD as many times as it takes to get your horse under control. You cannot afford to feel sorry for the horse. Do that, and you are not only putting yourself but others in danger.
I have heard that a little-known secret in the industry is that stallions often have trouble performing when they first go to stud, because it has been seared into their brains that mares equal trouble/pain and quite naturally they want nothing to do with them. While it is true that stallions get turnout time, they never interact physically with another horse except when covering a mare, and then it is get on/get off as quickly as possible. It is the teaser stallion who does all the work in getting the mare ready, but since he is never allowed to go through with the act, one can only imagine how this affects him year after year.
The grooms I worked with did not like the horses moving around in their stalls after they had been put back in. If they saw a horse pacing around inside they would shout at it to stand still. If you've ever wondered why an OTTB is so squirrelly, that is why. By the way, while I worked mainly with cheap claimers what I am describing is also how the top horses spend their days. They don't get much affection. They are not pets, they are not friends, they are there to make money--and if they don't, they are gone. I won't even go into other things that I saw or heard about in my time there, but it was enough to turn me off horse racing.
❤hopefully you have the courage to start conversations about setting higher standards for horse-care. People will always put money and ego first....but us horsy-people have to start having more conversations on behalf of all the horses we've seen suffering.
Horse racing is just betting on their lives. It's sad
Where I live you’ll be looked at strangely if you say you want to keep a horse stalled.
Our horses live out 24/7. Stalls are reserved for medical purposes on vet advice.
That’s why I believe horses don’t belong in big cities with no paddocks.
We all remember the COVID lockdowns stuck in one place and only allowed brief trips out to exercise and even than having to stay away from our friends.
Now imagine living like that for the rest of your life only without any form of entertainment to pass the time with.
That’s how I imagine the life of a stalled horse with no turnout.
In the stable in which i ride, the horses have Access to hay 24/7 and they get extra food depending on each horse. They have 5 large Boxes for 15 horses (the Boxes are huge, so there is enough space for all). They have Access to a big paddoc 24/7 and all boxes are connected with that paddoc. So the horses can always choose if they want to be indoors or outdoors, they can choose in which Box they go and they can choose with which horses they want to be in a Box. On the paddoc there is space where the horses can hide from rain without going into a box. During summer, autumn and spring they go on a large field for hours all together. In winter they can't go always but if the grass isn't freezed they can go then too.
During normal training all riding students ride biteless and only if we ride into the forest or if we do special training we use bites. Before i started riding there i rode in a stable with very frustrated horses without all those abilities. I realize how unhappy they were when i saw how calm and Happy the horses in my new stable are. Now I enjoy riding way more because my horse shows me that he enjoys the training too.
I love the cultural shift in recent years to see both pets and animals in general as beings and not property or toys. And I've seen great channels on yt, like Mikey and Mia advocating on feeding produce and freeflying macaws, Munchie's Place educating on how much space and enrichment hamster's need and now I found your channel and I'm ready to learn about horses.
I had a 48 acre horse farm. I had 6 horses of my own. I never once put them in stalls. The barn was for storing the winter hay and tack, that's all. All the horses were out on 43 of the acres 24/7/365. They loved it, even in cold weather. Everyone who came to the farm observed how calm, sound, sane and happy my horses were. They never got sick, they never got injured, they never tried to escape. They foaled outside, they slept peacefully on the soft ground, they ran and played, grazed, and rested whenever they wanted, and they never got moody or behaved badly, never.
They were so happy and relaxed that you could just go for a quiet ride whenever you wanted and they didn't act up. I never put blankets on them either even in winter. Their body weight was always perfect and they never foundered or had colic, etc. This is my testimony as to how horse WANT to LIVE.🐎💗 🐎💗🐎💗🐎💗🐎
Stalling horses is for the convenience of the human and that's all. It's terrible for the horse and I'm glad that you and other equestrians are pointing this out. Don't get me started on blanketing! That's BS too.
Agreed in MOST cases! There's this one horse at my stable that will start shaking after just some rain, which is why she is blanketed. But in most cases i surely do agree
Some horses do need blankets lol. Clipped horses, wick horses, and elderly ones benefit from blanketing. The vast majority of horses do not need blanket tho
We feed soaked alfalfa cubes soak and make a mash during the winter months along with quality hay. They are also provided with supplement. I have one blanket but will be used only if a horse is sick or injured.
