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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. |
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