The best grazing muzzles can be a highly beneficial tool for managing good-doers. They can be worn by all types of horses and, if used correctly, they can really help to reduce your horse’s grazing intake if you need to help your horse lose weight in order to prevent obesity and laminitis.

There are a variety of grazing muzzle styles available – some muzzles are attached directly to a field-safe headcollar, while others are all-inclusive and come as one piece. Finding a muzzle that works for your horse can make a real difference, so we’ve rounded up the options available and put some to the test.

Best grazing muzzles: H&H’s quick guide

Best grazing muzzle: LeMieux Noma grazing muzzle

Best grazing muzzle for big horses: Thinline Flexible Filly grazing muzzle

Best grazing muzzle tiny ponies: Best Friend Deluxe grazing muzzle

Best grazing muzzles: what are your options?

This muzzle has an adjustable leather headpiece, soft webbing straps and a leadrope ring. The Ultimate Muzzle has been made higher at the front to prevent the horse from removing it. It has large nostril holes for ease of breathing, and a rubber base with one rectangular grazing hole.

Why do horses wear grazing muzzles?

Grazing muzzles are used to restrict grass intake, while allowing your horse to benefit from turnout. They are usually used in conjunction with other measures, such as strip grazing, as part of a weight loss or maintenance plan to protect against equine obesity and other associated problems, such as laminitis. They do not prevent a horse from eating.

How long should a horse wear a grazing muzzle?

Grazing muzzles should not be left on 24/7. It’s not recommended that they’re worn for more than 10–12 hours each day, but it’s important to remember that during muzzle-free hours your horse’s grazing or access to forage should be restricted to avoid compensatory eating.

Do grazing muzzles work?

Research studies have found that grazing muzzles can reduce grass intake significantly – one study found a 79% reduction over a three hour period. Another study that looked at muzzle use over 10 hours, combined with 14 hours of un-muzzled turnout, and found that weight gain was reduced over a three-week period in most ponies.

Other scientists in Minnesota studied four horses grazing in four separate paddocks, each planted with a single grass species. The study, published in 2014, found there was no difference in the quantities of each grass species that the horses could consume through the muzzle. Wearing the muzzle reduced the horses’ dry matter intake by an average of about 30%.

How to introduce a grazing muzzle

It’s important to introduce a grazing muzzle slowly and to make it a positive experience for your horse. How long it takes for your horse to be accustomed to it will depend on his temperament and prior handling experience.

The National Equine Welfare Council recommends the following steps…

• Begin by training your horse to accept the muzzle near his face and then around his nose. Reward relaxed and calm behaviour.
• When your horse is accepting, do the muzzle up, leave it on for a few moments and provide a low-calorie treat reward through the muzzle.
• Increase the amount of time your horse is wearing the muzzle from seconds to minutes. Graze your horse in-hand to encourage him to try eating with the muzzle on.
• Increase the supervised time that your horse wears the muzzle before turning him out with it on. Make sure he is grazing comfortably and is able to drink easily.

Tips for successfully using a grazing muzzle

• Take time to introduce your horse to the muzzle
• Ensure you’ve fitted the muzzle correctly – most come with fitting advice
• Fence off any potential hazards where the muzzle could become caught
• Monitor your horse’s weight weekly and conduct a body condition score assessment at least every 2–4 weeks
• Check for rubbing daily – common areas include on the poll, behind the ears, top of the muzzle, lips, cheek bones and under the chin
• Ensure your horse’s grazing is restricted when he is not wearing the muzzle to avoid compensatory eating. Common options include stabling or putting him in a bare paddock with soaked hay during this time
• Check that your horse can manage to eat the grass in his field – grazing that is too long or too short can be difficult to eat through a muzzle

How do you keep a grazing muzzle on?

Firstly, make sure your muzzle is fitted correctly. Too tight and your horse may experience discomfort and put more effort into getting it off, but too loose and it’ll be easy to get off. Some owners swear by plaiting the forelock around the headpiece to hold it on, while others loop it through the ear holes of a fly rug. Some horses are particularly efficient muzzle removers, so it might take a bit of trial and error but perseverance is key.

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The small yellow flowers are a common feature in many equine pastures, but are buttercups among the list of plants that are poisonous to horses? A spokesperson from the British Horse Society (BHS) explains the dangers and how owners can control them.

Toxicity

There are a variety of buttercups including Meadow, Creeping and Bulbous, which thrive on poor quality land, old meadows and grassland. Each variety is poisonous to varying degrees in its fresh state. However, due to its bitter taste, most horses will avoid eating buttercups and instead attempt to graze the grass around the plant.

Be aware that horses or ponies on overgrazed or restricted grazing may revert to consuming buttercups in place of no other forage being provided. If eaten in large quantities, toxicity can result in excessive salivation, diarrhoea or colic.

The toxin contained by buttercups can be an irritant to sensitive skin including the lips, muzzles and lower limbs. The toxin reaches its peak during the flowering period with the irritating effects further exacerbated in wet weather making showers a riskier period.

In its dried form, buttercups lose their bitterness and toxicity so pose no risk once wilted and included in hay.

Control

There are two main areas to focus on for controlling buttercups; the type of buttercup; and the timing of applying the herbicide. The timing and number of applications required will be influenced by the species involved. Harrowing can be effective at reducing creeping buttercups and small patches can be successfully dug out.

The Bulbous buttercup has a more complex root structure which contains a number of bulbils (like little balls) stacked one on top of another and this makes control more difficult as the applied herbicide may not move completely into each of the bulbils. Any that do not receive sufficient herbicide have the potential to re-grow.

The timing of the herbicide application is imperative. Herbicides must be applied as soon as active growth commences in the spring, but before the buttercups flower. The weeds must be dry when sprayed, and because the chemical can take some time to get safely inside the plant, ensure that no rain is forecast for 12 hours after application. It is also essential to avoid herbicide application during periods of frost. Applying the herbicide once flowering has commenced means that any herbicide application is likely to be unsuccessful.

Should the pre-flowering timing be missed, or if any buttercups survive the first herbicide application, September is another opportunity to target those plants. For all applications horses must be removed from the pasture before applying the herbicide and remain off the pasture for at least two weeks after the treatment. There are a number of herbicides currently available on the market for the use on buttercups with varying active ingredients. Some herbicides do require a licence for purchase and application so always seek expert advice from a qualified contractor and always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Management

Improving grass management and preventing overgrazing of pastures will be beneficial to increasing the grass sward and decrease the opportunity for buttercups to grow. Further information on pasture management is available from the BHS website.

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Rachel Fraser discovers the benefits of keeping horses on tracks and how to make changes to your set-up without breaking the bank

On a mission to help my horses reach — and stay at — a healthy weight, I came across the ‘Paddock Paradise’ or track system of keeping horses.

The (very) basic principle is to have a track — usually running around the perimeter of a field — with water, hay and supplements distributed at different points along it to ensure horses are motivated to keep moving.

Tracks can include a variety of surfaces, such as hardcore or woodchip, as well as obstacles, small logs for example, for horses to negotiate. Some tracks are entirely grass-free, but hay is usually provided ad-lib so the horse can learn to self-regulate its intake.

