Spring is a welcome change for both horses and their owners. The days become warmer, grass begins to grow rapidly and paddocks can suddenly look lush and green.
But while spring grass may look like the perfect natural food for your horse, young, rapidly growing grass can contain high levels of readily available carbohydrates and may provide considerably less fibre than mature pasture or hay. For some horses, this sudden change in diet can have a significant impact on their health.
The effects can range from changes in behaviour and digestion through to weight gain, insulin dysregulation and inflammation, in susceptible horses, this lead to hoof problems and Laminitis.
Understanding what happens when your horse starts eating large amounts of spring grass can help you make sensible management changes before problems develop.
Why Spring Grass Can Be Different
Young, green, rapidly growing grass is very different nutritionally from mature grass.
As grass matures, it develops more stalk and becomes more fibrous. Young spring grass, on the other hand, can contain considerably more non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), including sugars and starches, while providing less structural fibre.
The amount of carbohydrate in pasture can vary depending on grass species, weather, temperature, sunlight, rainfall, drought stress and how closely the pasture has been grazed.
This is particularly important for horses that are prone to insulin dysregulation, Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), obesity or Laminitis.
Spring Grass Can Affect More Than the Hooves
When a horse suddenly has access to large amounts of lush grass, the effects may not immediately appear as Laminitis.
You may first notice changes in your horse’s:
- Appetite
- Weight
- Behaviour
- Energy levels
- Manure
- Digestion
- Body condition
- Hooves
- General attitude
- Metabolic health
Some horses seem to become completely focused on eating. Others may become more excitable, distracted or difficult to concentrate when ridden.
These changes shouldn’t automatically be blamed on “spring fever”. A sudden increase in access to lush grass represents a significant dietary change and is worth considering when your horse’s behaviour or condition changes.
Behavioural Changes
One of the first things owners may notice in spring is a change in behaviour.
A horse that was previously calm may become:
- More excitable or reactive
- Easily distracted
- More difficult to concentrate when ridden
- Reluctant to leave the paddock
- Extremely focused on eating
- Restless when grazing is restricted
- More demanding around feeding time
Some horses appear to have an almost obsessive appetite for grass, continually trying to get their head down to eat. Your original source identifies an intense focus on eating and difficulty keeping the horse’s head up as one of the signs associated with insulin resistance.
Behaviour alone cannot tell you whether your horse has insulin dysregulation, but a noticeable change in behaviour alongside weight gain, a cresty neck, fat deposits or foot soreness is worth taking seriously.
Weight Gain and Insulin Dysregulation
Spring grass can provide a surprising amount of energy.
Horses and ponies are extremely efficient grazers, and even pasture that doesn’t look particularly abundant can provide significant amounts of feed. This is especially important for easy-keeping horses and ponies.
Excess energy intake can contribute to weight gain and increased body fat. In susceptible horses, this may be associated with insulin dysregulation and EMS.
Importantly, not every horse with insulin dysregulation is obviously overweight. Some leaner horses can also be affected, which is why body condition and other signs need to be considered together.
Signs worth watching for include:
- Gaining weight easily
- A cresty neck
- Fat deposits behind the shoulders or around the tail head
- Fat around the sheath
- Excessive appetite
- Lethargy
- Increased thirst or urination
- Sore or sensitive feet
- Recurrent Laminitis
If you notice several of these signs, it is important to be proactive and don’t ignore them!
The Hindgut and Digestive Health
The horse’s digestive system is designed around eating large quantities of fibrous forage for much of the day.
The hindgut contains a complex population of microorganisms responsible for fermenting fibre. When the diet contains excessive amounts of readily available carbohydrate and insufficient fibre, this balance can be disrupted.
Signs to watch for:
- Loose or sloppy manure
- Changes in manure consistency
- Increased gas
- Digestive upset
- Changes in appetite
- A generally unsettled horse
Why Fibre Is So Important
Fibre is the foundation of a healthy equine diet.
Mature grass, appropriate hay, chaff and other suitable high-fibre feeds provide the structural fibre that the horse’s digestive system is designed to process.
