As warm weather approaches and pastures turn lush and green, gradually introducing horses to spring pastures can help prevent diseases and conditions related to nutrition and diet, including colic and laminitis.
Easy does it with pasture time
Gradually introducing horses to spring pastures can help prevent diseases and conditions related to nutrition and diet, including colic and laminitis.
Horse nutritionists and veterinarians recommend that horses should be limited in the amount of pasture grazing time at certain times of the year, especially in spring time when rapid green growth is prevalent.
According to the Extension Service at Michigan State University, it is important to begin easing horses onto spring time pastures in 15 to 30 minute increments to reduce the chance of laminitis. The time spent in the pasture can gradually be increased over the course of several weeks.
Rapid intake of starches or fructans (a sugar) stored in pasture plants can cause laminitis. Fructans are the primary reserve carbohydrate stored in cool season grasses like orchardgrass, bromegrass, and timothy. Sugar content is highest when grass is in the vegetative state (early spring and during re-growth); during periods of cool nights and warm sunny days (fall or early spring); after a hard freeze; and during drought conditions. Careful pasture management by horse owners with sensitive horses is essential.
Colic is another condition that can be minimized by good pasture management. Some pasture forages, such as legumes, can cause gas in the digestive system when quick diet changes are made. So dietary changes should be made slowly over time, including slow induction to pastures
Grazing should also be limited during times of environmental stress on plants such as drought. It is important not to over graze pastures as the lowest stems often contain the highest amount of sugar. Avoid grazing on pastures with lots of seed heads as they also contain high amounts of sugar.