Equines are prey animals; their main form of defense is flight which requires sight 👀 and sound👂 to detect predators in conjunction with other herd members standing guard and alerting each other. An equine may experience psychological tension if by themselves and/or sight and sound are impaired. They feel more secure and safe when eating from ground level in an open area (unobstructed peripheral vision) with herd mates. Equines typically prefer to eat outside in the open if given a choice - despite most weather conditions 🌧☀❄. Mother nature provides them with a very effective thermoregulation system. Equines are stoic💪 by nature and do not always exhibit outward signs of stress because that would make them more vulnerable to prey, appearing as a weak individual in the herd. Providing multiple locations to eat from encourages movement and allows them to choose where they are most mentally comfortable. An enclosed confining area (stall or shed with sides) would be most human’s choice for physical and mental comfort in the elements, but we are not prey! Providing your herd with appropriate shelter from the elements with free choice forage🌿 available in multiple locations allows them to be as mentally comfortable as possible and encourages a more natural lifestyle. Learn more about equine behavior 👉 follow the link in bio 👉 tap on Blog Posts – Organized By Topic 👉 tap on Behavior