From Garrett’s Desk: Hi-Tech Natural Horse Care

Like it or not, humans changed the lives of horses when we domesticated them and fenced them in.  As the fences and enclosures get smaller, horses have a tougher time and live further from the ideal life nature intended for them. They are intended to work for forage and nibble all day as they search for food.  Horses are intended to live with others, socialize and covering long distances for food and water.

I recently visited a horse boarding facility in Switzerland that uses technology to combat some of the challenges horses have with domestication.  The facility addresses several challenges that face most domesticated horses.

1.  Lack of movement.
2.  Adjusting nutrition and calories for horses of different breeds, weights and activity levels.
3.  Boredom and the loss of a herd structure.
4.  Spreading meals thought the day rather than two big meals.
5.  Poor footing and lack of hoof function.

The boarding facility was 15 minutes outside Zurich, Switzerland, and was situated on roughly four acres of land.  The 20 horses were housed on roughly two acres.  All 20 horses lived together as a herd.  All horses were barefoot.  Most all used hoof boots for riding.

The facility revolved around the Schauer Feeding and access control system and is designed to combat many of the challenges mentioned above.  Each horse is fitted with a microchip collar that monitors movement and gives the horse access to grain, supplements or forage based on activity level, weight or breed.

The video below shows a horse entering the grain area after access was granted with the microchip collar.  Because the horse is a heavier breed and in good weight he was not administered grain.  The horse was encouraged to depart after grain was not administered.  The heavy horses are then required to walk around the barn to rejoin the herd.

The system is completely controlled by computer.  Not only can you adjust how many times each horse is given grain, but you can adjust the quantity of each feeding.  Horses that have had their share or don’t need grain are allowed into the shoot but no grain is administered.  They then have to walk around the barn to try again or rejoin the herd.