15/07/2026
Are horses really as fragile as we've been taught to believe?
Horse care and stable management in the UK has largely been built around the idea that horses are delicate animals. We almost expect diseases such as laminitis, navicular syndrome and colic, while tendon injuries, abscesses, cuts and bruises are often considered an inevitable part of horse ownership.
As a result, much of our education focuses on routines and rules designed to keep horses safe.
But what if the problem isn't the horse?
What if it's the way we've been feeding and managing them?
Horses evolved in arid environments. Contrary to popular belief, a desert isn't defined by high temperatures—it's defined by low annual rainfall. Those dry conditions produced forage that was naturally high in fibre and low in sugar, meaning horses evolved to consume large quantities of relatively low-calorie forage while moving almost constantly in search of it.
For decades we've been sold feeds and forage based on their "nutritional value", often marketed with the promise that we can feed less. It sounds like a money-saving shortcut, but in many cases we end up paying the difference in veterinary bills, while our horses pay with their health.
Thankfully, there is a growing movement towards more natural horse management. Barefoot horses, track systems, herd living and unrestricted access to clean, dust-free, low-sugar, low-starch, high-fibre hay are becoming increasingly recognised as ways to support long-term health.
In reality, we should be feeding more, not less.
The more appropriate forage a horse consumes, the more fibre reaches the hindgut, supporting the billions of beneficial microbes that play a vital role in digestion, immunity and overall health. A plentiful supply of suitable forage also increases the intake of naturally occurring trace minerals.
Horses raised in stable social herds have their play and social needs fulfilled from an early age. They learn communication, boundaries and body awareness, often growing into calmer, better-balanced adults that are less likely to injure themselves or others.
Movement matters too.
Young horses should ideally cover around six miles each day. That continual low-level movement is essential for developing strong digital cushions and lateral cartilages within the hoof—structures that protect the foot throughout adulthood. While mature horses can still improve their hoof health, it's much harder to fully develop these structures if they weren't allowed to form during growth.
Now, before anyone says, "My horse can't live on a track system," or "My horse needs shoes," or "My horse can't exercise that much because of a medical condition"—I'm talking about prevention, not criticism.
Every horse is an individual, and if your vet has recommended a particular management plan, that's absolutely the right course to follow. None of us can change the past, but we can always work towards management practices that better reflect what horses evolved to thrive on.
You may also know a horse that lives in a stable most of the year, wears shoes, eats haylage and cereals, and appears perfectly healthy.
And that's possible.
But many health problems develop silently over years before they become obvious. Just because the consequences haven't appeared yet doesn't necessarily mean the management is optimal. Prevention is always easier than treatment, and our goal should be to create environments that allow horses to thrive—not simply survive.
Can you see how crazy that sounds? We wouldn't encourage people to wait until they developed heart disease before improving their diet, or to wait until they got lung cancer before giving up smoking. Surely prevention is better than cure?
There are a growing number of livery yards now providing environments that more closely meet horses' natural needs. They're well worth considering—especially while your horse is still young, healthy and able to benefit most from preventative management rather than rehabilitative care.
