Feeding for mental ( emotional ) and physical health
Due to the design of the digestive tract , the equine stomach is relatively small compared to the size of the horse and in contrast to the large intestines that allow for significant volumes of roughage such as hay or grass . To function optimally , the horse should have access to ad libitum ( ad-lib ) forage at all times to mimic the eating patterns of the horse in a natural environment . This process provides a steady stream of low energy roughage through the tract to maintain movement ( reducing the likelihood of colic incidences ) and maintain healthy gut pH ( reducing the possibility of gastric ulcers ). Providing forage ad-lib also allows the horse to behaviourally mimic its natural environment through regular chewing and ingestion of long stalk forage .
Allowing ad-lib forage helps maintain a positive emotional state , as chewing has shown to reduce stress and promote the release of endorphins (' feel-good ' hormones ). Alongside ad-lib forage , access to turnout so the horse can roam , browse and graze , is an ideal scenario to allow them to live a lifestyle that is as close to their natural ethological state as possible . Free-ranging horses spend a significant proportion of time ( around 46 %) grazing with a wide range of other behavioural actions performed , many of these being social behaviours with other horses .
Unfortunately , many horses are fed large quantities of high starch concentrate feed split over one , two or three meals a day with reduced forage ration and restricted turnout . Stable management like this can affect digestive health and the horse ' s daily time budget , often leading to the development of unwanted behaviours such as overexuberance , aggression , and repetitive behaviours such as box-walking , cribbiting , weaving , wind-sucking and so on .
EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE : JULY 2021 • 33