A Preliminary Study Investigating the Influence of Auditory Stimulation on the Occurrence of Nocturnal Equine Sleep-Related Behavior in Stabled Horses.
Authors: Hartman Naomi, Greening Linda Margaret
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Researchers have long recognised that the stabled environment shapes how horses spend their time during night hours, yet few studies have examined whether adding sensory input—specifically sound—might alter this behaviour. Hartman and Greening observed seven horses continuously stabled over nine nights using infrared video and detailed behavioural recording, introducing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at 62.3 decibels for five non-consecutive nights whilst maintaining baseline observation periods before, during, and after music exposure. The most striking finding was a significant increase in feeding behaviour when music was present (P = .001), coupled with a marked reduction in "other" behaviours and notable shifts in lateral recumbency patterns between phases. Although this preliminary work involved a small cohort, the results suggest auditory stimulation may positively influence the nocturnal time budget of stabled horses—potentially encouraging more natural sleep and feeding cycles that might benefit overall equine welfare and, by extension, musculoskeletal and metabolic health during prolonged stabling. The practical implications warrant further investigation into whether species-appropriate soundscapes, tailored to individual yard management schedules, could serve as a low-cost environmental enrichment strategy to support restorative sleep patterns in horses confined to indoor housing.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Playing music in stables may reduce undesirable nocturnal behaviors and promote feeding activity, potentially improving horse welfare and sleep quality
- •Consider auditory enrichment as a low-cost environmental modification strategy for 24-hour stabled horses receiving standardized management
- •Further research needed with larger sample sizes and varied music types before implementing as routine stable management practice
Key Findings
- •Music exposure (Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at 62.3 dB) significantly increased ingestion behavior during treatment phases compared to non-music phases (F[3,18] = 7.910, P = 0.001)
- •Music exposure significantly decreased 'other' behavior frequency comparing baseline phase A1 with all subsequent phases (F[3,18] = 10.25, P = 0.000)
- •Lateral recumbency showed significant phase-dependent variation using Wilcoxon signed rank test (P < 0.05)
- •Novel auditory stimulation appears to beneficially modify nocturnal time budget in stabled horses