Doing it their way

Another really important aspect of the track system is giving your horse more autonomy over his own life. If you imagine a more traditional system where horses are often waiting for some form of human interaction to facilitate the next phase of their day — whether that’s turning out, bringing in, feeding, or exercising — these periods where the horse is waiting can become stressful (not always visibly) as their desire to do something is being restricted.

This stress can overflow into obvious stable vices, aggression or naughtiness. Sometimes the horse will start to shut down, with the potential to explode without warning when he becomes overstimulated. With a track, the horse’s life flows from one aspect to another as he works through his own flexible daily routines. That lack of restriction reduces tension and frustration. People often comment on how calm and relaxed the horses at Graveney Equine are.