A wider area should also be provided along the track for the horses to gather, socialise and lie down.

How tracks can help equine weight loss

Track living has helped Charmaine Walker’s pony (pictured below) lose weight.

She explains: “It had been something I’d been experimenting with for a long time and a few months ago I was lucky enough to be offered my own yard to rent. The landowner is fantastic and was happy for me to have the track.

“I think attitudes towards tracks are changing and the system is gaining traction. It does take some time for those with more traditional set-ups to adjust, but honestly I have seen such a change with my two, I would be sad to go back to full paddock turnout.”

A livery yard using a track system

Lauren, who runs Graveney Equine as a track livery, explains how she came across this alternative horsey set-up: “I originally looked to a track system to help rehabilitate my horse’s hooves. She was only a youngster and had hoof cracks and seedy toe on all four feet when I took her on.

“I stumbled across the concept of barefoot trimming and the trimmer mentioned Paddock Paradise systems, we trialled it with my own horse. It took three months for her feet to be fully recovered and I had seen so many benefits to her temperament that I was so excited to see what else this set-up could achieve.

“We opened Graveney Equine in 2014 when we bought a house with its own land and setting up a track system as opposed to a generic paddock arrangement was a no brainer to me by this point.

“We now have a track of 1km that, after some extension work this summer, will be even longer. We currently have 15 horses but with demand being so high, our improvements will see us creating space for more.

“We have seen some incredible rehabilitation through this system. People often concentrate their focus on hoof health and weight loss but we have dealt with a couple of very challenging behavioural cases and a severe neglect case too.

“Our track system has thrived because it allows horses to be horses. Every time a horse is asked to live outside of its comfort zone of having ‘friends, forage and freedom’, we are putting stress on their system.

“To provide a much more species-appropriate way of living means that our horses can have their physiological and psychological needs met and stand much more chance of being fit mentally and physically.

“The other thing I love about these systems is that the sky is the limit. They develop, morph, adapt and grow as you experiment with what works and what needs improving. To be able to observe behaviour and use those observations to inform your future developments really ignites the perfectionist in me!”

How to set-up a track system without breaking the bank

Grass tracks are a good place to start — surfacing can be expensive or require planning and landowner permission, but a grass track can be set up relatively easily with temporary electric fencing.

Use what you have — if you have hedgerows with horse-friendly plants, incorporate these into your track to offer natural variety to your horse’s diet. Similarly, if your field has a shelter – natural or man-made – make sure your horse can access these on the track.

Obstacles — these can be a fun addition that needn’t cost the earth. If you have branches to cut-down, these can make log poles for your horse to walk or trot over — just make sure there’s a way around the edge if any members of the herd would struggle with polework.

Start small — as Lauren said, the possibilities for tracks to grow and develop over time are endless, so don’t worry about having the ‘perfect’ track from the word go — you can always add to it when you see what works well for your horses.

Do your research — for anyone interested in this alternative style of horse-keeping, ‘Paddock Paradise: A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding’ by Jaime Jackson is a must-read. There are also some very helpful track system groups on Facebook to swap suggestions and share advice with fellow ‘trackies’.

Further reading

You might also like:

Electric fencing for horses – everything you need for a temporary setup or strip-grazing

17 ways you can help your horse lose weight

Electric fence energisers for every setup

Best grazing muzzle options to help reduce your horse’s daily intake

The best ways to safely deal with ragwort

Are buttercups poisonous to horses? We ask the experts…

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More equestrians are considering how alternative grazing systems can have a positive impact on the environment, as well as their horses, research has shown.

A newly published study looking at the use of grazing methods, including tracks, the Equicentral System (a land management practice that focuses on sustainability and equine welfare) and woodland turnout, has revealed “promising insight” into owners’ behaviour and attitudes towards sustainability.

The online survey received 758 responses and aimed to look at different systems being used in the UK and for what reasons, for example for weight management, but “unexpected” results showed owners were also giving consideration to biodiversity, soil health and rewilding when using alternative grazing systems.

Responses included one participant who poo-picked daily, but used the muck to spread around the hedgerows and middle grazing of the track for dung beetles, and another who did not fertilise fields or reseed in order not to upset the equilibrium of the land.

Researcher Tamzin Furtado, of the University of Liverpool, told H&H the findings were “really exciting”.

“We discovered people are thinking much more broadly than just about their horses’ health, but how they can incorporate environmental principles as well,” she said.

“There was such diversity in what people were doing and there were definitely things we could all do more of, whether you are based at a livery yard or at home. From things like installing bird boxes, reducing the use of wormers or leaving logs in the corner of the field for insect life, they can all have an impact.”

Dr Furtado said she believes there has been a change in attitudes towards the environment, particularly since the COP26 summit in November, and more owners are looking at what they can do to help the environment.

“We’ve heard about how to make our gardens environmentally friendly and what farming can do to be more sustainable. But horse owners have such an exciting opportunity because we manage so much land between the whole horse-owning community,” she said, adding that there are hopes for future research on the topic.

“We would like to look at the differences in wildlife habitat, soil health and plant diversity in a range of places from livery yards to private yards and those with track systems, and compare how the land is managed.

“We would also like to talk to owners who have made a change to be more environmentally friendly and find out what made them do it and what changes they are seeing, so we can share those different strategies with other owners.”

One of the survey’s respondents, Hannah, set up a grass track for her horse and pony in Wales two years ago for weight management purposes.

“Our land was sort of rough grazing. There were a lot of nettles and brambles and really mature hedges, and I didn’t want to just get rid of all of that and have short grass everywhere,” she told H&H.

“With the track, the middle grows very long and I allow it to seed and we’ll get wild flowers. We get some kestrels and they can use this area for hunting when the horses aren’t on it. I think there’s a lot of wildlife there that wouldn’t be if we just kept it really short all the time. I also try to dig out any weeds so I’m not spraying them with chemicals, which keeps the nice wild flowers in the grass.”

Hannah, who is a biologist, said that managing her land not just for her horses, but for wildlife too, is important to her and she recommends grass tracks to others.

“I’m aware horses can damage the land and poach it, so we want to maximise the area we’ve got by using the track. Even if you need all the land for horses, you can always leave a small bit for wildlife, like keeping plants or hedges. Horses like picking at leaves and berries so it provides enrichment for them, too,” she said.

“When setting up a grass track, the greatest expense was the electric fencing, but you might have that if you’re dividing the field anyway. I imagine some people are quite restricted in what they can do with their land – for example, for people renting or where landowners don’t want permanent fencing, but having grass tracks with an electric fence is an easy way to do this.”

Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare chief executive, told H&H what the study highlights “so well” is that many of the elements of good traditional management – such as low grazing densities, rotation and allowing areas to rest – can also offer better environmental conditions when compared to other more intensively managed and grazed areas.

“Collectively, equines graze a huge amount of land, which makes horse owners – knowingly or not – significant environmental stewards of our precious countryside, so small changes really can make big differences,” he said.