I’m not so sure about the blanket comment.
What would you do if a horse is shivering despite having 24/7 access to hay and a herd mate to stand with? This happens winter after winter with our ArabX even though we try different types of nutrition and wait until she’s shivering to put any blanket on. She doesn’t grow much of a coat.
On top of our personal experience, there is also a study of hundreds of clicker trained horses in which the majority of horses chose blankets in inclement weather. Only the horses with genetics made for very cold weather and with very heavy coats did not choose blankets in the coldest temperatures. Sorry I don’t have that link.
@@anjelikadongelmans5325 Of course there are situations where a horse requires stall rest or has specific medical needs that would require a stall. If the blanket fits wear it otherwise you miss the point. Horses don't thrive in a small box.
My darling this needs to be a TED TALK! Bravo🎉
Thank you. As someone who doesn't own property, finding a boarding barn with adequate turnout and ability to socialize with other horses has always been a challenge. I ended up at a place with large paddocks, run in sheds that the horses can use at will, and 24-7 access to hay in slow feed nets. Even the Vet noticed that my young mare was vastly happier. "Paddock paradise" barns that allow free movement are also a good option when space is limited.
Absolutely agree to all of this. The only time ive seen stalling necessary is a rescue horse so absolutely sleep deprived, abused, stressed, and mentally unwell that she got stalled 6-8 hours a day in a quiet place so she would actually sleep. She got weaned off the stalling eventually, but man it took her a while to actually feel well enough to sleep in the pasture with her buddies.
Recently I had to stall my horse due to a injury (this was vet recommended). Having always been in a paddock, it was heartbreaking to see him stressed like that even though it was necessary at the time. Luckily it was only for a week and he is now back out with his buddies. Couldn’t even fathom stalling my horse consistently.
I am outspoken about horses needing space and friends. I'm a horse trainer and plan on making sure this is something more and more people think about.
The kind of thought-provoking, thoughtful discussion I have come to expect from you.
Im commenting as a horseowner who used to turn out 24/7 and still bieves fully in turnut but one of my horses has been diagnosed with EMS and has developed Laminitis and was grossy obese. I had the vet out and he told me to put my horse on 5kg soaked hay and full box rest to get weight off and insulin drop. Yes he recovered from laminitis and his insulin dropped but he has chewed up his whole stable beams whilst on box rest and even though we split the hay up into lots of small nets around his stable at multiple times of the day he was still left without food for a long time. The vet said it was okay because his lamintis was severe and needed fixing first which im glad it has. We have built a dry lot for him since so he can still be turned out in the day without free access to grass as it can be detrimental to him but i feel terrible. If i had my own land i would build a dry track so he can roam naturally but im renting and it was a stretch to be allowed to build a dry lot. I live in the UK where buying land is very expensive and not a possibility at the moment. Every day we turn him out for 6 hours in his dry lot with a friend and soaked hay so he can play. Hoping to come up with a better solution in the future with the resources i have. I just wish the horse world was more understanding on how important turnout is - including vets!
You're doing good with your idea of more hours of turn-out and hopefully the horse will recover soon. I also think people need to remember that veterinarians and doctors etc have been educated by a system that views animals as Inferior and dumb, so generally no education was given regarding the 'emotional needs ' of animals. Clients like yourself should encourage more conversations about what your horse really needs to be happy and healthy. The medical field is very backward sometimes.
My previous trainer owned a bording facility that was 24/7 turnout. ALL horses were outside 365 day a year and in the 8 years i was there not one of the horses (now 25 horses), no matter if old or young, has had health issues aside from an allergy. Now i work at a barn were the horses are stalled at least 14 hours/day and half of them(18/40) show severe stress signals and at least 3 of them have injured themselfs throughtout the last 4 weeks. It hurt my heart everytime i walk past them and all the owners do it figting the symptoms and not the cause. Apropriate stalling practices are so important and benificial for both horse and rider.
