Femke: "My concept of the Browsing Paddock® arose from the idea that I wanted horses to experience less stress, especially in terms of housing and feeding. As an instructor, I found that I could keep giving endless lessons, but if the housing and feeding management are not in order, then progress is limited. When we optimize the diet and housing, I already see half of the mental and physical problems disappear on average. Good management and the right way of feeding ensure that the horse feels better in its skin."

What is a Browsing Paddock®?

The concept that Femke has developed is called the Browsing Paddock®. This housing system includes a number of fixed elements. Femke: "I always talk about the 'Big 5': Movement, Bonding, Ground, Browsing, and Biodiversity. Movement is one of the most important pillars of the system. Horses are naturally herd animals. Their goal is to find food, water, and resting places, and for that, they move all day. Staying in motion is also important for safety, as it keeps predators at bay. And movement is good for staying healthy. In nature, horses walk 10 to 30 kilometers a day. A horse's body is made to move continuously."

Tracks and fences

"In the wild, horses create their own tracks or paths. Horses are creatures of habit, using the same routes repeatedly. A fixed element in a Browsing Paddock® is therefore the tracks. In a paddock, horses cannot wear down tracks themselves, as they do in nature, so we construct them with fences. Even in a small paddock, they will still be in motion. My own paddock is only 1,600 square meters! A pitfall is that people only create large straight tracks. Even in large paddocks, you can create small paths. You can use clever tricks such as closing certain openings and creating snack spots and feed spots spread throughout the area. This motivates horses to keep moving. Straight tracks are practical, also for tractors to pick up manure and deliver feed, and also nice to trot on. In the indoor area, you can create winding paths," Femke suggests.

Connection between horses

The second B stands for 'bonding', Femke explains. "Or rather, connection, alliances, and family ties. That is a very important pillar for me as well. Because a horse is naturally a herd animal, which cannot live and survive without other horses. In the wild, horses have deep, lifelong friendships. In horse husbandry, we humans put the groups together. We determine who stands with whom and we mix different breeds, and therefore different cultures and habits, together. Those horses don't always understand each other, they often have different ways of communicating. This causes a lot of stress for many of our domesticated horses. Often we don't see it, but it is there. A herd must be stable and functional. When it is not, stress occurs."

Who is the weakest link?

When giving advice to a horse owner about their paddock, Femke always looks at the composition of the herd. "I take into account horses in general and the individual needs of the animals in the specific group. Every form of natural housing takes into account the weakest link. This could be an older horse, or a sick horse, or a horse with an injury, or one that is very submissive. Sometimes I also advise that an animal does not fit in the group. In that case, it is wise to find another place for this horse. This can be very difficult for people, but in the end, it is better for all horses. I give a lot of advice on integrating horses and guide the process of how to best add a horse to a group. This is also very stressful for horses. For the entire group, it is important for there to be cohesion and as little stress as possible."

Different types of ground

The third B in the Big 5 stands for 'ground'. Femke: "In the Netherlands, the ground is a challenge. In nature, a horse encounters many different surfaces in a day. This includes rocky surfaces and even water. This helps a horse develop its balance, is good for the hoof mechanism, the core muscles, and proprioception. The latter is a difficult word for body awareness. The hooves contain sensors for this, the 'proprioceptors'. These are tactile organs, like fingers, that stimulate the horse's proprioception. A horse with good proprioception knows where its body is in space, where its legs are, and how to maintain balance on uneven surfaces. In the Netherlands, almost everything is flat, a flat pasture, a flat arena, flat on a trail ride... In the Browsing Paddock®, I try to replicate different surfaces. This is also good for the hoof mechanism and the circulation of the lower legs, and the hooves wear down naturally. We use different types of surfaces. Not just sand or stone, but diversity. For example, by adding gravel or mixed granulate, wood chips, lava, or peach stones. There is a lot of possibilities!" Femke explains.

Browsing: grazing at different heights

"Horses are not only grazers, but also browsers. About 80% of the time, a horse in nature is in a grazing position: anything where the head comes below the front knee to the ground. The head is straight down, not tilted. When browsing, a horse has its head higher, from the front knee to ear height, and everything in between, in different positions. Browsing usually involves nibbling on trees, bushes, and other plants. Or eating on uneven terrain, with the front legs higher. In nature, a horse has all sorts of variable eating positions, and we try to replicate that well in the Browsing Paddock®. This can be done by adding edible greens, and using variable feeding heights. For example, by hanging small hay nets with a variety of herbs and plants in them, at different heights. Choice is important, so make sure there are many nets at different heights. This trains your horse's deeper muscle positions. These are almost never trained in riding or groundwork. Thanks to this 'passive physio', a horse's posture becomes more stable and strong. To further improve proprioception, you can also add elements such as tree trunks or car tires on the track. When there are such obstacles on the route, your horse has to pay attention to where it places its legs. For most of the day, a horse is 'free'. By adding these elements to your housing, the horse can stay physically and mentally fit by training itself in the hours when you are not with it."

Biodiversity: add nature to the paddock

"The last B stands for biodiversity," says Femke. A Browsing Paddock® is also a place for nature, with a variety of plants, where other animal species such as insects and amphibians also have a place. This also has a positive effect on the horses. You can plant shrubs and trees in small plots alongside the tracks. Overeating is not desirable. So you have to protect the plants. Electric fencing is then your best friend. Only when the plants have grown can the horses start nibbling and browsing. The goal is for everything growing within your fence to be eaten, and anything not eaten to be burned away by the electric wire. People often grab the hedge trimmers, but I prefer it to grow through. Ultimately, a mixed horse hedge behind the electric fence creates a natural enclosure. Use native species and see what grows in your own area. Trees and shrubs that you can use for a horse hedge include birch, willow, ash, alder, poplar, and hawthorn. But I also like to experiment. You can also use a non-native species from time to time. But do not work with exotics without knowledge. One of my favorite plants is the cardoon, which resembles an artichoke plant. Horses enjoy the leaves and faded flowers, and the plant is popular with bumblebees and grows easily. And rose hips, of course, are also an easy treat."

Is my space big enough?

"Regardless of how much or how little land you have, you can create a Browsing Paddock® from anything," says Femke. "Anything is better than being in a stall. For example, if you have 800 m2 and two Shetland ponies, you can already do a lot with that. It is also not as expensive as people often think. And it doesn't have to be all at once, you can add things gradually. Just start step by step, even if it is just by leaving the stable door open so they can choose whether they want to be outside or inside. Start by observing how your horses move through the space and mark out some paths with stakes and tape. From there, you can further develop it, it doesn't have to be all at once," Femke advises.

Femke Dölle has the smallest Browsing Paddock® in the Netherlands at only 1,600m2. She is a true inspirator, horse influencer, and innovative thinker in the field of natural housing. Femke guides horse owners with training, feeding management, and horse housing and is also an Official Ambassador Passive Physio®.

www.femkedolle.nl