Is “Natural” Better for Our Horses?

also increases. Horses gain weight and body condition in the spring when forage is plentiful and lose it again in the late summer and in winter when feed options are limited. 
What is Natural Feeding Behaviour for a Horse?
Natural feeding behaviour for horses means consistent periods of grazing andor browsing with periods of rest or flight in between. Research has shown that horses have eating periods of two to four hours in length interspersed with rest periods of about the same length. In the wild the forage they eat could range from abundant and nutritious in the spring to sparse and of low quality during periods of drought or in winter. Feeding behaviour changes according to quality and quantity of forage. Poor quality feed dictates increased intake as well as a higher rateofpassage. The horses large fermentative hindgut accommodates the adaption to forage conditions well. Better quality forage results in lower intake and a slower rateofpassage. Feeding periods are controlled by hormones released by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
Comparing Wild and Stabled Horses
Horses in the wild gained weight during periods of abundant feed and this helped them to survive the periods of poor forage. The high energy intake of spring forage allowed lactating mares both to support their foals at foot and to readily become pregnant again for next year. The feed intake of horses dropped during periods of abundant feed. That was natural. Unfortunately if we try to mimic natural feed behaviour now in our stabled domesticated horses by allowing free choice feeding assuming they will selfregulate there are several reasons why we could actually be putting their health at risk.
My Horse is an Eating Machine!
Too often our stabled horses are victims of boredom and will eat as a pastime rather than as a need for nutrients. The natural regulation of feed intake is not always well expressed in domesticated horses and we see them get fat despite our best efforts to prevent it. When our horses eat to relieve boredom it isnt natural anymore and they must be managed to help them adapt to their domesticated circumstances. Management practices such as this are not unnatural they are good husbandry. 
Native forage species did not adapt well to the rigours of grazing and thus humans introduced forage species that would. Over the years modern forage species have been selected by forage specialists to be tolerant to stresses such