Go to Part 2: How to Start Planning Your Own Track System—a complete guide to design, layout, terrain textures, feeding strategies, and more.
Go to Part 3: Best Products for Your Track System (coming soon) — products that you can add to your paddock paradise.
Go to Part 4: Tract System Examples and Management Strategies (coming soon)
What Is It, and How Did It Start?
Paddock Paradise is a natural boarding concept developed by Jaime Jackson, a former farrier turned natural hoof care advocate. Based on his four-year study of free-roaming wild horses in the Great Basin during the 1980s, Jackson observed that mustangs moved continuously across varied terrain, lived in structured social groups, foraged as they walked, and maintained healthy, resilient hooves without human intervention.
These findings led him to question traditional domestic horsekeeping systems, which he found to be more suitable for predatory species than prey animals like horses. Horses confined to stalls or small paddocks often suffer physical and mental decline due to lack of movement and stimulation.
“We have in our ignorance created systems of confinement that are actually suitable for animals of predation.” — Jaime Jackson
In response, Jackson developed Paddock Paradise: a track-based system designed to mimic the wild horse lifestyle and stimulate natural behaviors essential to equine health.
Inspired by the Wild: Jaime Jackson’s Mustang Research
If you’re interested in the full story behind how Paddock Paradise was developed—from wild mustang research to natural horsekeeping principles—you can explore it in Jaime Jackson’s original book.
Jackson’s study of mustangs revealed several critical lessons:
Movement: Wild horses sometimes travel 20+ miles daily, driven by the search for food, water, and minerals. This constant movement shapes their bodies and hooves (Jackson, 2007).
Tracks and paths: Horses establish well-defined trails or “tracks” through their home ranges, which guide daily movement and social interaction.
Rolling and grooming: Dust baths and mutual grooming are routine and socially significant. Wild horses roll in mud, which helps repel biting insects and may contribute to the health and vibrance of their coats. These behaviors are not only important for social bonding and hygiene but also function as natural parasite control and coat maintenance strategies.
Natural hoof wear: Wild horses’ hooves are conditioned not only by abrasive surfaces like lava beds and pumice fields, but also through consistent exposure to water, mud, and varied terrain. These elements work together to clean, soften, and then harden the hoof capsule, promoting durable, naturally shaped hooves through environmental stimulation and behavior-driven movement.
Diet: Mustangs browse and nibble continuously on coarse grasses and mineral-rich plants, rarely overeating.
There is anecdotal evidence and ecological theory suggesting that tree bark—especially from species like willow or aspen—may contribute antiparasitic compounds such as salicylates or tannins, though more research is needed in equine-specific studies.Social structure: Horses live in family bands with clear hierarchies, including an alpha mare who leads and an alpha stallion who drives the group.
The Power of Environment
One of Jackson’s most telling stories involves a 14-year-old mare with clubfoot and chronic laminitis. After a few months living on a Paddock Paradise track at the AANHCP Field Headquarters, her stress rings and hoof splits vanished. Her hooves became naturally shaped and rock-hard, requiring minimal trimming. She moved soundly and confidently across challenging terrain, mimicking the conditions of wild horses.
What Is a Paddock Paradise?
Paddock Paradise is not just a layout; it’s an environmental simulation designed to:
Stimulate natural movement
Encourage constant foraging
Support social interaction
Expose horses to varied terrain and natural elements
At its core is a track system: a looping corridor enclosed by a perimeter fence and an inner electric fence, usually 10–15 feet apart. Along this track are placed:
Hay feeding stations (using nets or slow feeders to simulate browsing)
Water sources (ideally at ground level)
Dusting areas for rolling
Shade and shelter
Strategic mineral licks or calcium deposits
This layout mimics the natural lifestyle and instincts of horses, resulting in healthier, more resilient animals.
Research shows:
That when horses are restricted in key areas—such as social contact, companionship, free movement, and access to roughage—they begin to exhibit clear signs of suffering. Evidence consistently points to the development of abnormal behaviors and passive coping strategies in response to these restrictions. Such behavioral changes are recognized indicators of poor welfare and were observed not only when individual needs were limited, but also when two or more of these basic needs were restricted simultaneously. (Krueger et al., 2021)
Benefits of the Paddock Paradise Model
“Paddock Paradise aims to open the door to the missing freedom and lifestyle of their natural world.” — Jaime Jackson
🤔 Mental Stimulation
Reduces vices like cribbing or weaving
Fosters natural play, grooming, and hierarchy formation
Encourages horses to explore, paw, dig, and roll
🐾 Hoof Health
Encourages natural wear and promotes balance
Decreases laminitic risk by avoiding lush pasture
Supports frog development and functional biomechanics
🧵 Digestive Health
Mimics natural browsing (over 60% of daily time in the wild is spent eating)
Reduces incidence of colic and ulcers linked to grain-rich, sedentary diets and absence of movement and companionship.
