Pasture access is one of the most significant welfare determinants for horses, providing exercise, social interaction, natural foraging, and mental stimulation that stable housing cannot replicate.
Pasture access is not a luxury for horses — it is a fundamental welfare need. Horses evolved to move continuously through varied terrain, and stable confinement — even in large, well-bedded stalls — cannot substitute for the physical and psychological benefits of turnout. Horses deprived of regular pasture access develop gastric ulcers, stereotypies, and behavioral problems at far higher rates than those with daily turnout. Managing laminitis risk through strip grazing, restricted turnout hours, or dry lot alternatives allows horses with metabolic vulnerabilities to still benefit from outdoor access, movement, and natural behaviors.