“The findings of this paper will hopefully help to encourage us to make informed choices about how we keep our horses and include the environmental impact among the many factors considered when making those choices, while always putting horse welfare first.”

You might also be interested in:

Track living: the alternative horsey set-up

How all equestrians can help make the world a greener place

Why equids must be part of plans to cope with climate change

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Could moving away from conventional grazing systems help weight management? Dr Tamzin Furtado reports

WITH equine obesity at alarming levels in the UK, managing weight is becoming an important part of everyday horse care. Traditionally, weight management is achieved through stabling, grazing muzzle use, increased exercise or the use of “starvation paddocks”, but some owners are seeking methods which do not restrict their horses’ access to the “three Fs”: friends, forage and freedom.

A survey of UK owners conducted last summer explored the use of alternative grazing systems, not just for keeping weight under control but also for reasons such as the management of arthritis and behavioural issues related to stress. Each option aimed to provide enriched turnout areas, where horses can live in groups and access a range of low-calorie forages.

It is important to note that no one system was a panacea for every owner; all have their pros and cons, highlighting that any changes should be considered on an individual level. These innovative ideas provide food for thought, however, for welfare-friendly weight control.

ON THE MOVE

TRACK systems allow horses access to a track created around the outside of a paddock. Resources such as water, hay and shelter are placed at different points, to encourage the horses to move in order to access them.

Tracks may cross multiple fields and are sometimes dotted with features, including hedgerows for foraging, different terrains (sandpits, streams or steps, for example) and enrichment such as scratching posts, herb gardens and flavoured water stations. The centre section can either be cut as hay or left as standing forage for winter, or managed with Equicentral principles (discussed later).

The upside is that the horses are encouraged to keep moving around the track to access their resources, while the footfall and lack of space means grass growth is limited – making this ideal for overweight horses. Horses are living in an enriched environment, usually as a herd, which can reduce stress levels.

However, track systems are not without their issues. Because of heavy footfall over a limited area, tracks which are not surfaced can become very muddy; as a result, many owners remove their tracks entirely for the winter months. Surfacing is ideal, but is clearly expensive and may require planning permission.

The reduced space can also be a problem in terms of herd dynamics, with careful attention required to ensure that the herd is cohesive – particularly when introducing new horses.

When creating grass tracks to manage obese animals, it can be difficult to limit the grazing enough to reduce their weight. Some users resort to using grazing muzzles or strip grazing the track to keep grass levels low.

Some horses may not suit some aspects of track life; certain ponies reportedly do not move more but instead simply wait at the hay feeder. Others escape onto the centre section, and some may find the concept of a track itself confusing. Tracks should never be designed in complicated shapes like spirals or zig-zags.

IMPROVING PASTURE

THE Equicentral system, developed by Equiculture, is a philosophy based around improving soil health in order to then maximise grass health and biodiversity, and thus produce healthy horses. The principles translate the science of regenerative agriculture in a way that can be used by horse owners.

The system proposes that horses are going to spend time “loafing” – hanging out, resting and sleeping – so we should allow them to do so in an area set up for this to let paddocks rest. The heart of the system is therefore a surfaced, non-mud area such as a stable yard or arena, where all the required resources are placed.

Leading off from this, horses have access to very lightly grazed paddocks that are rotated regularly – think maybe one week, rather than a season. Grass is never allowed to drop below 5cm in length, meaning that horses purportedly graze on the fibrous, stalky sections rather than carbohydrate-rich, stressed grass.

Horses always have access to come back to the loafing area at their choosing, but do not always have access to the field; thus, they follow a pattern of grazing for a while before returning to the yard area to drink and rest.

The Equicentral principles are based on modern sustainable farming methods. Some users suggested that they were surprised by how the grazing of “healthy” grasses led to better management of weight. Moreover, horses whose weight was a concern could also be easily kept in the loafing area, if necessary, rather than allowed out to grass – meaning that multiple horses with different dietary needs could still be managed as a cohesive herd.

The survey found that commitment was required, however, as it would take time (and possible re-seeding) before traditional horse pastures would transform into the diverse grasses which are preferable. In addition, some horses may not learn to self-regulate their intake, so the system needs careful implementation for each individual.

Some owners combined both ideas, using a surfaced, grass-free track as the loafing area, while managing the centre area to allow light grazing. This allowed them a flexible option for managing diverse horses.

The final option – woodland and moorland turnout – simply involved using non-traditional areas where horses have access to relatively low-calorie forage, due to the general lack of grass in woodland areas and the lack of improved grass species, such as rye grasses, in moorlands.

In fact, some woodland areas provided almost grass-free turnout areas, where horses could instead forage the trees and plants and eat the hay supplied. Both environments nevertheless provide enriched spaces, where horses can wander, browse and spend time in a herd.

The survey found that woodlands and moorlands were of limited use in winter, given that both are prone to becoming muddy and waterlogged. It’s also necessary to check regularly for hazards such as splintered logs or poisonous plants.

Woodlands were reportedly more useful for weight reduction than moorland areas, and may be of particular interest to readers given the number of yards that have small patches of woodland areas fenced off from horses.

A HEALTHY BALANCE

NO one grazing method may suit every situation; continual monitoring and adjustments are necessary to optimise equine health and wellbeing.

Even if none of these options is possible, however, the principles of trying to incorporate low-calorie forage, herd living, freedom of choice and enrichment are key and worthy of consideration.

The survey

THE project, which prompted 758 responses, was a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and the Blue Cross, British Horse Society, British Equine Veterinary Association, The Donkey Sanctuary, The Horse Trust, Redwings and World Horse Welfare. Read the report at: bit.ly/3cqpyBM

This feature can also be read in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 29 April

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“No matter what your role is, what are you going to change, to help in this obesity epidemic?”

Opinion

I was disappointed to read some negative comments on social media recently about a pony looking “unhappy” wearing a grazing muzzle. The pony had lost lots of weight – and I really take my hat off to the owner, losing weight is not an overnight task and it takes a lot of dedication – so to see negative comments about this fantastic achievement is so disheartening.

Laminitis is an emotive subject – and perhaps even more so is the topic of weight. Vets, farriers and welfare charities are working hard to support owners with information and advice, but as owners, we also need to do our bit. This might be taking advice on trimming or shoeing, or making adjustments to the management of our horses – which can be hard when we have managed them in a certain way previously.

My first experience of laminitis was as a child with my first pony Phoenix. He had suffered laminitis in the past and we knew when taking him on we would have to watch his weight carefully. One summer he came down with a mild case and I remember being so upset that my pony had got ill. He made a full recovery, and during the seven years I had him it was only one occurrence, but it was something that stayed with me.

Now as an owner of two miniature Shetlands, Mootie and Poppet, laminitis is always on my radar. They regularly wear grazing muzzles in summer – and sometimes winter too – and when they are not wearing their muzzles, they are in a bare paddock with some hay. They thankfully have never had laminitis but I know I cannot take my eye off the ball, no matter what time of year.

