What does providing a "Natural Lifestyle" for your horse mean?
Most of us would agree that a natural lifestyle is not one that we can recreate easily, if at all, in domesticity. However there are some parameters that define a natural lifestyle given to a domesticated horse.
Most of us would agree that a natural lifestyle is not one that we can recreate easily, if at all, in domesticity. However there are some parameters that define a natural lifestyle given to a domesticated horse.
It is generally agreed that at least some of these requirements include:
A lifestyle in which a horse is turned out (as opposed to stalled); is kept barefoot and trimmed regularaly in a balanced fashion so as to emulate the natural wear and tear of 15-20 miles of travel a day; has the company of at least one other horse; is sustained by a healthy variety of safe foods , herbs and forages similar in nutritional content (sugar, starch etc.) to what the horse would graze in nature.
A lifestyle in which a horse is turned out (as opposed to stalled); is kept barefoot and trimmed regularaly in a balanced fashion so as to emulate the natural wear and tear of 15-20 miles of travel a day; has the company of at least one other horse; is sustained by a healthy variety of safe foods , herbs and forages similar in nutritional content (sugar, starch etc.) to what the horse would graze in nature.
However what is not spoken about much, let alone agreed upon, is the idea that a natural lifestyle includes as little human-induced stress as possible upon the horse.
This is a controversial topic, as many people want to say they give their horses as natural a lifestyle as possible, when in actuality, all they are doing is feeding their horses free-choice hay, for example. After that the horse is forced to do whatever the human want in return for this "natural" lifestyle.
What do you believe providing a "natural lifestyle" means? How do you do aim to strike a balance between what you want and what your horse wants? How do you really know what your horse wants and needs?
That is why I titled this page, "Lifestyle" -- for that is what it is.
Lori Teresa Yearwood -- aka -- "SKODE"
www.skodeshorsetreats.com
951-572-0709
