Track Systems and Ad Lib Forage: Nutritional Considerations for Horse Owners

Track systems — sometimes called Paddock Paradise or loop systems — have surged in popularity among horse owners looking to promote natural movement and healthier lifestyles for their horses. At the same time, the principle of ad lib (free-choice) forage has gained widespread acceptance as a cornerstone of good equine gut health.

But what happens when you combine the two? Is it always a perfect match, or are there nutritional pitfalls you need to watch out for? In this article, we'll explore the key nutritional considerations of running a track system with ad lib forage, helping you make informed decisions that genuinely benefit your horse's health.

What Is a Track System?

A track system is a way of managing pasture and turnout that encourages horses to move throughout the day. Instead of a traditional rectangular paddock, the grazing area is fenced into a track — usually around the perimeter of a field — with multiple feeding, watering, and enrichment stations spread along the route.

The concept was popularised by Jaime Jackson in his book Paddock Paradise, drawing inspiration from the natural movement patterns of wild and feral horse herds. The idea is straightforward: horses in the wild travel significant distances daily in search of food and water. A track system mimics this by spacing resources apart, encouraging near-constant, low-intensity movement.

Benefits of Track Systems

• Increased movement: Horses walk more throughout the day, supporting hoof health, circulation, and joint mobility.
• Reduced grass intake: By limiting access to the central pasture, track systems can help manage calorie intake from fresh grass.
• Social interaction: Horses move together in a herd dynamic, reducing stress.
• Mental stimulation: Multiple forage stations and enrichment points reduce boredom and stereotypic behaviours.

Understanding Ad Lib Forage

Ad lib forage means providing hay, haylage, or other conserved forage on a free-choice basis — so your horse is never without something to chew. This approach aligns with the horse's evolutionary design. Horses are trickle feeders, evolved to eat for 16–18 hours a day, and their stomachs continuously produce acid whether food is present or not.

Why Ad Lib Forage Matters

When horses go without forage for extended periods — even as little as four to six hours — several problems can develop:

• Gastric ulcers: Stomach acid with no fibre buffer can damage the sensitive squamous lining of the stomach.
• Hindgut disturbance: Extended fasting can alter the microbial population in the hindgut, increasing the risk of colic and loose droppings.
• Behavioural issues: Frustration from hunger can lead to crib-biting, weaving, wood chewing, and aggression.
• Metabolic rebound: Horses that are meal-fed often gorge when food is available, causing spikes in blood sugar and insulin.

For these reasons, many nutritionists now recommend that all horses, including good doers, have access to forage around the clock — with appropriate management strategies to control intake where necessary.

Combining Track Systems with Ad Lib Forage: The Nutritional Balancing Act

On paper, a track system with ad lib forage sounds ideal: constant movement plus constant access to fibre. In practice, there are several important nutritional factors to consider.

1. Forage Quality and Type

Not all forage is created equal, and the type of hay or haylage you use on your track system has a significant impact on your horse's overall diet.

• Energy content: Mature, stalky meadow hay typically has lower calories (digestible energy) than leafy ryegrass hay or haylage. For good doers, native breeds, and horses prone to laminitis, choosing a lower-energy forage is critical.
• Sugar and starch (WSC/ESC): Horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or a history of laminitis need forage with a combined sugar and starch content ideally below 10%. This can only be confirmed through forage analysis — you cannot judge sugar content by looking at or smelling hay.
• Protein: Late-cut meadow hay may be low in protein, which can be a concern for young, growing horses, pregnant or lactating mares, and horses in hard work.

Key takeaway: Always get your forage analysed. Knowing the actual nutritional content of your hay is the single most important step in balancing your horse's diet on a track system.

2. Calorie Intake and Weight Management

One of the most common reasons people set up track systems is to manage their horse's weight. However, there's a paradox to be aware of: ad lib forage can lead to excessive calorie intake, even on a track.

The extra movement a track system provides is valuable, but it may not burn enough calories to offset unlimited access to moderate- or high-energy hay. Research suggests that even a horse walking an extra 5–10 kilometres per day on a track may only burn an additional 1–3 MJ of energy — a relatively modest amount compared to the energy content of a large round bale.

#### Strategies to Manage Calorie Intake on a Track

• Use small-hole haynets: Nets with holes of 3–4 cm significantly slow eating rates, making forage last longer and reducing overall intake.
• Double-net your hay: Placing one haynet inside another further restricts intake speed.
• Choose low-calorie forage: Late-cut meadow hay, or even clean oat straw mixed with hay (up to 30% straw for healthy horses), can reduce calorie density.
• Spread forage stations widely: The further apart the stations, the more movement between meals — and the more time spent walking rather than eating.
• Weigh your forage: Even with ad lib access, it's useful to weigh what you put out and monitor what's consumed. This gives you real data to work with.

