Don’t Let Your Horse Over-Indulge on Lush, Spring Pasture

Spring has sprung and with it comes greener pastures. Horses in cold climates have been restricted to hay for several months. But with the warmer weather, new, lush grass begins to grow and oh, how your horse will enjoy it!

Like any feeding change, introduce your horse slowly to pasture. Allowing horses to immediately graze as much as they want after eating hay all winter long can result in serious issues like colic or laminitis.

To avoid overeating, start your horses out gradually on pasture grass. A good rule of thumb is to increase grazing time by an hour each day over a period of several days.

As your horses spend more time turned out on pasture, make sure to monitor their eating habits and overall health. Their behavior will clue you in on whether you’re providing too much, too fast. Loose stools and changes in eating patterns are red flags that maybe their diet change isn’t agreeing with them. If that’s the case, feel free to back off a bit until the horse recovers. Remember, all horses are different and produce different responses to changes in diet.

Other signs that your horse may be getting too much grass too soon include a bloated belly when he comes in from the pasture and acting “logy”; you know, the same way you feel after Thanksgiving dinner! Again, you can avoid these symptoms by gradually increasing your horse’s grazing time.

Remember, your horse has the rest of spring, summer, and fall to enjoy his pasture. Make his transition a slow, steady one to avoid any digestive or long-term health problems.

Independence Sale!
Click for Details