08/18/2022
Do you know the importance of a quality pasture for your horse to graze vs a stalled horse? Here are 4 reasons why.
1) Physical Health. Just like us, horses need their exercise. In fact, they are designed for near-constant movement as they graze. The freedom to roam about the pasture helps maintain healthy muscle tone and flexibility, joint health, and circulation.
2) Dental Health. Horses are designed to eat mainly forage with their heads lowered to the ground. This promotes an even grinding down of the top and bottom teeth. In conjunction with yearly floats, grazing can help keep a horses teeth in overall good shape.
3) Digestive Health. The stomach of a horse empties within about 20 minutes. Therefore, horses need constant, small amounts of forage (grass or hay) over a 24 hour period. Grazing allows the horse to fulfill its natural eating behavior and can help prevent colic, which can often be attributed to a build-up of acid in the stomach for horses that do not get enough forage.
4) Social/Mental Health. Horses need companionship, and are ideally turned out with at least one other horse. The freedom to move around the pasture allows them to engage in natural play behaviors, mutual grooming, and self-grooming (such as rolling around). Regular turnout also provides a natural outlet for energy and can help reduce hyperactivity in "hot" horses.
We all love our horses as family and want then to be happy, healthy, and safe. Here at Bunchlife Stables we strive to make sure your horse has the best life possible.
Contact us today to set up a tour of our facility!