Browsing - An Overlooked Aspect of Feeding Management in Horses?

Abstract

Domesticated horses are routinely maintained in conditions with restricted access to forages, which contrasts with free-roaming horses that spend up to 17 h/day grazing and browsing. Horses evolved primarily as grazing herbivores typically consuming an estimated graze-to-browse ratio of 9:1. However, in some situations horses have been observed to consume a diet of up to 50% of browse (trees, shrubs and forbs), depending on the feed availability. We postulate that limiting foraging behaviour may have negative impacts on digestive health and animal welfare of confined horses.