Horse Nutrition Welfare and Feeding Management

Correct nutrition is foundational to horse welfare. Feeding management that supports natural grazing behavior and prevents metabolic disease is central to equine wellbeing.

Key Facts

Horses are trichophytic grazers evolved to eat small amounts of forage for up to 16 hours per day
Restricting forage access causes gastric ulcers, stereotypic behaviors such as crib-biting, and increased stress in horses
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) affects up to 90% of racehorses and 60% of performance horses
Pasture access and ad-libitum hay provision are the most important welfare-protective feeding practices for horses
Laminitis — a painful inflammatory condition of the hooves — is strongly associated with inappropriate diet, particularly high-sugar grass
Slow feeders and hay nets extend eating time and reduce boredom and competition in group-housed horses

Welfare Considerations

Horse nutrition is inseparable from horse welfare. Feeding practices that restrict forage access, provide inappropriate concentrates, or fail to account for individual health conditions create predictable welfare problems — from ulcers to laminitis to behavioral disorders. Evidence-based nutrition management, tailored to the individual horse, age, workload, and health status, is a core responsibility of horse ownership and management. The natural feeding biology of horses should guide management decisions.

What You Can Do

Provide horses with near-continuous access to appropriate forage through hay, haylage, or pasture
Use slow feeders or hay nets to extend eating time and reduce boredom between meals
Work with an equine nutritionist to design a diet appropriate for your horse age, workload, and health status
Monitor body condition score regularly and adjust feeding to maintain healthy weight without metabolic risk