Spontaneous stereotypic behaviour is conceptualised as topographically invariant, repetitive, rigid behaviour patterns, typically thought to be an artefact of captivity (Mason and Rushen 2006). In horses, stereotypic behaviours are commonly reported, probably owing to the high numbers of domesticated animals maintained under restrictive conditions (Parker et al., 2008a; Waters et al. 2002). Spontaneous stereotypies displayed by the horse include both oral (e.g., cribbing/windsucking) and locomotor (e.g., weaving and box-walking). There are a variety of extant theories as to what causes these behaviours, ranging from boredom to genetic predisposition and everywhere in-between. Affecting up to 35% of domestic horses in the UK, stereotypies represent a significant challenge for owners and a clear understanding of their aetiology is important in order to move to reduce the incidence. Recent advances in our understanding of the behavioural and neurobiological processes involved in the development and maintenance of drug-induced stereotypies in laboratory animals may provide us with a useful model for a better understanding of the spontaneous equivalent.