I will have to say that this is in a pretty rural area in Germany close to Berlin were there is enough space to have big and grassy pastures. Ofc with playing outside there will be minor injuries like small scratches on the legs but never issues with tendons or colics etc. and they all were the sweetest most well behaved horses.
My two thoroughbreds would suffer if out 24/7. Even blanketed in winter I had to have heat lamps. They still went outside but certainly not all day. So while I agree that many horse can be outside 24/7, it’s not for all horses. When your horses don’t grow winter coats and you live where winter temperatures drop to vastly below freezing it’s not safe. I’ve seen so many horses with frost bitten ears. And blanketed horses outside all night is dangerous.
we need to stop the double standard. it's ok to stall a horse 23 hours a day but it's not ok to crate a dog 23 hours a day. riding or a hotwalker is not a replacement for turnout
Great job on a subject not much discussed about horses. Thank you!
Common sense is too uncommon.
Je me souviens avoir visité deux fois une écurie de chevaux de spectacle.
La première fois, les chevaux allaient au pré toute la journée, je pouvais les caresser sans souci.
La deuxième fois, c'était la période de spectacle, les chevaux étaient en box toute la journée pour éviter d'être blessés. Je ne pouvais pas les caresser car ils mordaient.
Il est évident que les chevaux mordaient car ils étaient stressés et frustrés à rester toute la journée dans une boîte.
Two of my friends have an OTTB. One, Sky, is the loveliest gelding, but due to all the stalling he experienced when he was on the track has caused him to sway his neck around. Most people think he just "dances" or is a little silly. Although he is allowed to be outside 24/7 and is only inside when being ridden and it has been 7 years, he still has anxiety in the stall, even if he's just coming in for grain. The other, Rooster, has been off the track for over 10 years, but still cribs. My own 2 OTTBs hate being stalled, they both paw, stamp, neigh, etc., even though one has been off the track for 14 years and the other for 11 years. It's not just OTTBs either, of course. There's also a pony at my barn that can't be stalled anymore or she will and has kicked the door down, as she was a show pony and stalled all the time, even though she is retired and 27.
I've been riding for 20 years, but have never owned a horse. I would love to and I'll surely purchase one in the future, but I'm SO GRATEFUL and so HAPPY to watch these types of documentaries before making the decision to own a horse. Just like you said, during all my time learning to ride horses, nobody teaches you the basic social and physical needs of horses. Instead, we're taught that riding your horse more than one hour a day is abuse and too exhausting for them. We're taught that they need to be brought back inside whenever it rains or if it's cold outside.
I then moved to Mexico for a year where most horses live on ranchlands without fences. They get to move all the time and find their own food. Now I'm in Hungary riding in a small barn where horses have acres of fields to live and are never kept in stalls. And I can see the difference: all these horses look so much happier, they behave better with other horses, humans and even when ridden.
It's sad that so many people buy horses without the proper knowledge and whenever you try to talk to them about it, they get upset because it goes against their values and convenience.
Thank you so much for this amazing video
You are 100% correct, and this left me in tears.
My horses have almost 24/7 turnout and they are SO much happier than how their former owners had them cooped up in a stall. My OTTB who was “crazy” and “dangerous” has now surprised a multitude of trainers who got fed up with her all because I use R+ and turn her out all day.
When I were little (I'm in my twenties now) our neighbour owned four horses. They were kept the way people around here keep their chickens or cows - night in the stable, day out in a huge fenced paddock. The owner (my mom's friend) lived on the property too. It was so cool seeing them run back from wherever they were hanging out to the area near the stable in the evening. Honestly, I used to think that's how everybody keeps horses.
Fantastic video!! Thanks so much for all you do for horses. Horses are some of the most cruelly-treated animals on the planet, yet they’re still so gentle and patient with us. We need to stop taking advantage of their kind souls. It’s astounding how it never occurs to some people how fundamentally flawed stalls are. We need a cultural change in the equine industry, we need peer pressure to make stalling unthinkable. If that can’t happen we need legislation against this, the same way there’s legislation against small cages in puppy mills. I refuse to keep my horses in stalls. It breaks my heart whenever I see footage of horses with stall vices. What a boring and miserable life… 16 hours a day in a stall, 4 hours in a tiny individual paddock, and 2 hours of forced, controlled exercise.
