Horse Pasture Management and Grazing Welfare

Pasture management for horses must balance welfare benefits of grazing with health risks from rich grass and the behavioural needs of continuous movement.

Key Facts

Horses evolved for continuous movement while grazing — they can cover up to 16 km per day in foraging
Rich improved pasture grasses have significantly higher sugar content than the wild grasses horses evolved on
Track systems — providing a pathway around a large paddock — allow continuous movement with grass restriction
Overgrazing damages pasture and exposes horses to soil-level parasites
Rotational grazing rests pastures, improves grass quality and reduces parasite burden

Welfare Considerations

Pasture management is foundational to horse welfare. Access to appropriate grazing provides physical movement, natural foraging behaviour and social interaction. However, modern improved pastures pose metabolic risks for susceptible horses. Track systems offer an innovative solution — horses can move continuously around a large track while restricted from grazing overly rich grass. Rotational grazing benefits both horse health through parasite control and pasture quality through rest periods. The welfare benefit of turnout — even in limited amounts — is significant enough that even horses at metabolic risk should have carefully managed outdoor access.

What You Can Do

Provide horses with regular turnout — even a few hours daily significantly improves welfare
Consider a track system for metabolically at-risk horses to allow movement while restricting rich grass
Implement rotational grazing to improve grass quality and reduce parasite burden
Test pasture grass sugar content in spring and autumn when it is highest