Horses evolved to graze for 16 hours a day. Restricted feeding patterns common in domestic settings create significant digestive and behavioral welfare problems.
The standard practice of feeding horses two or three meals of concentrated feed daily creates serious digestive welfare issues. Horses need near-constant forage to buffer gastric acid, maintain gut motility, and satisfy behavioral feeding drives. Restricted grazing also deprives horses of natural foraging behavior — a major source of enrichment. Hay nets with small holes, slow feeders, and track systems that encourage movement while providing continuous forage access represent meaningful welfare improvements. High-sugar feeds and sudden dietary changes increase colic risk, a leading cause of suffering and death in domestic horses.