Keeping Horses on Full Time Pasture- the Pros & Cons!

It’s that time of year again, the grass is growing and the days are warming up, real soon the pasture will be ready for our horses. I know that my horses are ready to trade their dusty hay for the luscious grass. However, this time of year also causes me to evaluate my horse’s feeding schedule and routine. Which is a good thing, it’s important to analyze your horse’s routine regularly, to make sure that your horse has all his needs met. I keep my horses on full time pasture, but recently I have begun to investigate and consider this form of care for my horses. I began to wonder, “Is this the best option for my horses?” Have you ever wondered this? 

I have no experience with keeping a horse in a stall, as I don’t have a barn. I have always wondered what it would be like to have a horse stable, and have dreams of a barn for my horses one day. This spring, as I take the time to evaluate each horse’s physical and medical needs and make their summer feeding schedules I began to wonder, “If I had a horse barn, would I keep my horses in it? If so, how would their routine be different from how it is now?” My imagination brought me to the disputable question many equestrians face: stall vs. pasture.

After lots of researching, I began to see that keeping horses in a stall is more of a human thing. It was created by humans as a way to keep horse’s readily available in a confined space, keeping them clean and ready for whenever they are needed. This is why I think so many people keep their horses in stalls: convenience. Which is super nice, but is this what’s best for the horse?    

Staying in a confined area can have effects on your horse’s respiratory health, dust and lack of air movement can result in equine’s getting COPD or inflammatory airway disease (IAD) if the stable doesn’t have efficient air ventilation. Being immobile for extended periods of time can affect a horse’s joints and bones as well. Research suggests that horses need turnout, they need sunshine, fresh air, and exercise. “Being outside helps them stay happy and healthy,” says Karyn Malinowski, PhD, founding director of  Rutgers Equine Science Center in New Jersey and professor of animal sciences.  

While keeping a horse on pasture is good for his health and mental wellness, there are some cons to keeping a horse outside. It’s hard for horses to maintain a good physical appearance, hoof health, and coat condition when staying in the pasture 24/7. Pastured horses are prone to wild behavior and can become hard to catch if they are left on their own for too long. When your horse doesn’t require daily attention or feeding, they can get neglected as well. I think we can take something away from how Camie Heleski, senior lecturer with Kentucky’s Equine Science and Management Program, used a routine that benefited her and her horses. She had her horses on a 12 hour schedule: 12 hours in the pasture, the other 12 in box stalls. “During winter, they stayed in at night and in the warm months they stayed in during the day,” she said. This gave her equines plenty of time to exercise and get fresh air, while at the same time keeping them in check. The horses could still get individual feedings, where supplements or medicine could be given, and having to walk the horses between stall and pasture meant they were being checked on twice a day. Leading the horse in gave time for each horse to be inspected, kinda like a quick health inspection. *This is important as we all know horses are injury prone and soooo love to get bumps and bruises!* 

Seeing the benefits of this routine, I have seriously taken it into consideration for some of my horses, especially the ones who add on lots of weight in the summer. I don’t always get the chance to exercise them like I should, and they really don’t need to be eating luscious, high calorie grass all day. I don’t have a barn, but I do have a sacrifice paddock that the horses could stay in (with minimal hay) part of the time. Night turnout would also be convenient if you want to turn your horse out but want them readily available during the day. 

Either way, my horses will be in the pasture, so I think it’s imperative to note that part of keeping a horse in the pasture is keeping the pasture. Keeping your horse out is super beneficial as long as your pasture is well taken care of. 

What good Pasture has: 

• Grass mix, few weeds or poisonous plants 
• Good fencing 
• No dumps or farm equipment (for horse to get injured on)
• Easy access to constantly available water (no marshes/bogs or stagnant water) 
• Shelter: trees, shed, windbreak 
• Free choice minerals/salt

All these things are vital for the health and well being of your equine and some of the above should be checked daily- water, grass supply, minerals.

We love our horses and want what’s best for them. Turning out your horse might mean some lost shoes or a tangled mane, but it also results in a happy and healthy horse. So this spring, I am taking the time to evaluate each horse and his individual needs. I have many horses, with different medical and physical conditions, and each horse’s health requires its own routine. Some require getting feed specific feed twice a day, others once, and some none. I have to get Penny medicine, keep a close eye on Chestnut’s shoes, and check up on Spartacus’s lame front feet, while my other horse’s, Phoenix, Max, and Holly, are healthy and happy out there in the field,*also dirty, probably really dirty.* I encourage you to evaluate your horse’s routine too, and see if you can help your equine out a bit. Do they need more turn out? Or maybe their round belly suggests less green grass? Give new routines a chance and try new things! *Let me if you do!*

Tails & trails, 

Reese 

Want to dig deeper? Check out these sources I used!

https://thehorse.com/121297/consequences-of-stall-confinement/

https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/health-archive/stall-vs-pasture

Cherry Hill, Horse Keeping on Small a Acreage, Storey Publishing 2005- this book is a super great resource for any horse owner!!