Time budget studies focus on the amount of time individual animals allocate to mutually exclusive activities. In the wild, horses’ behavioural patterns revolve around maintenance behaviour and reproduction (Forgacz 1999). They have evolved as nomadic, trickle feeding, prey animals. Hence, they don't necessarily suit the confines of a domestic environment where their “mutually exclusive activities” may include stereotypical behaviour.

Various time budgeting studies have shown that “the behaviour of horses within the domestic management system was significantly different to that of the wild horses” (Forgacz, 1999). In one study domestic horses spent less time in motion, foraging or lying flat than wild horses (Forgacz, 1999). This accords with earlier studies, reported by Kiley-Worthington (1987), which show that wild horses graze for approximately 60% of their time. Even those in various forms of domestic management system, but given access to unrestricted forage, will tend to perform ingestive functions for around 47 - 57% of the time.