Which Grazing System is Better for Your Horse’s Health?

by Jon Scaccia October 18, 2024

As a horse owner, you want the best for your animal—especially when it comes to managing their weight and ensuring their overall well-being. In recent years, equine obesity has become a growing concern, with nearly 40% of leisure horses classified as obese. This isn’t just an aesthetic issue—obesity in horses is linked to serious conditions like Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and laminitis, which can drastically affect a horse’s health and lifespan.

But what’s the best way to help your horse shed those extra pounds while keeping their mental and physical health in balance? A recent study explored two commonly used grazing systems—track and strip grazing—to see which better supports horse welfare and encourages healthy behaviors.

What Are Track and Strip Grazing Systems?

Before we dive into the results, let’s break down the two grazing systems studied:

• Strip Grazing: This method involves limiting the area your horse can graze by sectioning off a strip of land. Over time, you move the fencing to gradually allow access to new grass. It’s widely used by horse owners to control weight gain by restricting how much grass their horse can eat.
• Track Grazing: In this system, a narrow path or “track” is set up around the perimeter of a field, encouraging horses to move more as they graze. The idea is that horses will walk farther to reach their food, promoting natural behaviors and increasing physical activity.

Why Does This Matter?

Horses are natural grazers and roamers, spending up to two-thirds of their day grazing in the wild. Restricting their access to pasture, whether through strip or track grazing, can impact their natural behaviors. Prolonged restrictions can lead to frustration, increased aggression, and even harmful habits like overeating once food becomes available.

This study was conducted to understand whether the track or strip system best supports horses’ welfare, both physically and mentally. The results might surprise you!

The Findings: More Movement, Less Stress with Track Grazing

The research revealed that horses on the track grazing system experienced significant benefits compared to those on the strip system. Here’s what the researchers found:

• Increased Movement: Horses on the track system moved significantly more than those on the strip system. On average, horses in the track system traveled 7,013 meters per day, while those in the strip system moved only 5,331 meters. This increase in movement is essential for burning calories and promoting weight loss in obese horses.
• Reduced Aggression: The track system also resulted in fewer aggressive interactions between horses. This could be because the track system provides more space and encourages horses to spread out, reducing competition over resources like grass and water. In contrast, the strip system’s limited space led to higher levels of aggressive behavior, possibly due to the close proximity of horses fighting for the same small patches of grass.
• Improved Welfare: The horses in the track system displayed more positive social behaviors, like grooming each other, and engaged in fewer harmful activities like crib biting, a stereotypic behavior often linked to stress. This suggests that the track system may offer a more enriching and less stressful environment for horses.

What About Weight Loss?

Interestingly, the study didn’t show significant changes in the horses’ body weight or condition scores during the short 4-week period. This might be because weight loss in horses typically takes longer to achieve, especially when they still have access to grass. However, increasing movement through the track system likely supports long-term weight management.

Why Should You Consider the Track System?

So why does this all matter? Horses are not just passive eaters; they are highly active animals that need physical movement to stay healthy, much like humans. Restricting their ability to roam can lead to both physical and mental issues, from obesity to aggression. The track system, by encouraging more movement, seems to help horses maintain healthier habits without the negative side effects often seen in more restrictive environments like strip grazing.

For horse owners, this research highlights the importance of balancing weight management with the animal’s welfare. While it may be tempting to limit your horse’s grazing area through strip grazing, this study suggests that encouraging natural movement through track grazing could lead to happier, healthier horses in the long run.

Practical Takeaways for Horse Owners

If you’re struggling with managing your horse’s weight, here are a few practical steps you can take based on the findings of this study:

1. Set Up a Track System: Create a track around the perimeter of your pasture to encourage more movement. This not only promotes exercise but also mimics the horse’s natural roaming behavior.
2. Monitor Aggression Levels: If you notice your horses becoming more aggressive when grazing in restricted areas, it might be a sign that they’re feeling stressed due to lack of space. Consider switching to a track system to reduce competition over food.
3. Be Patient with Weight Loss: Significant weight loss in horses takes time, especially if they still have access to grass. The key is consistency. By increasing your horse’s movement through track grazing, you can gradually support healthy weight loss.
4. Observe Your Horse’s Behavior: Pay attention to any signs of stress or frustration, like crib biting or excessive aggression. These behaviors might indicate that your current grazing system is negatively impacting your horse’s welfare.

Join the Conversation

What do you think of the track system for managing your horse’s weight? Have you tried it, or do you currently use strip grazing? Share your experiences in the comments below or join the conversation on social media using #HealthyHorses