Grass, Hay, Herd and Turnout: The Simple Formula for a Happier Horse

Horses are built for a very different lifestyle than the one many of them live today. Long before rugs, stables, and feed rooms, the horse evolved as a roaming grazer: moving steadily, eating little and often, staying close to a herd, and choosing where to stand, walk, rest, and run. When we think about what a horse “needs,” it can help to simplify things into three big pillars: Feed First, Social Needs, and Daily Movement. Get these right and you’ll often see improvements in weight stability, gut health, soundness, behaviour, and overall attitude.

1) Feed First: grass and hay as the foundation

If there’s one non-negotiable for horses, it’s forage. Horses are trickle feeders designed to eat for most of the day. Their stomach is small and produces acid continually, whether there’s food in it or not. That means long gaps without fibre can contribute to discomfort, ulcers, irritability, and “stable vices” like weaving or cribbing.

Why “Feed First” matters so much

• Gut health: Fibre fuels the hindgut microbes that help the horse extract energy safely. Sudden changes or low-fibre diets can disrupt this system and increase the risk of colic.

• Mental wellbeing: Chewing and grazing behaviours are calming and occupy time. A horse with enough fibre is often a horse with fewer behavioural issues.

• Body condition and metabolism: Forage provides steady energy. For horses that gain weight easily, the goal is still plenty of fibre, but managed carefully (more on that below).

Grass: wonderful, but needs managing

Pasture is nature’s feeding station, but it’s not always “free and safe.” Grass sugars (particularly fructans) can spike with certain conditions: cool nights followed by sunny days, rapid growth periods, or stressed pasture. For some horses, especially easy keepers or those prone to laminitis, unrestricted access to rich pasture can be risky.

Practical pasture tips:

• Match turnout to the horse: Some horses thrive on full-time pasture; others do better with restricted grazing windows.

• Use tools, not starvation: Grazing muzzles, strip grazing, and track systems can reduce intake while still allowing movement and social time.

• Keep pasture quality in mind: Overgrazed paddocks can lead to sand ingestion and limited fibre availability; lush “improved” pasture can be very calorie-dense.

Hay: the reliable backbone

Good hay is often the most consistent way to meet a horse’s fibre needs, particularly when pasture is limited or seasonal. Ideally, hay should be clean, free of mould and dust, and appropriate for your horse’s condition and workload.

General forage targets (a helpful starting point):

• Many horses do well with 1.5–2% of bodyweight per day in forage (dry matter).

• Easy keepers may need the lower end of the range, but still benefit from frequent access—meaning you manage how they eat, not whether they eat.

Ways to keep fibre available longer:

• Slow feeders / hay nets to extend eating time and reduce boredom.

• Multiple feeding points to encourage movement and reduce guarding behaviour in groups.

• Soaking hay (when appropriate) to reduce sugars for some horses—balanced against practicalities and weather.

Bottom line: Put “Feed First” into practice by aiming for steady, near-constant access to fibre, adjusted to your horse’s metabolism. A horse that can graze or nibble throughout the day is closer to living as its body was designed to live.

2) Social Needs: access to other horses

Horses are herd animals. Social contact isn’t a luxury—it’s a core welfare need. In the wild, the herd provides safety, comfort, and a constant stream of communication. Even the most “independent” horse benefits from companionship.

What “Social Needs” really means

Ideally, horses should have:

• Regular social interaction with other horses.

• Physical contact where safe—mutual grooming and close standing are natural behaviours.

• Stable group dynamics (as much as possible). Constantly changing paddock mates can increase stress.

When horses lack social contact, we often see:

• Anxiety (calling, pacing, fence-walking)

• Increased spookiness or tension under saddle

• Over-attachment to humans or a single horse (separation distress)

• Stereotypic behaviours (weaving, cribbing) in some cases

If full herd turnout isn’t possible

Not every property or horse can manage group turnout safely—some horses are bullies, some are fragile, and some need controlled feeding. But there are still ways to meet “Social Needs”:

• Paddocks with shared fences so horses can see and touch noses.

• Buddy systems with a calm companion.

• Careful group selection based on temperament, size, and resource guarding habits.

• Plenty of space and multiple hay stations to reduce conflict.

Even “next door” turnout is better than total isolation. A horse that can see, smell, and interact with another horse is generally more settled and confident.

3) Daily Movement: turnout, exercise, and choice

Daily Movement is about more than simply being “outside.” It’s the ability to move, express natural behaviours, and have some choice in daily life. Horses are designed to walk many kilometres a day, mostly at a relaxed pace, stopping to graze, drink, and rest.

Turnout: the cornerstone of Daily Movement

More turnout usually means:

• Better joint and soft tissue health through gentle, consistent movement

• Improved gut motility (movement supports digestion)

• Reduced stiffness and “freshness” under saddle

• Better mental wellbeing—less pent-up energy and frustration

A horse stabled for long hours can still be healthy, but it becomes more important to intentionally provide movement and enrichment. Lack of movement often shows up as explosive behaviour, difficulty settling, or general tension.

Exercise: not just for performance horses

Structured exercise (riding, lunging, long-reining, in-hand work) complements turnout but doesn’t replace it. A one-hour ride can’t fully mimic a day of roaming, grazing, and interacting. Ideally, horses get both:

• Daily low-intensity movement (turnout/track)

• Appropriate training sessions (fit for age, soundness, and workload)

Choice and enrichment

Daily Movement also means giving the horse options:

• Shelter from sun, wind, and rain

• Access to clean water in more than one location (for groups)

• Space to move away from pressure (dominant herd mates, flies, noise)

• Multiple feeding sites so they can “browse” rather than stand in one spot

Simple enrichment ideas:

• Place hay in several piles or stations to encourage walking.

• Use paddock “tracks” to promote movement.

• Provide safe scratching posts or varied terrain (where possible).

Bringing it together: a practical checklist

When you look at your horse’s routine, ask:

• Feed First: Does my horse have fibre available most of the day (grass and/or hay)? If intake needs controlling, am I using slow feeding strategies rather than long gaps?

• Social Needs: Does my horse have daily access to other horses—ideally with safe interaction and stable social contact?

• Daily Movement: Does my horse get enough turnout and movement? Do they have room to walk, rest, roll, and choose where to be?

You don’t need a perfect setup to make meaningful improvements. Sometimes the biggest welfare wins are surprisingly simple: add another hay station, increase turnout by a few hours, introduce a compatible paddock buddy, or swap to a slow feeder so the horse can eat for longer.

Horses thrive when life looks a bit more like what nature intended: Feed First, Social Needs, and Daily Movement.