3. Mineral and Vitamin Balance

This is an area that is frequently overlooked on track systems. Owners often focus on forage and movement but forget that UK and European forages are almost universally deficient in key trace minerals, including:

• Copper: Essential for connective tissue, coat colour, and immune function.
• Zinc: Critical for hoof quality, skin health, and immune response.
• Selenium: Important for muscle function and antioxidant defence (levels vary greatly by region).
• Vitamin E: Naturally present in fresh grass but rapidly degrades in conserved forage. Horses on track systems with minimal grazing may be significantly deficient.

If your horse lives primarily on a track and eats mostly hay, fresh grass intake may be very limited. This means the horse relies almost entirely on the hay and any supplementary feed for its vitamin and mineral needs.

A forage-only diet, even ad lib, is almost never nutritionally complete. Most horses on track systems will benefit from a good-quality broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement or a forage balancer to fill the gaps.

This is where analysing your horse's diet becomes genuinely valuable. By inputting your forage analysis results and your horse's details, you can identify exactly which nutrients are lacking and supplement accordingly — rather than guessing or over-supplementing.

4. Salt and Electrolyte Provision

Horses need sodium chloride (salt) daily, and forage alone does not provide enough. On a track system, it's easy to assume a salt lick is sufficient, but many horses don't voluntarily lick enough to meet their needs — especially in warmer months when sweat losses increase.

A practical approach is to add loose table salt (or fine sea salt) directly to a small feed or forage balancer — typically 1–2 tablespoons per day for a 500 kg horse at rest, with more during hot weather or work.

5. Water Access and Hydration

Track systems often feature multiple water points to encourage movement. This is excellent practice, but be mindful of:

• Water cleanliness: Multiple troughs mean more maintenance. Stale, dirty water discourages drinking.
• Winter freezing: In cold weather, ensure at least one water source remains unfrozen at all times.
• Monitoring intake: Horses eating dry hay ad lib need significantly more water than those on pasture. A 500 kg horse on a hay-based diet may drink 30–40 litres per day or more.

Dehydration on a track system is a genuine risk if water management slips, particularly in winter when owners may not notice reduced intake.

Special Considerations for Different Horse Types

Good Doers and Laminitis-Prone Horses

Track systems are particularly popular for managing overweight horses and those at risk of laminitis. For these horses:

• Use tested low-sugar hay (WSC + ESC below 10%).
• Consider soaking hay for 30–60 minutes in cold weather (or shorter in warm weather) to reduce soluble sugars, though be aware this also leaches some minerals.
• Use small-hole haynets at every station.
• Monitor body condition score (BCS) fortnightly and adjust forage provision accordingly.
• Avoid the temptation to restrict forage below 1.5% of bodyweight in dry matter — this risks gut health problems and is counterproductive long term.

Performance Horses

Horses in moderate to hard work may struggle to meet their energy and protein needs on a track system with low-calorie ad lib forage alone. These horses may require:

• Higher-quality forage (earlier cut, more digestible).
• Supplementary hard feed to meet energy demands.
• Additional protein sources such as soya or alfalfa.
• Increased vitamin E and selenium to support muscle recovery.

Veterans

Older horses often benefit enormously from the gentle, constant movement a track system provides. However, dental issues may limit their ability to eat long-stem hay. Consider providing:

• Short-chop fibre or soaked fibre products alongside hay.
• Forage stations with softer hay or haylage.
• Regular dental checks to ensure they can utilise forage efficiently.

Common Mistakes on Track Systems

1. Assuming the track does all the work: Movement is beneficial, but it doesn't replace proper dietary management.
2. Not analysing forage: You're feeding it 24/7 — you need to know what's in it.
3. Forgetting minerals and vitamins: Ad lib hay without supplementation leads to deficiencies over time.
4. Inconsistent forage supply: Running out of hay overnight defeats the purpose of ad lib access and risks gastric ulcers.
5. Ignoring individual needs: Not every horse on the track has the same nutritional requirements. Group management requires individual attention.

Putting It All Together

A well-designed track system combined with thoughtful ad lib forage management can be one of the healthiest ways to keep horses. But it requires more than just fencing and hay. The nutritional details — forage quality, mineral balance, calorie control, and individual assessment — are what separate a truly beneficial setup from one that merely looks the part.

Start with a forage analysis. Build your supplementation plan around the results. Monitor your horse's weight, condition, and behaviour regularly. And don't hesitate to seek professional advice if you're unsure whether your setup is meeting your horse's needs.

Your track system provides the movement. Your forage provides the fibre. Your job is to make sure everything else adds up.