People don’t realize that horses don’t need to sleep for nearly as long as we do, so the horse can’t even sleep away the boredom.
You mean together with the animals mistreated for the meat and farmed fish industry, right? 😉
Horses are treated wrong, but how about fish and rodents. You know, what people consider "disposable pets". Hamsters especially. I see more bad than good. With horses, I see more good than bad. Not saying horses have it easy, I see abuse, but "some of the most cruelly-treated animals on the planet" isn't fully true. They have it better than a ton of other animals.
@wolfiemix While I agree with most of what you said, I do have to ask, where are you seeing more good than bad? Honestly I'd say either you're exceptionally lucky or you don't know what to look for.
Sure enough, Wendy. If you have a skinny horse or an old or ailing horse they could benefit from a blanket. Most healthy horses that have ample turnout to develop a good coat and are fed properly don't need a blanket.
I especially hate when people put their horses in stall just after a ride! They need to let out their extra energy, and graze! I get that people aren’t trying to hurt their horses, but it still isn’t really an excuse to leave your horses in a stall for so long. I get an hour or two, but still, they should be out full time. ❤
Wow Shelby, this is an excellent documentary film !!! It is heartbreaking to see these stalled horses, especially if you are aware that this still is the life condition of most riding horses. I am so relieved that my mare is part of a herd, outside together 24/7, they only sleep in stalls during the winter nights but in early morning are back out together no matter the weather. I don't have to feel guilty when I cannot go to the barn because I know they are with friends and walking, playing, grazing, grooming, having a social life. When I took my first riding lessons as a child the horses not only were stalled but attached with a halter, all stalled individually standing side by side. This is forbidden by law now (in Europe). Over the decades I learned what was good for horses and what was bad. So an educational documentary like yours I hope will open the eyes of many horse owners and inspire them to find an adapted boarding facility where horses can live as the social herd animals that they are, I hope over the decades to come there will be more and more demand for this kind of life and that positive change will come massively ! Thank you !!!
Agreed!! I have been planning to post about my thoughts on stalls as well, which is just like the analogies you used. I'm glad this conversation is starting. I've always pasture boarded, and that was a priority for my horse. It's sad how hard it is to find barns now that will accommodate that. It's unfortunately become a standard to keep them locked up.
Yes, the collective cognitive dissonance concerning horse welfare is appalling and sadly pretty much universal. From sport horses in dressage and show jumping to horses pulling humble carts in Romania they may never know the life a horse was born to live. I think part of the problem is that people think they have a right to ride or work horses, that horses in themselves exist only for us. How often do we hear the insane equestrian anthropomorphisms, the horse hated retirement, misses working, horse bored needs work...... What horses really need and foremost are to be horses.
This made me happy, I love the way your videos are so inviting for people to learn more. I bought my first horse a few years ago and since then I've gone down the rabbit hole of proper care and training. Your channel has been the most reassuring and helpful for me. Everyday I learn more on how I can help my horse be more comfortable and strengthen our bond with positivity. My horse used to be extremely high strung and difficult, Im so happy that I took the time to ask why and learned that she was only unhappy. Shes the most amazing horse I've ever met, voicing her frustration when she feels unfairly treated. I am currently working on switching to positive reinforcement, and giving her more space and friends. She has some pretty bad anxiety from being starved and sick, being isolated for most of her life, and being bullied by her more healthy herd mates. She was an Indian reservation mustang that was separated from her mom prematurely and sold off.
I feel good knowing that I am trying my absolute hardest to make our relationship grow in a healthy way. Even the change from her in the past year is amazing. And I owe most of it to you!
Thank you, Shelby, for this extremely well said message. Beautiful video. I’ll be sharing!!
Excellent video! You speak truth to power! Thank you for this video. I stopped that stalling practice many years ago. We quit blanketing and shoeing them as well. Much happier horses.
I've always thought horses that live in herds in large paddocks always seem more beautiful, but you taught me so much information. And you do it with so much compassion for humans and horses! I hope more people will be able to watch this without defensiveness. Thank you for kindly informing us. (And adding the clips with martingales and rollkur for some of the abused horses.)
