Evidence-based horse feeding practices address the strong foraging motivation of horses while managing metabolic health, with ad libitum forage as the cornerstone of welfare-positive nutrition.
Horse feeding welfare begins with understanding that horses are fundamentally adapted for continuous forage intake. Any management system that creates significant periods without forage compromises gastric health and fails to meet foraging behavioural needs. Ad libitum forage provision is the welfare baseline from which metabolic management should be managed.