Most of us these days are hopefully aware that horses SHOULD NOT be confined to small spaces. They need room to move.
We’ve probably all heard “they move 20kms per day going to and from grazing and water”
What we may not have heard, and it is equally, if not MORE important, is how far horses move WHILST grazing. How far and HOW they move WHILE taking mouthfuls and chewing, which they do for 12 – 16 hrs per day.
When horses graze they place one foreleg forward, then do a sequence of ‘bite off grass, chew, move head, bite off grass, chew, repeat’ around the extended foreleg, then raise head, progress opposite foreleg, repeat above sequence around new leading leg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ObrV64MgAo to watch a (better) video explanation
Preliminary findings of Lucy Rees/ Christina Salvany documented some 30 foreleg progressions per minute. When distance the foreleg moved was calculated, the figure came up to a possible 30km per day, with head down, stretched back and topline, grazing.
Grazing posture IS significantly important. It is how horses have evolved to eat after all - WITH HEAD LOWERED AND NECK AND BACK AND TOPLINE STRETCHED.
Consider the way humans often feed horses. Stationary piles. Small yards or stables. Chest height feed tins. Feeding regime where the food lasts for little more than 6hrs per day.
Lets look at the postural aspect of this behaviour alone -
Two separate studies on travel sickness pneumonia showed horses displaying early respiratory symptoms from having their heads tied at chest height, as per travel in a horse truck (yet with no travel involved) This is the SAME position as chest height horse feeders.
Respiratory symptoms developing from being unable to stretch topline and lower head to natural grazing position.
Add some feed based dust and pollen to the mix if you dare….
We know confinement and hence prevention of the execution of normal behaviour can cause stereotypies and stress.
Ulcers, colic, choke, and respiratory compromise amongst other things should also be factored in.
We need to stop normalising incorrect and unsafe horse keeping, for our horses emotional AND physical welfare.
What else is happening that we are unaware of with this posturally changed grazing sequence?
Written By Vicki Conroy of the PPGA Equine Sub-Committee