And that’s what made my Connemara/Irish sport horse mare Chloe developing acute laminitis in November 2019 a bitter pill to swallow. I turned her out one morning looking like her normal self, but when I took her in that evening, she was extremely uncomfortable and had a very “typical” laminitic stance. I got the vet, and before she could say the words, I knew Chloe had come down with laminitis.

I didn’t think Chloe, who was then seven, was particularly overweight and with winter ahead I thought we had time for her to lose some pounds before spring. I can’t help but think, could it have been prevented if she had been slimmer, and was this a failure on my part? She spent four weeks on box rest, on a lot of pain medication and she had regular trims from my farrier, which were difficult given how uncomfortable she was – but absolutely key to her recovery.

With time, hard work from my farrier and a huge amount of support from my vet, Chloe made a full recovery. But it was a harsh reality and some real lessons were learnt on my part. Now Chloe wears a muzzle when necessary, and perhaps the biggest thing has been having regular discussions with my farrier and vet about her weight. Those tricky conversations are no longer tricky and for me are so important to keeping her on the right track.

Our journey certainly wasn’t easy – and of course there are no guarantees it will never occur again, which is frightening. So more than ever I feel for owners who are dealing with horses and ponies with laminitis, or trying to help their animals lose weight. We all want our horses to be healthy and happy. But when we are talking about laminitis in overweight horses and ponies, we have to accept that preventative actions aren’t always going to be rosy. Grazing muzzles, diets, and restricted grazing can sound “mean”, for want of a better word, but I wholeheartedly agree with British Equine Veterinary Association president Lucy Grieve that “Food restriction is not as cruel as laminitis. Being clipped out and not wearing a rug is not as cruel as laminitis.”

Of course there are other preventative measures that people can take; track systems are being recommended more and I’ve seen some really fantastic set-ups. But we have to remember a track isn’t always possible at home, or at a livery yard. Using a grazing muzzle isn’t a lazy option or a quick fix, sometimes it’s a necessity. If owners are taking steps to prevent laminitis, or reduce their horses’ and ponies’ weight then they should be congratulated, not made to feel they are being cruel. While in a dream scenario I would love to see my mares grazing carefree on lush green fields, the reality is that could kill them, so for me it’s muzzles for the win.

No one has said laminitis is a simple condition; we know it can occur for a multitude of reasons such as PPID, equine metabolic syndrome, even stress.

Article continued below…

‘Reluctance and ignorance can mean signing horses’ death warrants’: top vet busts laminitis myths

Changing conversations to save equine lives *H&H Plus*

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My thoroughbred gelding Archie developed laminitis when he was in hospital with an infection and being treated with steroids. He never came home from the hospital and I lost him to toxaemia – and while laminitis played a part, the outcome wasn’t anyone’s fault. Some cases sadly can’t be prevented – but in the cases of overweight horses and ponies this is something we can be proactive about.

While it’s great to see people discussing horse welfare and sharing tips with each other online, we can’t ignore expert advice. Vets and farriers aren’t pointing fingers and blaming owners – but they are there, with years of training, to look out for the welfare of animals. Vets are sometimes unfairly accused of “money grabbing” yet if we choose to ignore what they tell us about obesity and management, then surely that’s a surefire way of paying more vet bills, when we are calling them out to treat a case of laminitis?

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

It worked for our horses’ wild ancestors, but is it wise to co-graze equines and livestock today? Peter Green MRCVS discusses pros and cons

In the UK we tend to keep horses and farm livestock apart from each other. Horses belonging to farmers may be turned out with the cattle or sheep, but, on the whole, equines are managed separately.

Of course, this is artificial. Think of the plains of Africa where antelopes, zebras, elephants, giraffes, rhinos and others all graze and browse. In pre-Ice Age Britain, wild horses grazed with bison, deer, woolly rhinos and wild cattle called aurochs.

There are pros and cons to modern mixed grazing. The big winner when you turn cattle and horses out together is worm control. Because cattle don’t support the same nematode worms as horses but will ingest their eggs as they graze, worm burdens in horses grazed with cattle are lower and the requirement for wormers is reduced.

In one recent study in France, young horses grazed with cattle had 50% fewer worm eggs in their droppings than those grazed alone. And it works both ways, because the cattle also have fewer worms.

Another plus is the pasture itself. Horses have incisor teeth in both upper and lower jaws, while cattle and sheep only have lower incisors. They graze in different ways and have different preferences. Horses tend to be more picky and will overgraze some patches and leave others, while both cattle and sheep are less discriminating.

This is especially useful when mixed grazing is used on marginal land or heathland, but it also has a benefit on lowland grass pastures. Native ponies such as Exmoors are brilliant for conservation grazing, and their impact is increased when combined with cattle.

Infection risk

When it comes to external parasites, there may be both positive and negative impacts when livestock and horses graze together.

If the farm animals, especially sheep, are not treated for ticks, a horse’s exposure to these pests may be increased and the risks of tick-borne infections like Lyme disease may therefore go up. The same may be true for tabanids (horse flies), which are more prevalent around cattle and may therefore bite both horses (and people) in the vicinity. However, if the cattle are treated with fly repellents as part of routine farm husbandry, the horses will benefit from the herd effect of the repellents.

Fungal skin infections such as ringworm are common in housed cattle, especially youngstock, and horses can be infected if they are turned out with them in the spring. The fungal spores are passed from one to another when the cattle rub on gateposts, water troughs and trees. Yet ringworm is not a serious problem and is usually self-limiting, especially in the open air with exposure to sunlight.

Owners are sometimes afraid that their horses will contract sarcoid skin tumours from cattle, because it is known that sarcoids are caused by the bovine papilloma virus. Flies have been proposed as a vector that spreads sarcoids from cattle to horses. In fact, this has not been established.

Bovine papilloma virus is very common in the rural environment and we now know that there is a strong genetic susceptibility in horses to developing sarcoids. Grazing with cattle does not appear to increase the risk.

Another factor to consider is the pasture fencing. Cattle are almost always fenced in with wire stock fencing and barbed wire; their thick skin requires some hefty barriers, or they may push through them. Large-aperture wire stock fencing and barbed wire, especially, can be hazardous to horses, as equine vets will testify.

On balance, however, and with good management, the mixed grazing of cattle or sheep and horses can benefit both the animals and the pasture.

Pig tales

Horses will usually tolerate cattle and sheep, but most seem to hate pigs.

There is much discussion about the reasons for the widespread aversion to pigs, but no solid scientific explanation based on reliable research. Is it the smell, the behaviour or the noises that pigs make? Is there a deep-seated inherited dread of pigs that goes back to those pre-Ice Age times when horses, bison and deer were roaming together and lived in fear of aggressive wild boar? Who knows?

Some horses will freak out on first meeting donkeys, llamas and alpacas. With a patient approach, however, these animals can learn to become grazing companions.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 17 December 2020

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The public has been reassured not to be concerned about the welfare of Exmoor ponies grazing in Cleadon Hills.

The Moorland Mousie Trust has been contacted numerous times this winter by people concerned that the ponies were unable to cope in the freezing conditions.

“We’ve had a huge problem this winter,” said Juliet Rogers, trustee of the charity which works to protect the endangered breed.

