Horses evolved to graze almost continuously. Management systems that restrict grazing time and meal frequency cause both physical health problems and behavioral welfare compromise.
Equine feeding management is a profound welfare issue that affects the majority of domestically managed horses. The traditional model of twice-daily concentrated feeds in a stable is almost diametrically opposed to the continuous, mobile foraging for which horses are physiologically and behaviorally adapted. The consequences — gastric ulcers, stereotypic behaviors like crib-biting, and significant frustration — are predictable and preventable. Access to forage for the vast majority of the day, combined with slow-feeder technology to extend the time spent consuming it, is one of the most important welfare improvements available to horse owners. This principle applies to horses in work as much as those at rest.