The latest pet care news, adoptable pets, and cruelty alerts.
I have a 4-year-old pony who used to live in a stall and tiny paddock with a view of neighboring horses. He now lives with me and has the run of a 100-square-foot pasture with toys and my dogs on the adjoining lawn. I feed him hay four or five times a day so he can nibble. He has a few issues, such as biting—but what I am particularly curious about is whether it is normal for him to pace back and forth along a couple of segments of the fence in a ritualized way, turning when he has passed the third fence post. He does not trot or canter about the field as my former pony did.
Glovie, the behavior you describe is called a stereotypic behavior, and it is not a healthy behavior. It normally occurs with animals who have limited enrichment opportunities or who are bored and/or frustrated. Your description of your pony's environment does not mention a stall or structure. It is possible, having been used to a stall environment, that he is anxious without one (and will need one to get out of the weather). If there is a stall available to him, it may be that he is frustrated being alone. Many horses do not do well singly, and need a pasture partner to keep them comfortable.
Share Tweet