Making tracks

WITH equine obesity at alarming levels in the UK, managing weight is becoming an important part of everyday horse care. Traditionally, weight management is achieved through stabling, muzzle use, increased exercise or the use of “starvation paddocks”, but some owners are seeking methods which do not restrict their horses’ access to the “three Fs”: friends, forage and freedom.

A survey of UK owners conducted last summer explored the use of alternative grazing systems, not just for keeping weight under control but also for reasons such as the management of arthritis and behavioural issues related to stress. Each option aimed to provide enriched turnout areas, where horses can live in groups and access