All of my horses are kept out 24/7 but once i had to fix up their shelter. They weren't allowed to use it for 2 weeks and it was middle of blasting summer. So I brought them up to upper building where I have stalls and stalled them 6am-6pm till there was Shadow on the pasture. It was necessary evil for a short period of time and I can't imagine how so many horses live in stalls 23h per day. Even then 3 ponies had one huge stall together and horse had stall next to them without any kind of bars. They constantly nuzzled, groomed eachother and used all kinds of enrichment I gave them
Now they only end up in stalls in emergencies and when I feed them (drastically different feeding needs and some are on meds). Each time they finish eating they start interacting with eachother. Ponies always groom eachother through the gate (it's literally one horizontal wooden pole) and bigger pony and horse touch noses
But ppl say its abusive, they need to be locked up for their safety and only good way to keep a horse is in stalls. They claim its due to inherit horse aggression (in reality frustration) towards other horses and that horses will run all the time if you give them ability to (wonder why they run like maniacs when they stand majority of their lives)
I could go on and on about my experience when I changed my way of view about horse care, but all I have to say is that this video is awesome and if anyone sees this comment that has a stalled horse...try turnout...for only a month. I promise you, you're not ever going back...
This opened my eyes to so much I knew happened but never really realised how bad it was. I mean that clip of a horse Walker just seemed downright barbaric after listening to you. Even prisoners get free yard time. What did horses do wrong other than simply be a horse and we’re human? It may sound weird but hear me out- imagine someone knew their own child had been reincarnated as a horse- would they leave them locked in a stall? Would they not allow them to run and socialise? Just because humans would then put emotions and intelligence on that horse they would be treated different, despite such already being true. It’s an odd comparison I know but I suppose what I’m getting at is it’s easy to normalise treating horses an animals with no emotional intelligence or the ability to have wants and needs. Great video Shelby. I don’t have horses myself but adore them, you’ve truly opened my eyes.
Say it louder for those in the back! Thank you!!
Omgosh soo flipping true! As a little girl, it didn't occur to me this was happening to all the horses in the stables! 💔🙏🏻🙏🏻😭😭😭
Beautifully done Shelby! This was so informative, loving and inspirational ❤
You are killing it and I’m so proud 🫶
All I have to say is HELL YES!
I 100% agree with everything being said in this video.I just found this in my recommendations and am so glad to decide to watch it.
Sadly not many people understand this. Often horses are only seen as objects for their own entertainment or money machines rather than living beings.
A lot needs to change in the 'equestrian world'.
Our horses are on a big pasture 24/7. And even when they have access to shelter during bad weather you still find them standing outside, huddled together around the hay (even though there's hay in our barn as well). It doesn't matter if it's during a thunderstorm, hail, heavy rain,.... they *choose* to stand outside in the mud rather than inside where it's dry, cozy and warm.
The only times you see them inside is during hot temperatures or occasionally after it rains but rarely during raining.
Unbearable to think about.
Horses are not seen by the majority of people as one of the most abused animals on the planet. Most of them live pretty miserable lives, only to then be sold into slaughter. People seem shocked to find out most riding stables retire their horses to slaughter houses. Even though they never see old horses at the stables, they never wonder where they are. Race horses often end up being dumped for slaughter. What they endure when they are travelled, especially if they are exported, is horrific. And the slaughter process, even in countries that consider themselves humane, is just heartbreakingly terrifying. A lifetime of slavery, their needs rarely met and rarely considered, and the thanks they get is to be shipped of to a horrific death. People can be so shameful. I am so grateful that their are some equestrians than actually seem to care about horses. I wish there was more of them.
This is a great video👍🍀🇺🇸
My horses get out in the morning at 7:30 and they get into their stables when the sun is setting. If I ride I try to do it in the last third of the day, so they have enough play time. Our horses are on big fields and with others to have friends. I hope more horses will live a life like mine.