“On the sites where the public have lots of access, like the Clevedon Hills, people want them to be fed, they want them to have stables and rugs.

“They don’t need these things. They are used to surviving in all weathers and are out on 200-plus acres — they move around to eat and keep warm.”

Ms Rogers said horse owners are as much as a problem as the non-equestrian public.

“Interestingly some of the worst offenders have been horsey,” she said. “They want the ponies to be treated like their own horses, given hay and stabled.

“I’ve had really nice people saying they have been kept up at night worrying about them.”

Ms Rogers added that the ponies are protected against laminitis if their weight is allowed to drop over the winter.

“If they lose weight over the winter, they’re not carrying too much into the summer,” she said.

“These ponies are incredibly lucky. They would be dead if they weren’t used in conservation.”

There has also been concern over the Exmoor ponies grazing in Prestwick Carr.

“There is lots of dry ground but the ponies like wading in the wet areas as there’s lots of grass that’s still green in those areas,” Ms Rogers said.

“They are perfectly capable of coming out of the water if they want to.”

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Ms Rogers urged visitors to not feed the ponies.

“People feel they should feed them carrots anywhere there is public access and then the ponies start to mug the public,” she said.

“We tend to be careful which ponies we put where. We have the wilder ones in the public areas so they keep away.

“The other problem is a lot of people feed them completely unsuitable foods, like potatoes, onions and cabbages.”

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When you have been looking after horses for longer than you can remember, and have your grazing management down to a fine art, it's likely you don't give your grass much more thought. But here Jonathan Holmes explains the role of an equine agronomist

What is agronomist?

• An equine agronomist can customise your soil’s fertility and grass species to satisfy the optimum nutritional requirements of your horses.

What are the obvious ways to see if your grazing or soil is inadequate?

• “If you look down at the paddock, is everything green? If not (i.e. soil is visible) then a significant grazing opportunity is being missed and the sward is unlikely to survive adverse weather, or grazing pressure,” says Jonathan.
• “Are your horses happy? Hyperactive, or difficult/constantly unmanageable horses can be symptomatic of a significant imbalance in the soil that is reflected in grass nutrition, and therefore horse demeanour. In the majority of cases these problems transpire to be too much potash, compounded by a lack of available magnesium and calcium. It is relatively easy to re-balance the soil and therefore the grass,” he says.
• “In-depth (Cation Exchange Capacity) analysis is essential to quantify what is happening. More often than not, any soil-based questions require in-depth analysis to uncover problems reflected in the grass,” he says.

What are the most common problems that equine agronomist Jonathan Holmes sees with grazing for horses?

• “Grassland full of weeds, especially creeping buttercup, has a reduced sward and crucially poor nutritional content,” says Jonathan.
• “Grass swards that are composed of old and unproductive grass species that can’t sustain healthy horses,” he adds.
• “An environment where horse owners have asked local farmers for advice and allowed them to plough the grass out and re-seed it,” says Jonathan. “From a soil and sward perspective this is the worst thing to do! It kills soil microbial activity, which is crucial for a healthy soil, and takes years for the soil to recover and start generating a productive sward again. Invariably, the wrong grass mixture is used too!”

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The prospect of ponies grazing peacefully outside your kitchen window is an attractive one — but it is crucial to do the groundwork before becoming tied up with a tenant. Who’s responsible?

When renting a field, responsibility for maintenance is entirely dependent on the contract that is drafted. Lucy Winfield at Strutt & Parker says: “You need to take the same approach, whether you are dealing with two or 20 acres.

“You still need to establish who is responsible for the land — whether it is [for] the insurance or poo picking.”

Equine lawyer Jacqui Fulton says the onus is usually on the tenant.

“When advising alandowner client, I mostly suggest the responsibility for fencing maintenance and poisonous plants are with the tenant.

“This largely prevents claims under the Animals Act when a horse escapes or is poisoned.”

One size doesn’t fit all

“Online contracts can be downloaded from the internet, where a small fee is often payable,” explains Jacqui. Prices for a grazing agreement on www.clickdocs.co.uk, for example, start at £15.98.

“But my warning on one size fits all contracts is that they undoubtedly do not cover all angles,” adds Jacqui.

Property journalist Carla Passino agrees.

“Downloading a contract online may be a false economy,” she warns.

“Going to a solicitor with equestrian experience can save you money and heartache in the long run.”

Jonathan Harington at property company Haringtons UK would “100% advise against a verbal agreement. It is not worth finding that in X years’ time the tenant is claiming rights, because it could have an enormous impact on the value of the property”.

Lucy says that, when making an agreement, you need to know who you are dealing with.

“It is important to do your background research and get referencing on [potential tenants],” she says.

Fixing a price

How much you can charge will depend on the state of your field and the facilities you are offering.

The size of turnout, whether you have a field shelter, electricity and running water will all be factors.

Before agreeing to take the ponies, ask yourself whether you have sufficient space.

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The British Horse Society recommends 1-1.5 acres per horse, but this will of course vary depending on the size of the animals, the season and number of horses grazing.

To gauge a general idea of what the going rate is in your area, Dominic Coutts at Winkworth says: “Local equestrian publications and noticeboards in tack shops are invaluable.”

Jonathan at Haringtons adds that local agents and farmers are worth talking to as well.

This article was first published in 30 May 2013 issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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With the autumn flush of grass coming through and weight management a pressing issue, the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) has released guidance on how to use grazing muzzles responsibly.

Muzzles often cause controversy for horse owners, making it difficult for them to know if, how and why to use them.

This video is designed to help owners decide if a grazing muzzle is the right choice for their horse, and if so, how to introduce one, how to fit one and how to monitor one on your horse or pony.

“Because their impact on horse welfare is not fully understood, there is real concern amongst horse owners about the use of grazing muzzles,” says Nic de Brauwere, chairman of NEWC.

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“While many of our NEWC member organisations are able to use other weight management options, these alternatives don’t exist for many horse owners,” adds Nic.

“This leaves a gap where controversy over the equipment can escalate, identifying a real need for evidence-based and impartial advice.

“NEWC and its member organisations have produced this guidance based on the best evidence currently available; to help owners understand the potential risks and benefits of using grazing muzzles whilst being aware of potential alternatives that all contribute to weight control in their horses.”

Grazing muzzles have their place to help control weight, but owners may leave it too late to use them or use them inappropriately. NEWC members regularly receive enquiries regarding the use of grazing muzzles so this guidance and video have been produced in response.

NEWC joined forces with Blue Cross, HorseWorld, The British Horse Society and Redwings Horse Sanctuary to produce the guidance, with assistance from the British Equine Veterinary Association, The Donkey Sanctuary, Professor Pat Harris, Dr Annette Longland and Dr Teresa Hollands.

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An owner — whose horses have been allowed to graze on public land— will not have her lease renewed after angry residents complained to the local council.

Hounslow council signed a year-long lease last October for a horse owner to graze two ponies on a small area of land known as “Pit Park” in Isleworth.

The paddock is beside the River Crane and was already fenced.

