Adaption of horses to a novel dynamic feeding system: movement and behavioural responses.
Authors: Hampson B A, de Laat M A, Monot J, Bailliu D, Pollitt C C
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Sedentary confinement and infrequent high-energy feeding regimens predispose domestic horses to obesity and associated metabolic disorders, prompting investigation into whether a dynamic feeding system could reverse these patterns. Hampson and colleagues developed a novel automated hay feeder requiring horses to work for access to ad libitum forage, then tracked ten horses across matched pairs using GPS monitoring and behavioural observation in a crossover design comparing the experimental system against conventional stationary feeders. Within one hour of minimal human introduction, all horses mastered the novel feeder, though some pairs exhibited dominance-related aggression during initial use. During standardised four-hour observation periods, horses in the experimental paddock travelled a median distance of 630 metres compared with just 117 metres at the control feeder—a statistically significant increase (P = 0.002) in locomotor activity. The findings demonstrate that dynamic feeding systems can substantially increase voluntary exercise in paddock-kept horses, offering a practical management tool for mitigating the metabolic and musculoskeletal consequences of confinement without requiring operator input; farriers, veterinarians and nutritionists might consider recommending such systems for clients managing horses in limited space, particularly those at risk of obesity-related pathology.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Dynamic feeders can be implemented successfully in small paddock systems to increase exercise and reduce obesity-related health problems without ongoing human intervention
- •Careful horse pairing is important when introducing dynamic feeders, as dominance mismatches may lead to aggression and unequal access to feed
- •This system encourages natural feeding patterns and ad libitum hay access while promoting 5-6 times more movement than static feeders
Key Findings
- •All horses learned to use the novel dynamic feeder within 1 hour with initial human intervention
- •Horses walked a median of 630 m in the experimental paddock versus 117 m in the control paddock over 4 hours (P = 0.002)
- •Some aggressive behaviour was observed between horses with mismatched dominance hierarchies
- •Dynamic feeding systems significantly increase activity levels in horses confined to small paddocks