Oh my word Shelby you never fail to impress me with your articulate, well researched, courageous messages. You are beyond 100 % right in every aspect. You address the bias and not-so-benign abuse that results in a kind approachable but undeniable way. Please let the world listen to you and all the forward thinkers of the equestrian world to affect the evolution of change that Must take place because as you say " we Must do better by these magnificent creatures" . It's the right thing to do and we owe it to them. ❤️from Montreal...
Here in australia, the only form of stabling we have is if we are away from home with or without them and in horse racing, i don't think i've been to a place that the horses are in stalls 24/7. even with race horses they aren't in stall 24/7 to my knowlage. This is really sad to hear that it's normal.
everytime my family have had a horse, or horses, there is shelter in each paddock either a three sided shed or plenty of trees they can stand under if they want to get out of the weather, although we found a lot of the time our horses would stand in the rain! I am wondering if we don't use stalling very often in Australia is because of the weather, the winters are fairly mild (no snow) and the summers are very hot, plus we tend to have lots more space. Our horses were often kept in paddocks that were owned by other local people. My mum has a whole herd of mini shetland ponies and mini horses, they live on her own property and a large paddock next to their house, they are outdoor 24/7. The only time a pony was living 'alone' was when she had a stallion, he would be in eyesight but kept from the mares when my mum did not want any more foals to be born. Her last stallion used to live with the herd pretty much year round until he passed away a few years ago. I think her only male pony right now is a gelding who lives with the girls.
@@BanglesAU yeah I live in nsw in the mountains so we get wet windy cold days and frosty mornings. But all they need is a coat or two and they are fine they don't like using the sheds 😂
Australia and New Zealand have superb conditions for horses to live outside all the time. Other places, not as much, though mustangs in the US highlands seem to do well all by themselves.
One point i like to add to this very true summary of the horrible practice of boxing horses up is their endurance. I heard so often when out riding that 'the horse is tired" after one or two hours. Often the horses were, because they were not used to walking longer than the regular exercise time. A freeroaming horse will walk all day and have no problem with carrying a human on its back for 5 hours or so. They will be able to pull a carriage for 3 hours and might even enjoy it because they get to see things they do not see on a regular basis. A stalled horse will get tired if you ride it more than 2 hours, simply because it did not get the means to build up a natural amount of endurance and stamina.
This was so beautifully and carefully done! Addressing that we understand why we stable but also calling in to other equestrians that if they actually love their horses, they would take the time to actually consider them to the horse's needs and not their own self-preferences
Very nice video anout horse care. Ive never owned one however i watch a lot of horse rescue videos and other vids about horses. Its sad to see them stalled añd some owners shouldn't have them. I cant understand how people just can thro away pets....i have owned a few different pets and they had a furever home. I was brought up that way. We never got rid of any dog,cat guinea pig, ect.. if you wanted a cat, you took care of it forever.
I always thought this was obvious, but maybe it’s a difference in uk and US culture around horses, or maybe uk culture has changed, I keep my horses at home and mostly just ride out for fun, so idk what other people do. but as an older millennial growing up I feel like everything I read or was taught encouraged keeping horses in pastures as much as possible, and that keeping them indoors causes stereotyped behaviours like weaving, and just for them to be generally nuts to ride.
There’s a fancy stud up the road from me that is breeding some spectacular show horses and even they seem to be outside most of the time. Mud fever can be an issue here, but it’s not like mud fever and rain scald compare to colic. I’m guessing racehorses and the like are probably kept indoors more often though. But I feel like your average leisure horse isn’t.
Excellent Shelby ...! This should be " Required Viewing" for everyone that has a horse...... plus everyone else.
A superior presentation of an important topic for the equine industry. Every beginner equestrian should see this video as part of their introduction to horsemanship. Congratulations Shelby for performing a gigantic service for horses everywhere.
Yes it's just awful how the horse industry has no conscience.
I am so glad that the riding center I am at. Have them outside unless the horses ride or are unable to be outside. One horse for example is really old and has to fight for his food too much, so they stable him at times if he lost too much weight or is beginning to loose it. Or they switch him to another group, it really depends. But 99% of them unless there is a very very very reasonable reason (read: danger to them to create another more difficult health issue), they are outside during the entire night as well as when they don't ride. They have two to four groups that fan run together, play together, be a nuasance together if they want to. Yes, I wish some riders would not forget to check if it is the last ride of the day, but I think the most they are inside is 6 hours a day. Which could be a lot worse compared to other places. And from those six hours they ride 2-4 hours as well.
