Contrafreeloading in Horses: Why Horses Choose to Work for Food

Contrafreeloading is a term that I haven’t heard in the horse world for a while, but recently I have had a few conversations where it’s cropped up.

It is a fascinating behaviour observed across many animal species, where animals choose to ‘work’ for food or rewards even when the same reward is freely available. Originally documented in rodents and various mammals, this phenomenon highlights the intrinsic motivation animals have for engaging in certain behaviours. It suggests that animals derive intrinsic satisfaction from the act of ‘work’ itself, which is often tied to natural behaviours like foraging, exploring, and problem-solving. However, studies are inconclusive, and the concept is more complex than it first appears. It has been suggested that it is the animal engaging in ‘play’ rather than food acquisition that is the main motivation.

Bearing in mind that it refers specifically to the acquisition of something the animal finds rewarding, such as food or positive emotions, contrafreeloading can help explain how enrichment can be used to treat trauma, improve psychological well-being, and build better animal-led training.

Contrafreeloading in Horses

Horses, as prey animals with highly developed social and exploratory behaviours, also exhibit contrafreeloading tendencies. In natural settings, horses spend a significant portion of their day foraging, exploring and playing, which not only provides sustenance but also keeps them mentally engaged, physically active and builds affiliations.

In managed, domestic environments, horses often have free access to hay or feed. However, studies and practical observations indicate that they may choose to engage in exploratory behaviours—such as manipulating food through various means—when provided with appropriate enrichment. This might include:

- Puzzle Feeders: Horses interacting with devices that require some effort to retrieve portions of their feed.

- Foraging Tasks: Scatter feeding or hiding hay to encourage natural foraging behaviours.

- Interactive Enrichment: Providing objects or tasks that require problem-solving to access treats.

You may recognise this when we talk about the emotional systems of the horse, triggering the Seeking or Play Systems, as outlined by Jaak Panksepp for example or trauma-informed care, but contrafreeloading also helps to explain why it’s important to ensure ‘free’ food is available during positive reinforcement sessions or enrichment games.

An interesting question to ponder is ‘is the animal taking part in the puzzle solving in order to get the food, or to satisfy their need for play, in which case, is the food really necessary?’

If positive reinforcement is done well, where the horse is being ask to learn tasks at their physical, emotional and psychological level and is given agency without negative consequence, then contrafreeloading explains why they may choose to participate and learn much faster, even without food being present, if they view the task as play.

If the horse is choosing the ‘free’ food, rather than engaging in the problem solving task, then this gives us valuable information about their physical and emotional state at the time. It would suggest that either they do not find the task presented intrinsically motivating, or that they are unable to access it in some way. A study on healthy and feather damaging grey parrots carried out in 2023 found that altered brain neurochemistry, which can be induced by chronic exposure to a poor living environment, may affect this intrinsic motivation in animals with abnormal repetitive behaviours (ARBs), including parrots with feather damaging behaviour. Parrots that had previously experienced trauma interacted with the puzzle feeder significantly less than those that were healthy.

We know that previous experiences have a significant impact on a horse’s ability to learn and therefore must be mindful of presenting appropriate activities for our horse’s level.

Neural Biology of Contrafreeloading

Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying contrafreeloading provides insight into why animals, including horses, choose to work for rewards even when free options are available. This behaviour is closely linked to brain systems involved in reward processing, motivation, and learning.

Key Brain Structures Involved include:

Mesolimbic Dopamine System:

 Central to the reward pathway, involving the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens. Engagement of this system during task performance results in dopamine release, reinforcing the behaviour with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.

Prefrontal Cortex: 

 Plays a crucial role in decision-making and evaluating effort versus reward. It helps determine whether an animal opts to work for a reward or settle for the free option, based on previous experiences and expectations.

Hippocampus: 

 Involved in memory and contextual learning, allowing animals to recall previous successful interactions with enrichment activities, which can reinforce ongoing participation.

Neurochemical Dynamics:

Dopamine, a key neurochemical in the reward system, is actively involved when animals engage in work for a reward. Its release during such activities contributes to motivation, desire, and the intrinsic pleasure associated with problem-solving and exploration.

Implications for Horses:

In horses, analogous neural pathways govern motivation and reward. When horses interact with enrichment tasks that mimic natural foraging, play or problem-solving behaviours, activation of these reward circuits can produce feelings of satisfaction, promoting ongoing participation. Engaging in such activities may also enhance neuroplasticity, enabling horses to adapt and learn new behaviours effectively.

Contrafreeloading reveals the deep-seated motivational drives animals possess for engaging with their environment, often for intrinsic reward rather than just caloric gain. By understanding the neural basis of this behaviour, caretakers can design enrichment programs that effectively stimulate horses mentally and physically, promoting overall well-being and a stronger horse-human bond.

To find out more about Applied Equine Behaviour, visit our Learning Hub 

References for Further Reading:

1. Kringelbach, Morten L., and Kent C. Berridge. "Neuroscience of reward, motivation, and drive." Recent developments in neuroscience research on human motivation. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2016. 23-35.
2. Daw, N. D., & O'Doherty, J. P. (2014). "Multiple systems for value learning." Nature Reviews Neuroscience*, 15(10), 712–736.
3. Van Zeeland YRA, Schoemaker NJ, Lumeij JT. Contrafreeloading Indicating the Behavioural Need to Forage in Healthy and Feather Damaging Grey Parrots. Animals (Basel). 2023 Aug
4. Smith, G. E., Greene, D., Hartsfield, L. A. & Pepperberg, I. M. Initial evidence for eliciting contrafreeloading in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) via the opportunity for playful foraging. J. Comp. Psychol.135, 516–533 (2021).