Your horses health can be affected by lack of shelter and clean water. Horses living in fields are subject to hot sun, pouring rain and flies. Horses with no access to water can become dehydrated and die. Drainage ditches and stagnant ponds are not a suitable source of water for your horse. A shelter acts as a windbreak and a dry place to escape from flies.
Horses living at pasture must be checked at least twice a day. Grooming your pastured horse provides a good opportunity to inspect your horse for injuries. Grooming also keeps the coat clean and prevents matted hair. Dirt and matted hair reduces your horses ability to keep warm and encourages skin diseases such as rain scald or rot. That is the last thing you want to happen to your horse.
Depending on the quality of pasture, your horse may need supplemental feeding. Providing a mineral block to your horse in pasture provides a good source of nutrients. If you note your horse has lost weight you will need to increase his grain ration. As a good guide increase your horses grain before the cold of winter hits. Your horse will need all the nutrition it can get to last a long winter.
A horse living in a pasture offers you low-maintenance and less time commitment than a stabled horse. However a pastured horse should not be neglected simply because he is free in a field. Observing your horse will help will help to maintain its health.