The decision has prompted uproar among local residents on the neighbouring Worple estate who argue they were not properly consulted.

Dog walkers are angry that they cannot now let their dogs off the lead in the area.

There have also been complaints about horse manure and rubbish around the edge of the paddock.

Residents have told Isleworth ward councillor Ed Mayne the ponies should be removed now.

“The tenant is looking after the horses perfectly well and we can’t do that,” he told H&H. “If you take away an open space it is always going to be controversial.”

However, he said ward councillors are unhappy about the way the grazing lease was handled by council officers.

“The council has poorly served residents and the owner of the horses,” he added. “If the council is going to do this again there needs to be more consultation. Lessons need to be learnt, it hasn’t been handled well.”

The park used to have a children’s playground but that fell into disrepair. The open space is now mostly used by dog walkers.

The year-long lease, thought to be worth £2,000-£3,000 to the council, will be honoured but not renewed after the furore over the agreement.

The owner of the ponies has been told from October she will have to find alternative grazing.

H&H contacted Hounslow Council for a comment but has not received a reply.

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Keeping track of the grazing patterns of the Konik ponies that are restoring a fen meadow in Scotland is now a lot easier.

The herd of 23 primitive Polish ponies were fitted with the latest GPS tracking devices earlier this month (2 September).

The technology — used on horses in the UK for the first time — will establish where the ponies are eating and what impact they are having on the wildflowers and plants.

The meadow is one of many being restored by the Heritage Lottery Funded project Save our Magnificent Meadows, run by the charity Plantlife.

In Scotland, the Konik ponies are being used to restore a meadow at Loch of Strathbeg that is overgrown with rushes.

“Koniks were chosen for their hardiness, tolerance of wet conditions — they are happy to stand knee-deep in the water at the edge of the loch — and their ability to thrive on rough grazing,” said a Plantlife spokesman.

First published in Horse & Hound magazine on 11 September 2014. Image: Laura Richardson

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A university student has developed a grazing muzzle for horses, featuring a detachable fly mask, designed to worn for long periods of time without causing sores.

Oliver Ward, 22, is an undergraduate at Nottingham Trent University.

He has designed the muzzle in collaboration with Good Life Muzzle — a new Derbyshire-based company — which intends to patent the design and launch it in spring 2014.

“The Good Life brief was to make something unique,” said Oliver.

“I did thermal imaging of horses and looked at their skeletons and nerves to find points where it would be possible to mount a muzzle without causing irritation.

“I found that by mounting it on the ridge of the nose you are not hitting any nerves.”

The muzzle will cost under ￡50 and the prototype will be displayed at Nottingham Trent University’s Art and Design Degree Show (31 May-8 June).

Visit www.goodlifemuzzle.co.uk

It has not been an easy winter and you are certainly not the only horse owner who is now asking themselves: “how can I improve my horses’ grazing?” ahead of the summer months.

Here are some useful tips to help turn your paddocks from rutted mud pits into beautiful grassland:

1 Year-round maintenance is key when trying to improve your grazing: the more you look after your paddocks, the more you will get out of them. Don’t wait until they look like the Somme before you do anything. Keep an eye out for weeds and poisonous plants, which should be removed and disposed of immediately to prevent the reseeding, throughout the year.

2 Avoid overgrazing: easier said than done if you are running a yard full of horses. However, if the grass isn’t rested, it won’t be able to grow and any bare patches of soil will encourage weeds. If you feed horses outside, use different parts of the field so one area doesn’t get badly poached.

3 Harrowing or scarifying can improve grazing land: this is an excellent way to promote new grass growth for the spring and summer. It pulls out the dead matter and allows air to circulate into the soil’s surface. This creates the anaerobic conditions needed for the production of nitrates — the form of nitrogen most easily taken up by plants.

4 Rolling: If your paddocks have taken a hammering over the winter, rolling will be necessary. Timing is crucial, as you need the ground not too wet but not too dry. If you roll a field when it is too wet, the soil may be compacted, which restricts and slows grass growth. Too dry and nothing will happen.

5 Fertilising paddocks is important too: it is necessary to provide good conditions for the grass to grow. It is important to replace the nutrients lost through grazing, hay crops etc.

6 Reseeding: Spread grass seed on poor areas as they appear, or if your pasture needs a complete re-seed, do it in spring or early autumn. Gateways and fence lines are likely to need extra attention as they can become particularly poached. If it’s possible to have more than one gateway, this will enable you to split the high traffic points, giving the other gateway time to recover.

7 Maintaining grass height: Lush green grass may look healthy, but it is usually unsuitably high in nitrogen, or has grown rank and sour from droppings. Alternating horses with sheep will control the length of the grass and help prevent the paddock from becoming “horse-sick”. Alternatively keep grass topped to around 5cm during the summer by mechanical means.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Recent research suggests a significant percentage of horses incur injuries each year in the field. H&H asks how these injuries can be avoided.

• Ensure there is sufficient grazing for the number of horses turned out.

• If feeding in the field, provide more piles of forage than there are horses and spread these out.
• Limit group numbers and introduce new horses gradually, matching horses that get on.
• Don’t bring other horses in leaving one out on its own.
• Check the security of your fencing and keep horses off barbed wire by using electric tape.
• If horses are used to being brought in at a certain time, try and stick to that rather than having lots of horses standing round a gateway waiting to come in.
• Manage your horses’ feed and exercise routines correctly so that they do not have too much surplus energy to use up in the field.
• Look after grazing – check for rabbit holes, wire and other hazards, and ensure gateways do not get too poached.
• Consider overreach boots, or even protective leg wear, but be aware these can heat up horses’ legs and rub their skin, causing injuries of their own.
• Turn out regularly, so your horse is less inclined to fly around in excitement at his new-found freedom.
• Consider individual or pairs turnout, but ensure the horse is not isolated.Download the Ask the Vet app to read the full article on turnout plus all the latest on horse health from wounds to insurance, headshaking to sweet itch and mud fever to laminitisRead more about grazing

Nineteen Dartmoor ponies have started a new career – as conservation grazing machines.

The mares, fillies and geldings were released on to Holt Lowes in north Norfolk earlier this month (December) and are the latest members of Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s (NWT) 129-strong “munch bunch”.

NWT grazing officer Lucy Wilshaw said: “We have nine Welsh ponies, 36 koniks and 84 Dartmoors across Norfolk.

“The Dartmoors are really good at heathland and mire management – they eat all the heath back first then move on to eat the rushes and sedges from the boggy patches.”

All the Dartmoors, except three, came from the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT).

The three that were not bought from the DPHT were born in 2010 after a mare named Ginny turned out to be a stallion. He was renamed Gerry after being gelded.

Dru Butterworth of the DPHT said: “The arrangement with NWT is a perfect partnership.

Placing well-bred mares and fillies in parts of the country, other than Dartmoor, has become a vital strategy to preserve the native pony.

“This is especially important should there be a major disease outbreak on Dartmoor.”

The ponies chosen for conservation schemes are given basic handling before being sent to the projects.

“It’s important that we can handle the ponies safely when they are checked over by the vet and farrier every six months, but they must not be so tame that they get too close to the public,” said Lucy.

