🐴 Enrichment Study at HorseWorld: Bringing More Joy to Our Horses

At HorseWorld, we’re always exploring new ways to enrich the lives of the rescued horses in our care. In 2024, we carried out a fascinating study to see how different enrichment items affected the well-being and behaviour of our horses.

The results were enlightening — and often heartwarming! Read on to discover what we learned, and how enrichment can help horses live happier, more fulfilling lives.

Below you can download and print a PDF summary of the 2024 Enrichment Study (also available at the bottom of this page).

💡 What Is Enrichment — and Why Does It Matter?

Environmental enrichment involves offering animals a range of items and experiences that encourage natural behaviours, stimulate curiosity, and reduce boredom or stress.

For horses, that might mean:

• Foraging opportunities

• Sensory stimulation

• Interactive toys

• New sights, smells, and sounds

We wanted to see which items our horses enjoyed the most and how their responses varied based on age, health, and personality.

📊 Study Overview

Here’s how we conducted the study:

• 40 horses took part over 12 weeks

• Horses lived either on our Equine Track System (45%) or in traditional paddocks (55%)

• Each enrichment item was introduced three times

• Items tested included:
  🟣 Forage balls
  🟡 Poo bags
  🔵 Water buffets
  🟢 Essential oils

We closely observed how the horses interacted with each item and recorded both positive and negative behaviours.

🐎 Meet the Horses

Our horses are all individuals, each with their own history, temperament, and health needs.

🟢 Track A

6 horses — all friendly, with no known health issues

🟡 Track B

5 horses — indifferent to humans, 4 with conditions like laminitis

🔵 Track C

8 horses — a mix of friendly and reserved, some with PPID or laminitis

🟠 Fields D, E, and F

15 horses — varying personalities and health needs, including navicular and chronic lameness

Demographics of horses in the study:

• Average horse age: 12 years

• 78% were female

• 38% had ongoing health issues

• 48% were described as friendly

🧠 How Did the Horses React?

Some enrichment items were a big hit — others, not so much! Here’s what we observed:

🌟 Most Loved

• Forage balls led to 90% positive behaviours
• Curious sniffing, gentle nudges, playful interaction

🚫 Least Popular

• Essential oils triggered the most negative behaviours (43%)
• Over 80% of horses reacted poorly to them

🔍 Key Patterns

• Younger horses and those described as friendly showed more interest in enrichment
• Horses with no health issues were more likely to engage positively
• Horses on the track system were more interactive with several items, especially poo bags and water buffets

Interestingly, there were no major differences in overall behaviour between horses on the track system and those in paddocks — except when it came to essential oils.

⚠️ Study Limitations & What’s Next

As with any study, there were a few challenges:

• Not every horse could be observed consistently
• Observers had different levels of experience
• Weather conditions weren’t always tracked — which may have influenced results

🎥 Looking Ahead

We recommend future studies use GPS trackers and video cameras to gather more consistent and comprehensive data.

💚 Why This Matters

This study shows that environmental enrichment can have real benefits for horses — regardless of where they live. Whether on a track system, in a paddock, or in a stable, enrichment helps promote:

• Natural behaviours
• Better emotional well-being
• A more stimulating, enjoyable life

We’re excited to keep exploring how age, sex, and personality affect enrichment preferences — and how we can do even more to support horses in our care and beyond.

📥 Download a summary of the study

Want all the details?

Below you can download and print a PDF summary of the 2024 Enrichment Study.

Thank you for helping us make the world a better place for horses. With your support, we can keep learning, improving, and giving every horse the life they deserve. 💖