Many horses suffer unnecessarily with health and behavioural issues because of imbalances in their diet. Most people only think about what they hand feed their horses rather than what grass they are eating and this is just as important to their health. Not all grass is good for horses.
How grass affects horses
It’s not that horses can’t eat any grass. Horses have evolved over millions of years as herbivores and a large part of their diet is meant to be grass. However there is an enormous difference between the grass in the diet of the healthy, wild horse who wanders over vast areas nibbling and browsing a large variety of older grasses, bushes and trees and the grass in the diet of the average domestic horse who is confined to small areas and forced to eat the regrowth or worse the heavily fertilised, so-called ‘improved’ grasses meant for rapid weight-gain and milk production of livestock!!
How do we know it is the grass that causes the problems?
Simple! When you remove green, growing, over-grazed or otherwise stressed grass from the horse’s diet the vast majority of the problems go away. Some of the more serious problems like head-flicking take a bit longer and may need a little more help but the differences seen when the ‘bad’ grass is removed is unmistakable.
Exactly how does grass affect horses?
It is a simple matter of the physiology of the grass affecting the physiology of the horse.
In a nutshell grass requires potassium and nitrogen to grow and therefore sucks it up into the plant at every opportunity. This is facilitated by rainfall as it travels up into the plant with water. It is no coincidence that people report that their horses are ‘worse’ after rain.
Any grass under stress or influenced by certain climatic conditions for example those of early spring and autumn, especially after drought-breaking rains or consecutive cool, cloudy, wet or frosty days, is subject to acute spikes of potassium and nitrate at the same time as being low in sodium. This is exacerbated by nitrogenous fertilisers.
Click on the links below for more information:
Calm Healthy Horses Plan How to keep your horse healthy and calm.
Could it be the Grass? It’s not just the hard feed.
Grass! Which Is Best For Horses & What To Avoid– Includes a list of some of the good grasses and those best avoided.
Grasses & the Problems they Present
Grass Affected Horse – How do you know if it is the grass?
High Sugar diet = Problems for Horses!
Photo-sensitivity.. Sunburn & Mud fever
Laminitis & Founder – What to watch out for
Contact us for further advice or complete our complimentary Horse Questionnaire.
