Pasture living can be better than stall living!
Here’s why outdoor living in a paddock, pasture, dry lot, or other space other than a stall can be better:
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- Your horse has room to roam. This can help with stocking up, preventing boredom, and mimicking his natural inclinations to be on the move most of the day. This room to roam is also more room to roll, which is great for auto chiropractics, fly control, and a lovely grooming challenge.
- Your horse may have closer access to buddies, which also supports his herd mentalities.
Muzzles, like this one from Greenguard Equine, can help the laminitis-prone horse enjoy some pasture.
- Your horse will typically not develop vices, such as cribbing and weaving when living in a pasture environment. This does not mean that a cribber who lives in a stall will cease this behavior when turned out, but he may not crib as much.
- The air quality is usually much better outside than in a stall! You also rarely need to worry about ammonia smells piling up, although you will be hoofing it further to pick up manure and feed hay in a pasture or paddock.
- You have the opportunity to increase the amount of time your horse spends eating small amounts. Again, this mimics your horse’s “natural ways”. If you have actual grass pasture, this is great to keep your horse nibbling. The many variations of slow feeders are also easily used in paddocks just in case you don’t have much grass.
Ah…rolling hills of grass and horses!
OF COURSE, there are downsides to pasture life!
- You may be trucking hay and wheelbarrows and manure forks over longer distances. This eats time as you build muscle. A tradeoff?
- And remember that not all horses can tolerate grass. Know if your horse is metabolically challenged. Know if his hooves need supplements from being on the hard or soft ground.
- Have a plan for wicked horrible weather. Snow and cold can be fine, ice is NOT fine. At all.
- Do you have enough land to rotate pastures and rest them?
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Basket-style grazing muzzle to help keep a horse at a healthy weight and help reduce the risks of colic and laminitis in some horses.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for savings sitewide on muzzles, halters, slow feeders, and more.
Help your horse have the best-fitting grazing muzzle.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for a site-wide discount on halters, muzzles, slow feeders, and accessories.
I can't stress this enough - this magic stick has prevented so many rubs from worsening, and is great for breaking in a new pair of riding boots or shoes.
Only the best *affordable* squish for your horse's cute face.
These grazing muzzle halters have adjustable throat latches and extra strapping to help prevent removal.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for a sitewide discount on muzzles, halters, accessories, and slow feeders.
These fly masks are fantastic for protecting ears and eyes, and do great under halters and grazing muzzles to stop rubs and hairless patches.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for a sitewide discount on muzzles, halters, accessories, and slow feeders.
No more ammonia stink!
Horse snacks on a rope
Squish things then lift them.
You can never have too many toys
What's better than one rubber bucket? Two.
Keep your horse's water and noms warm this winter.
This is the best broom for getting every last bit of shavings out of the barn aisle.
Classy and practical stall guard, custom made for you!
Let your horse have the best view with this spiffy stall guard!
No escaping, please.
One side of this innovative slow feeder is solid - perfect for pastures! It will hold a small bale of hay.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for sitewide savings on slow feeders and more.
2 sizes of this slow-feeding hanging hay toy - snack size holds a few flakes, and the half size holds 1/2 bale. There's also an XL that ground feeds.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for sitewide savings on slow feeders and more.
Nothing says posh like a manure fork that holds more.
This is the only latch that no horse can figure out. Unless your horse is a wizard.
You will be amazed at what the ground will throw at ya.
Help reduce mud in high traffic areas - like gates!
Thank you!