🌳 Environmental Enrichment
Promotes self-care behaviors like mud rolling for parasite resistance. This behavior, also observed in other equid species, serves as a natural insect repellent and skin protectant
Exposes hooves to water, stones, gravel, dust, and grass — all contributing to hoof conditioning
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paddock Paradise suitable for all climates?
Yes, with proper drainage and shelter, it can be adapted to cold, wet, or dry conditions. Substrate and shelter materials may vary depending on your region.
Can it work with only one horse?
While it’s ideal for groups, even solo horses benefit from environmental stimulation and movement if tracks are enriched with browsing stations, toys, and varied terrain. Just remember that horses are herd animals, and they should not be alone.
Do horses need to be barefoot?
Ideally, yes—natural hoof wear is a core benefit. Transitioning from shoes requires a thoughtful process, which we’ll cover in a future post. Although some track systems have shod horses, mainly front-shod. We will be talking about this in the other sections.
Coming Up Next: How to Plan Your Own Paddock Paradise
In the next article, we’ll cover the practical side:
How many horses can your track accommodate?
What size and shape work best?
How do you adapt it to your land, shelter, and water access?
What elements must be included for success?
Go to Part 2: How to Start Planning Your Own Track System—a complete guide to design, layout, terrain textures, feeding strategies, and more.
Go to Part 3: Best Products for Your Track System— products that you can add to your paddock paradise.
Go to Part 4: Track System Examples and Management Strategies
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References
Christensen, Janne Winther, et al. “Effects of Individual versus Group Stabling on Social Behaviour in Domestic Stallions.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 75, no. 3, Jan. 2002, pp. 233–248, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0168-1591(01)00196-4. Accessed 31 Oct. 2019.
CROWELL-DAVIS, SHARON L. “Social Behaviour of the Horse and Its Consequences for Domestic Management.” Equine Veterinary Education, vol. 5, no. 3, June 1993, pp. 148–150, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3292.1993.tb01025.x. Accessed 14 July 2025.
Hartmann, Elke, et al. “Keeping Horses in Groups: A Review.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 136, no. 2-4, Jan. 2012, pp. 77–87, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159111003091, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2011.10.004.
Jackson, Jaime. Paddock Paradise : A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding. Harrison, Arkansas, Star Ridge Publishing, 2018.
Krueger, Konstanze, et al. “Basic Needs in Horses?—a Literature Review.” Animals, vol. 11, no. 6, 16 June 2021, p. 1798, www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1798, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061798.
Laura Torres Borda, et al. “Equine Social Behaviour: Love, War and Tolerance.” Animals, vol. 13, no. 9, 26 Apr. 2023, pp. 1473–1473, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091473.
Maeda, Tamao, et al. “Aerial Drone Observations Identified a Multilevel Society in Feral Horses.” Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1, 8 Jan. 2021, p. 71, www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79790-1, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79790-1.
Pollock, J. “Welfare Lessons of Equine Social Behaviour.” Equine Veterinary Journal, vol. 19, no. 2, Mar. 1987, pp. 86–89, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1987.tb02592.x.
Van, Claude. The Importance of Social Relationships in Horses : Het Belang van Sociale Relaties Voor Paarden (Met Een Samenvatting in Het Nederlands). Amsterdam, 2006.
Watts, Kathryn A. “Forage and Pasture Management for Laminitic Horses.” Clinical Techniques in Equine Practice, vol. 3, no. 1, Mar. 2004, pp. 88–95, https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ctep.2004.07.009.
Whisher, Lindsay, et al. “Effects of Environmental Factors on Cribbing Activity by Horses.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 135, no. 1-2, Nov. 2011, pp. 63–69, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2011.09.001.
Wow—this introduction to Paddock Paradise really opened my eyes! I’ve been contemplating ways to help my gelding, who used to live in a standard paddock, move more naturally. Reading how this track-style setup mimics wild horse behavior—traveling 5–18 miles a day for water, forage, and shelter—was truly inspiring.
Since transitioning him onto a mini-track we installed this spring, I’ve already noticed he’s more alert, seems mentally stimulated, and appears to enjoy foraging along the way—just like in the wild. The idea of adding varied terrain and watering stations is next on our to-do list!
Have you tried incorporating rolling or mud-bath areas into your track? And what creative feeders or browse plants have your horses responded to the most? Looking forward to swapping experiences so we can all help our horses thrive!
Hello Alice, I am glad that the Paddock Paradise is working for you, having somewhere for the horses to roll is very important, as they not only enjoy it but this is a defense mechanism against the sun and insects, the bud baths will also help with hoof shaping and getting the horse’s coat a good shine. There are several feeders and browse plants that I will be talking about in the next posts, hope you stay to read!