I’m so glad to see people talking about this. Every big barn I’ve worked at has had horses with incredible aggression and impatience. I point out that the horses are kept inside too long and that’s why the horses are so unhappy. All I get are excuses like “well my horse loves to be inside!”
Finally someone said it
I unfortunately have to stable my horses over night in summer & the worst of winter as I need to rest my pasture (small acreage). However they have an 8m x 4m area for them (half of which is under cover) and they have access to hay 24/7, as well as mineral blocks & toys for stimulation.
If I could, I'd have them in pasture 24/7 with optional access to shelter. That's the ideal imo. Stabling should always be kept to an absolute minimum and adlib access to forage is PARAMOUNT. I also think only having an indoor box is just cruel. They should always have access to the outdoors.
Some years ago, when I started seeing how sad a horse's life may be, I tried to continue riding as usual, but I couldn't do it anymore, especially with many people around me who treated stress behaviours as bad habits, punishing the horses. As sad as it may be, I prefer not being around horses than in a normal barn. I'm still waiting for some important changes in this world to restart enjoying these beautiful animals in a manner that respects THEM, not US!🥲
BRAVO🥰🎉❤such an informative and educational video. This needs to be shared on every horse site.
I really like how animal training is moving from making the animals do what you would like to asking for consent and providing choice.
The same should be applied in all aspects of life: choice is freedom to animals in a world where it’s rarely provided. Of course there will always be times you have to make choices about welfare that go against what an animal may choose, but overall the equestrian world needs an overhaul on what we consider humane and what makes horses (versus us) happy.
Would love to hear your views on other ways we keep our horses like feeding unnecessary hard feed/grain, giving unnecessary supplements/drugs to mask problems, and rugging/blanketing horses
This is why I'm grateful my boy has over 100 acres of free range with his herd. He gets to be a horse 24/7.
Hi SocialShires! We had a 38 degrees below F way back when it got that cold in Vermont. My well fed and run-in equipped horse was hungry but otherwise just dandy. The big coat can be a nuisance for the human but works remarkably well for the horse if they are adequately fed and have protection from the wind. Again, if you have an old, sick or skinny horse, they might need a blanket but otherwise not.
I already knew stalling was bad but i know its worse than i thought😢
A small box is no life for ANY living thing 💐🌿
Beautiful, eye-opening, heartbreaking. It is so true what you say, that we stable horses the way we do out of love. To keep them warm and safe. But so few people actually consider that it is so much better to keep them outside, even if they get a scrape from time to time.
Horses do much better in a field 24/7 with a nice run in shelter that they can choose when they want to be inside...my opinion
in my opinion a horse should gave atleast half an acre at least 10 hrs a day. More acerage if there's more horses pastured with it.
My horse has 2 acres all to himself.(he used to have a pasture mate but my horse hasn't gotten along with any of the other horses at the barn so we have to wait for a new boarder)
1 acre per horse is the minimum necessary for pasturing…more is always better, of course.😉
It's prison, 23 and 1. Generally, humans did something to deserve this punishment, horses are innocent.
You're amazing of making their voice heard by your way of communication ❤
Thank you SO SO SOOOOOO much for making this. This is what I think about and feel about my horse all the time. I am having the HARDEST time finding a good boarding situation for him in my state, so I am constantly trying to make up for his best life experience, and it feels like an impossible task. I know how important it is for him to experience sunshine and movement and friendship, but providing that to him in a safe way (not on a steep rocky dry paddock with other frustrated horses) is just impossible. I feel frustrated and helpless all the time.
Been there, done that…
The horses at the therapeutic riding center where I volunteer are almost all grumpy. They are all in single stalls with paddocks with electric fencing. Only two out of 10 of them get turned out together. Zero socializing for the rest of them. Unless they want to risk getting zapped through the fence. They need to all be out together. There is so much fear around horses rough housing and playing and "getting hurt." They're getting hurt now by being stalled alone all the time. UGH.
