For horse owners, turnout is more than just a chance for horses to stretch their legs and enjoy the fresh air. It’s a vital part of equine management that promotes natural behaviors like grazing, provides essential nutrients, and contributes significantly to physical and mental well-being. 

Turnout can also serve as a practical, cost-effective way to meet your horse’s dietary needs—especially when managed well. But how much do we really know about what our horses are consuming while they’re out on pasture?

At Mad Barn, our mission is to provide the most current, practical, and science-backed equine nutrition advice available. To do that effectively, we—and our partners in the equine industry—need a deeper, evidence-based understanding of how turnout is managed.

While many owners rely on pasture as a primary source of forage, the quality, quantity, and nutritional composition can vary widely depending on factors such as region, grazing time, pasture condition, and management strategies.

That’s why we’ve launched an exciting new study to explore how horse turnout is practiced across North America. In collaboration with Dr. Katrina Merkies, PhD, and Alessia Masini (MSc Candidate) at the University of Guelph, we’re working to better understand the decisions horse owners make around pasture use and management — and how those choices help shape their horse’s nutrition, health, and overall well-being. 

The insights gained from this research will be invaluable—not just to us, but to horse owners everywhere. Our goal is to identify common trends in turnout routines, assess how these practices influence equine diet and health, and use this information to create science-backed recommendations that are practical and effective. 

Whether you’re managing a competitive athlete, a retired companion, or anything in between, this study will help you make more informed decisions that support better outcomes for your horse.

But we can’t do this without your help. Your participation is essential to the success of this research. By taking just 10 minutes to complete our survey, you’ll be directly contributing to a project that aims to improve equine care on a broad scale.

Ready to make a difference? Our quick survey takes just 10 minutes per horse, and your input will directly shape the future of equine nutrition and pasture management.

As a thank-you, you’ll be entered for a chance to win $1,000 in Mad Barn products — giving you the opportunity to treat your horses while supporting a project that benefits the entire horse community.

Your voice matters. Join us today and help advance practical, science-backed care for horses everywhere.

Visit https://madbarn.com/equine-turnout-research-study