The DPHT has also sold ponies to other conservation schemes, including the East Dartmoor Woods and Heaths National Nature Reserve.

It charges from £275 plus VAT per pony.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (29 December 2011)

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New veterinary research shows that horses sustain injuries more often then we think – and may lead owners to reconsider their management methods.

Vet Rosie Owen of Liverpool University studied 652 randomly selected competition and leisure horses.

She found that 40% of horses suffered a “traumatic injury” – anything from a graze to a fracture – in the course of a year. Of those, 47% required veterinary treatment.

But what will come as a surprise to many horse owners is that 62% of injuries occurred while the horse was turned out in the field.

How to reduce injury at turnout

• Avoid changes to the composition of the group and make any changes gradually
• Turn horses out in protective boots
• Don’t turn too many horses out together – they need space to escape from aggressive behaviour
• If you provide hay in the field, create additional feeding areas to reduce competition between horses
• Keep the amount of turnout as consistent as possible
• If all else fails, buy a cob or a pony – they are statistically less likely to injure themselves

Case study: when turnout out works

Wendy Searle keeps her dressage horses – Trakehners Finesse and Talisman – at grass with ponies.

“Finesse had never had never been turned out when we got her. She was so neurotic that we just threw her out with the ponies and she settled very quickly.

“Talisman was gelded late and went ballistic when first turned out, but within a fortnight had settled to the same routine.

“They are both out 24/7, rarely go silly because it isn’t exciting and have never seen the vet, except for vaccinations.”

Case study: When turnout doesn’t work

“My horse fractured his pedal bone a couple of years ago in the field. I saw him do it as he was cantering towards me and suddenly went wonky,” said owner Hannah Gatt.

“It resulted in six months’ box-rest, although he is fully recovered now.

“I also lost my previous horse, Oliver, through a turnout accident, when another horse kicked him and broke his leg.

As you can imagine, I’m quite picky about where and with whom my horse is turned out now – I would never turn out in a big herd again.”

To read the full article on injuries at turnout see the current issue of H&H (1 December 2011)

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Four wild ponies are being put to work grazing the fields of an RSPB nature reserve in Yorkshire.

It is hoped that the Wild Konik ponies – a central European breed – will help to create suitable conditions for ground-nesting birds such as lapwings at the Blacktoft Sands reserve.

They have been brought from the RSPB’s Minsmere site in Suffolk.

The charity hopes that by managing the land with natural horsepower, the plan is to reduce the need for expensive machinery and fuel.

RSPB Blacktoft Sands visitor officer Mike Andrews said: “We think the ponies will be a real hit with our visitors as they’re not our typical feathered friends.

“They are generally placid and look cute, but they are still essentially wild animals so we are asking people not to pet them and to keep a respectful distance.”

Polish Konik ponies have been grazing nature reserves in Europe to benefit wildlife for the past decade, and in recent years they have started appearing in some reserves in the UK.

The RSPB also have Koniks at Portmore Lough in Northern Ireland and Loch of Strathbeg in eastern Scotland.

The Konik is a small but hardy breed, directly descended from the Tarpan, a wild horse driven to extinction in central Europe in the late 19th century.

They can survive in temperatures of up to minus 40 degrees, are rarely ill and are adept at foraging, making them largely self-sufficient.

For more information visit www.rspb.org.uk/reserves

Photo courtesy of Mike Pilsworth

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Laminitis: the most common problem caused by UK pasture, mainly due to former cattle pasture dense in high-calorie rye grass and lush, rapid-growing grass on overfertile soil.

Mineral deficiencies: rare in the UK, but some trace elements (for example, copper, iodine, selenium, magnesium, cobalt) can be lost either from leaching in overdraining soils or incorrect management of heavy soils (overliming). Copper deficiency shows symptoms very similar to Cushing’s disease. Mineral deficiencies are associated with bone development problems in foals, nervous system issues, and horses in hard training may have performance impaired by slight imbalances.

Mud fever: typical of south-east England clay soils, which are poor draining and acidic, but also in very peaty areas. The bacteria responsible are acid-loving and live in waterlogged soil.

Hoof infections: more common where pasture is on underlying clay than in sandy, chalky or limestone areas. Constantly wet hooves become soft and more easily damaged. Muddy ground with flints or small stones is the most dangerous, since the flints penetrate the hoof and allow infection to enter.

Thyroid problems: associated with low levels of iodine, can be recognised by “goitre” swelling on the neck. Occurs in free-draining areas but can also be due to over-liming of pasture.

Azoturia: very rich, low-lying pasture prone to rapid growth, high in carbohydrate, can cause azoturia cramps even in grass-kept animals.

For the full feature on making the most of your grazing, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (5 May, 2011)

Are you fed up with looking at a sparse, horse-sick field? Have you had no luck rejuvenating the ground or don’t know where to start?

A day-long workshop running at the end of this month in Kent aims to help all horse owners, livery yard managers and landowners turn their grazing into conservation areas.

The “Ponies, wildflowers and wonderful landscapes” workshop takes place in Rye, mid-Kent on Thursday 29 July, thanks to Flora locale, a charity to promote the restoration of wild plants for biodiversity, landscapes and people.

The workshop will look at practical techniques to enhance landscape and wildlife that also take into account the specific demands of equine management.

“Good paddock management not only benefits wild flowers and other wildlife, but prevents pasture damage, reduces weed infestation and benefits the health and wellbeing of horses and ponies,” explained Frances Clayton, a horse owner and local co-ordinator for the Campaign for the Farmed Environment.

Mr Clayton is jointly leading the workshop with David Burton from Natural England’s Land Management Advice team. It is one of 34 one-day events being held across Britain by Flora locale in conjunction with Grazing Advice Partnership and the Small Woods Association.

“We will also look at new ways in which an equine establishment has developed innovative approaches to conservation grazing,” continued Mr Clayton.

He maintains that, with carefully timed grazing and rotation, horses and ponies do very well on a variety of grasses and wild flowers.

“They browse and select different species at different times of the year, allowing some to flower and set seed to maintain good diversity.”

The course costs £100 or £75 for concessions. To book and for more information, visit www.floralocale.org

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

More legal advice articles

More about planning permission and horses

Q: Are there any laws restricting the number of horses that can be kept on your own land for private use?

My neighbour keeps over 100 horses on his 40 acres of land, which seems excessive, especially when herds of them gallop up and down our boundary fencing.

Does the local authority have enforcement powers to restrict numbers?

PC, Suffolk

There are no laws restricting the number of horses kept privately, unless planning or “duty of care” regulations are challenged.

The UK does have generic animal welfare guidelines that reflect the need for disease control and animal welfare; organisations such as the British Horse Society and Defra advise horse owners on these guidelines.

Experts generally recommend one to two acres of grazing per horse.

Local authorities may become involved if overgrazed land becomes hazardous; the horses have “a negative effect on the local environment”; if there is a problem with noise pollution, or if the authorities become involved if there are welfare concerns with the horses.

