A new study published in the Equine Veterinary Journal has taken a closer look at how two different grazing setups—strip grazing and track systems—can affect the behaviour and wellbeing of ponies.
As horse and pony obesity becomes more common, many owners turn to grazing restriction to help manage weight. But how does limiting pasture access impact the horses themselves? This study set out to find out more.
Why the Study Was Done
Helping horses maintain a healthy weight is an important part of good care. One common approach is to limit access to grass, especially in spring and summer. However, there’s not much research on how this type of management affects the welfare or behaviour of the horse.
This study looked at how two popular methods—strip grazing (where a horse is given a small section of grass at a time) and a track system (where horses move along a narrow path around a paddock)—influence what horses do and how they interact with each other.
What the Researchers Wanted to Know
The goal was to see whether one grazing method had more positive or negative effects on:
- How much horses moved
- How they behaved throughout the day
- How often they showed conflict behaviours (e.g. pinning ears or chasing each other)
- Basic health measures like weight and body condition
How the Study Was Done
- The study involved four groups of ponies, living outside full-time.
- Each group tried both grazing systems for four weeks, one after the other.
- The order was randomised so no group always started with the same system.
Researchers tracked:
- The ponies’ behaviour 24/7 using video cameras
- Their weight and body condition each week
- How much they moved each day
- How often they showed signs of conflict or stress with each other
What the Study Found
- Ponies on the track system moved more, both in time spent walking and in the total distance they travelled each day.
- They spent around 3.2% of their day moving on the track, compared to 2.0% on strip grazing.
- They travelled over 7km per day on the track, versus just over 5km on strip grazing.
- Ponies on the track system also showed fewer aggressive or competitive behaviours towards each other (like chasing, biting, or threats).
- These behaviours happened less often on the track system than on strip grazing.
What the Study Couldn’t Tell Us
The ponies were only on each system for four weeks, which is quite a short period. We don’t know what might happen over longer periods of time, or with different types of horses or weather conditions.
What the Study Concluded
Ponies using strip grazing moved less and showed more signs of social tension, even though the area of pasture and amount of grass available was the same in both systems. Researchers suggest that ponies may have felt more crowded or competitive in the strip grazing setup.
Overall, the track system may offer both physical and mental welfare benefits, but more research is needed to understand the long-term effects.
You can read the full study here
