It’s expensive to keep horses, and one of the biggest costs is feed. Many horse owners try to figure out ways to cut feed costs without sacrificing their horses’ health or performance. Dr. Tia Nelson, a veterinarian and horse breeder in Helena, Montana, says pasture is the best feed for horses, providing a fairly well-balanced diet.
“Finding good pasture is not always easy, and the other problem is that some horses with metabolic issues can’t tolerate good pasture, and may have serious health issues. If you have access to good pasture and have a horse with metabolic issues, put a grazing muzzle on him. He can still be out there to interact with the other horses and get daily exercise, but can’t eat as much. A grazing muzzle will reduce his intake to about 20% of what he would eat otherwise,” says Nelson.