I've noticed something. Many things you see people doing to horses, you would never see them do to a dog, or god forbid a cat. Unfortunately, the smaller the animal, the more attention the abuse gets, while seeing, but not speaking out against (or even supporting!) abuse of other animals, when all animals need to be treated with care. People will say spraying a cat with water, even if it's not in the face, is abuse, yet those same people are fine with metal prong collars on dogs. People who are against prong collars, may be okay with beating a horse with a whip, or using extremely tight gum chains like you see on racehorses. I don't know if anyone has noticed this sort of "trend" of, "if it's a larger animal, it can cause more harm and therefore I must dominate and manhandle it." Animal abuse of any kind is not okay, but people need to research what they're saying or supporting.
When i was jong i was just to horse in a small box or even a stand. Then i got my own(Sunny) horse that hated boxes, he lived 24/7 outside white other horses. He learnd me a lot ❤
Now horses in a box look weird to me😅
Such an important topic! Great job, Thank you
100% Shelby. I have stables, but they're rarely used. I also built them 5mx6m. They are only used if we have a storm but they get put in a big paddock where they can gallop and run. You can see their joy being let back out. We are currently building big shelters for all our paddocks so they have the shelter of a stable without needing to be confined. My 2yo has behavioral issues due to being confined for 2 bouts of 8 weeks due to a joint infection. She was such a sweet girl and has been forever affected from being vet-issued confined to help her heal.
Thank you for this🙏♥️
Pasture is an absolute imperative for horses. I had two and can’t even remember how many barns I used. I prayed to St Francis (patron saint of animals) and finally found the perfect place to board. It was a 35 acre farm about 60-65 miles away; 1 hr or so by interstate highway. (All the places where I boarded were at least 40 miles and one hour away from my city home. Since I was a weekend warrior it was important to make sure there was plenty of pasture, the time and distance were necessary for that.) It was beautiful, well kept with plenty of turnout all day every day, weather permitting. Geldings we’re kept separate from mares, which is also important. One of my two turned out to be the boss of his little herd of geldings. He was so happy, he spent the rest of his life there. I had to give up my other guy to his former ‘mom’ because I got cancer. He’s still happy and healthy with her.
Thank u gor this wonderful video, I hope many people will see it
This video is seriously so important. I’m sick to my core of seeing horses living in boxes 24/7. Sadly in Italy, where I live, it’s just the norm. I was finally able to buy a horse but I just can’t bring myself to do it when the only option for it is to live in such a depressing and boring environment.
I must have visited 35 yards in my region at this point.
People here are just living in the delusion that their horses are “so happy” and “ well cared for” when the reality is that they all have ticks and serious health problems.
It’s just a sick industry here. But until it changes I have no intention of being responsible for the life of a horse that I can’t satisfy the basic needs of.
I dream to find a place where every hour spent riding is rewarded with a full day spent in pastures and with other horses.
I’m not gonna lie I’m seriously considering moving to an other country, especially Ireland, where I’ve seen the best environment for horses so far.
Finger crossed
New Zealand has great climate for horses, especially the North Island. In my youth there, only racehorses in training were stalled.
NONE of the horses I ever owned were stalled without access to at least a huge paddock, usually in a field and always with other horses. So much of behavior issues stem from not allowing horses to live the way they should - the ability to graze and socialize with their peers!
So don't stall horses!!!!
The horses I ride live out and are only brought in before work and then turned out once dry enough to wear a rug in winter (a thin rug to keep them dry). They have hedges for shelter and the only time I've seen them act like they want to be in the stable is if they've had a long night of really heavy rain, then they like to have a sleep before they're keen to go straight back to the field. My indication for liking sleeping being lying down or standing to the rear of the box sleeping before returning to looking out over the door once they are done.
in some places you can’t leave the horse outside overnight, it’s sad but they’ll get stolen, stabbed etc.
Bravo!
This is a wonderful movie. Thank you for your work.
Thank you for this. It needs saying, and often.
This is so common in Florida! My area has boarding stables on 3 acres housing 30 plus horses. Most never get turn out, or at most a few hours a day. Needless to say, most of these farms have no grass. Hay is $20/bale here so often not enough is given.
right on girl.