Weaving is a locomotor stereotypy in stabled horses: the horse stands, sways its head and neck from side to side and often shifts weight between its forelimbs. It is common at the stall door and tests whether you can manage a behavior by fixing the horse's environment rather than punishing or blocking it.
Key facts
Weaving at a glance- Species and system: horse; behavior.
- Definition: repetitive side-to-side movement of the head, neck and forequarters while the horse stays in place. MSD describes it as occurring when a horse that normally walks its stall is tied or restricted.
- Typical triggers: confinement, isolation, little exercise, anticipation of food or turnout.
- Best-supported help: turnout, social contact, more forage; a large mirror in front of the stall can decrease weaving (MSD).
- Not helpful: tying the horse, which turns a stall walker into a weaver (MSD), and punishment.
- Zoonotic: no.
What's inside
14 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention
- Welfare
- Prognosis
- Putting it together in practice
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 3 self-test questions and 9 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.