Planning implications

Rebecca Hewitt, partner in the equine team at Darbys Solicitors LLP, advises you to look into planning considerations involved in keeping multiple horses: “Planning considerations can be surprisingly complicated when it comes to keeping horses,” she said.

“Keeping horses for your own enjoyment may not require planning permission, but only if the horses are deemed to be ‘incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house’, and kept within the curtilage of the property.

“Owners should also comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Horse Passport Regulations 2005 [updated in July 2009],” said Rebecca.

“They have a legal duty of care to all horses to ensure they have a suitable environment to live in, a healthy diet and are protected from pain, suffering and disease.”

Information

Darbys, tel: 01865 811700 www.darbys.co.uk

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (18 February, ’10)

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Q: I have a smallholding with horses and sheep and am interested in getting some alpacas to graze with them as I have seen several mixed herds of horses and alpacas in my area. Does this combination of animals work and what would be the benefits?

MC, Kent

Alpacas (a camelid species closely related to llama) will happily graze alongside sheep or horses providing they are not bullied by a boisterous horse.

They have a similar diet to horses; forage-based, with supplementary cereal concentrate rations required in the winter.

Alpacas are popular with smallholding owners, as they are notoriously good at seeing off foxes by stamping and spitting. They are useful animals to have around at lambing time, for this reason.

Do they require different management to horses?

Alpacas are hardy animals, but do need protection from heavy weather, in the form of a field shelter or overhanging trees.

They also need annual toenail trimming, shearing and vaccinating, although your vet can advise on specific timescales relating to their age and breed.

Alpacas share many worm parasites with sheep and do require a worming programme; although faecal egg counts are commonly used, in the same way as with horses.

Neutered males are usually the cheapest alpacas to buy and experts recommend that two or three alpacas are grazed together as they have a herd mentality.

Where can I find out more?

Appledene Alpacas in Marden, Kent, holds husbandry courses for potential owners.

The British Alpaca Society (BAS), an organisation dedicated to the welfare of alpacas and the education of owners, can answer any questions you may have and provide training.

Information

Appledene Alpacas, tel: 01622 831119 www.appledenealpacas.co.uk

British Alpaca Society, tel: 08453 312468 www.bas-uk.com

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (10 December, ’09)

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A Flintshire horse keeper claims she is being victimised by her local planning authority, after being told she must apply for a change of use for her field.

Debbie Johnson, of Gwernaffield, near Mold, says she is the only horse owner in the area to be ordered to apply for a change of use of her land from agricultural to leisure usage, so she can continue to keep horses.

“We have five horses in the field — two two-year-olds, a retired pony and the pair my daughter and I ride — and they all live out,” said Mrs Johnson.

“Every field around us is full of horses but we are the only ones to be singled out. I think it’s victimisation.”

Mrs Johnson bought the eight-acre field in Nercwys last January and almost immediately received a letter from the council asking her to remove a temporary shelter and warning that she needed to apply for a change of use at a cost of £314.

H&H reported a similar incident last year (news, 1 June 2006) when North Wiltshire District Council asked the Mendoza family to apply for planning permission to site show jumps in their field. The council later decided not to pursue the matter.

Land agents Humberts told H&H at the time that under planning law using a field to graze horses is not a change of use.

“We don’t have any jumps, or a trailer, or anything else on the land, just two temporary field shelters, so I can’t see how it needs a change of use,” said Mrs Johnson.

She also feels the council was unfair in a previous application for permission for a field shelter in a field she owns at Treuddyn.

“An officer came out and told us where to put the field shelter, but when we put in our application it was refused.

“We appealed and again the application was refused, so we have had to give up on that field because we can’t put any shelter there for the horses.

“We then asked the council about temporary field shelters and were told they did not need planning permission, but now they are telling us we have to remove them from the other field.

“I expect they will go for enforcement any day, but we are worried that if we apply for change of use, and lose, we will not be able to keep the horses on the land.”

Flintshire County Council declined to comment on the case.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (15 November, ’07)

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Q: I wish to rent approximately nine acres of land for grazing horses, and the landowner says I will need to enter into a farm tenancy. Will that be sufficient to cover me for my own use and for some liveries, as not everyone sees grazing horses as agriculture?

I’m also planning to develop a cross-country course on the land for occasional training sessions and hunter trials. Do I need planning permission for this?

A: We spoke to planning consultant Judith Norris, who said that the grazing of horses, when used in conjunction with a commercial business, is not acceptable “agricultural business” covered by a farm business tenancy.

“The agreement would need to be either a licence or a business tenancy, and it should be drawn up or approved by a solicitor before it is signed by both parties,” she says.

“In the case of a business tenancy, there may be repercussions unless the correct procedure is followed with regard to the statutory extension of the term of the lease, which may not be what your landlord wants.

“As far as the cross-country course is concerned, most local authorities deem this a change of use of the land. In the past, we have successfully argued for clients that fences and hedges are part of the field boundary, and that portable fences fall within the 28-day rule for temporary use of land. But stand-alone fences tend to be more contentious.

“Planning officers will be inclined to view the course as an entity and, if it is to be used on a fairly regular basis for training and competitions, they will wish to ensure that adequate, safe parking with sufficient room to manoeuvre boxes and trailers is available. The access from the site must provide adequate sight lines, so that there is no risk to highway safety.

“The general amenity of the area and impact of a course on neighbours will be another concern, and care needs to be taken in landscape sensitive areas, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Parks. If the course crosses a public footpath or bridleway, this too may be a source of concern to the planning authority. Therefore, any planning application for a cross-country course needs to explain clearly what is proposed and how it will be used.

“In addition to planning permission, you will need to insure yourself against third party claims from users of the course if they are injured. These days, it is often necessary to obtain a signature from those using courses for schooling, confirming that they have read the safety advice and terms of use.”

• For equine planning advice contact Judith Norris Ltd (tel: 01580 201888) or visit
  www.judithnorris.co.uk

Horse owners look set to benefit from an unexpected government handout under the Common Agricultural Policy single payment scheme, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced.

Owners of land on which horses and ponies graze will be eligible to apply for the payment, and the money, which will be paid per hectare, could be released as early as next year.

The amount of money that landowners may receive cannot be confirmed until the claims are made, but rural advisers BCM Bays Curry McCowen of Winchester believe the figures could be in the region of about £7 per acre in 2005, rising gradually to £70 per acre in 2012.

Andrew Bays of BCM Bays Curry McCowen, says: “This will be a welcome boost to all those involved with horses. The annual payments, although initially small in 2005, will rise to significant sums as time goes by. To qualify, however, owners of such land must register the land in early 2005.”

The payments will apply to grazed land only, so areas where the main use is recreational, such as racecourses and show jumping arenas, will be excluded.

However, private paddocks and fields used by equine businesses such as livery stables are eligible, provided they are used for grazing and the land in question is kept in “good agricultural and environmental condition”.

Defra minister Alun Michael said: “This is good news for the horse industry and demonstrates the government’s commitment to boost the role of the horse in British society. Horses provide healthy recreation for people of all ages and abilities; they are an integral part of our traditional landscape and make an important contribution to the rural economy.”

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