Question: What’s the difference between a vice and a stereotypie?

Answer: A stereotypical behavior is a stylized, very characteristic, repetitive, apparently functionless behavior, and is normally a very robust behavior (performed often and difficult to inhibit). Examples of common stereotypies are cribbing, weaving and pacing.

Vices are behaviors performed in reaction to handling. For example, a horse that kicks at a person that approaches while carrying a saddle, but does not kick if the person does not have the saddle would be said to have a vice. The horse most likely has a negative association with saddling and is reacting to the stimulus (visual cue of the saddle) in a negative manner.

Just in case you were wondering how to safely saddle a horse, I’ve found some articles for you to explore. Check out this article from Ontario’s Ministry on Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: Horse Safety: Saddling, Bridling, and Riding Western for an example of how to safely saddle a horse using western tack. Here is an article from the University of Missouri Extension for all the hunt seat riders out there: Safety for Hunt Seat Riders.