Stress Responses in Horses Housed in Different Stable Designs during Summer in a Tropical Savanna Climate.
Authors: Poochipakorn Chanoknun, Wonghanchao Thita, Sanigavatee Kanokpan, Chanda Metha
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Tropical climates present unique challenges for stabled horses, yet little research has examined how stable design influences stress physiology in these environments; this investigation compared three common configurations across 23 horses in a Thai savanna setting, measuring environmental parameters alongside heart rate variability (HRV) as an objective stress marker. The solid-walled central-corridor design (stable A) produced significantly lower relative humidity and airflow compared to an open-sided alternative (stable C), whilst maintaining intermediate temperatures between the two corridor designs. Despite these seemingly favourable microclimate conditions, horses in stable A demonstrated reduced HRV—a key indicator of parasympathetic nervous system activity—suggesting they experienced greater physiological stress than horses in stables B and C, which exhibited 5–10% higher HRV values. Whilst ammonia and air velocity were substantially elevated in the open-sided design, the apparent ventilation benefits appear to outweigh the environmental trade-offs from a stress perspective, indicating that solid external walls may inadvertently compromise welfare through compromised air exchange and heat dissipation. For practitioners working in tropical and subtropical regions, this finding warrants reconsideration of traditional enclosed stable designs; improved ventilation architecture—whether through open-sided construction or enhanced internal corridor positioning—may better support equine thermoregulation and psychological wellbeing during summer confinement.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Consider open-sided or semi-open stable designs in tropical climates to reduce ammonia accumulation and improve airflow, which may lower horse stress
- •Stable design significantly impacts physiological stress markers in confined horses; sealed designs with central corridors may increase stress despite better humidity control
- •When housing horses in single stalls in hot climates, prioritise ventilation and air quality over humidity retention to minimize stress-related welfare concerns
Key Findings
- •Stable C (central corridor, open walls) had lower relative humidity and higher air temperature and ammonia levels compared to closed designs
- •Horses in stable A (central corridor, solid walls) showed lower heart rate variability indicating greater stress compared to stables B and C (p < 0.05-0.01)
- •Single-stall confinement in sealed stable design (A) was associated with elevated stress markers despite controlled environmental conditions