Fibre also encourages chewing and saliva production and provides a major source of energy through hindgut fermentation.
The challenge with spring grass is that a horse can spend hours grazing and still consume a diet that is disproportionately high in readily available carbohydrate.
Spring Grass and Laminitis
For some horses, the most serious consequence of excessive spring grass intake can be Laminitis.
Laminitis is extremely painful and can cause damage to the structures supporting the pedal bone within the hoof. Laminitis associated with insulin dysregulation is now recognised as a major form of Laminitis, and lush pasture can be an important trigger in susceptible horses.
Early Laminitis can be surprisingly subtle.
You may notice:
- Foot soreness
- Reluctance to walk on hard ground
- Shorter steps
- Difficulty turning
- A horse that seems uncomfortable after trimming or shoeing
- Increased digital pulses
- Warm feet
- Recurrent episodes of foot soreness
A horse doesn’t need to be dramatically lame for Laminitis to be present.
If you suspect Laminitis, you must act fast to help prevent further damage and pain. Download our laminitis support guide for more information.
Don’t Forget Mineral Balance
Rapidly growing pasture can also alter the balance of nutrients available to the horse.
Mineral requirements vary according to the pasture, hay, workload, age and individual horse, so supplementation should be based on the overall diet rather than simply adding large amounts of individual minerals.
A good-quality vitamin and mineral supplement can help fill nutritional gaps where the diet requires it.
What Can You Do?
The aim isn’t necessarily to prevent every horse from enjoying spring pasture.
The important thing is to understand how much grass your horse is consuming, what type of grass they are eating and how well that grass suits their individual needs.
1. Introduce Spring Grass Gradually
Avoid suddenly turning a horse from a dry paddock or hay-based diet onto a lush spring paddock.
Gradual changes give the digestive system more time to adapt.
2. Monitor Body Condition
Don’t wait until your horse is visibly overweight.
Regularly check their body condition and monitor areas such as the crest, shoulders, ribs and tail head.
3. Provide Adequate Fibre
Keep suitable hay available where appropriate and consider the overall amount and quality of fibre your horse is receiving.
For horses that need their sugar intake controlled, forage testing can be particularly useful because sugar and NSC levels can vary considerably between hays and pastures.
4. Control Pasture Intake
Depending on the horse, management options can include:
Strip grazing:
Fence off smaller sections of pasture and move the fence regularly.
Grazing muzzle:
A properly fitted grazing muzzle can reduce pasture intake while still allowing turnout and movement. Introduce it gradually and monitor the horse carefully.
Restricted grazing:
Some horses may need their access to pasture reduced or restricted, particularly if they are overweight or have EMS or previous Laminitis.
Track systems:
Creating a track with electric fencing can encourage movement while controlling access to grass.
Dry lot:
For horses that cannot safely tolerate pasture, a grass-free area can provide a much more controlled environment.
For horses with diagnosed insulin dysregulation or a history of Laminitis, pasture restriction may need to be much stricter and should ideally be planned with your veterinarian or equine nutrition professional.
5. Keep Your Horse Moving
Appropriate exercise is an important part of maintaining a healthy body condition and supporting insulin sensitivity.
However, do not exercise a horse that is showing signs of Laminitis or foot pain without professional advice.
6. Consider Nutritional Support
A balanced vitamin and mineral supplement can help provide nutritional support where pasture or forage doesn’t meet all requirements.
Natural nutritional support can be particularly useful as part of a broader feeding and management program, but supplements should complement good pasture and forage management rather than replace it.
Don’t Wait for Laminitis
One of the biggest mistakes owners can make is waiting until a horse develops sore feet before taking spring grass seriously.
Changes in behaviour, appetite, body condition, manure and energy levels can occur before obvious hoof problems.
If your horse suddenly becomes obsessed with grass, gains weight quickly, develops a cresty neck, becomes unusually excitable or develops changes in manure or foot sensitivity, it’s worth looking at the whole diet rather than simply treating each symptom individually.
Spring grass is not “bad” for every horse. Many healthy horses can graze spring pasture successfully when it is introduced and managed appropriately.
But for horses that are easy keepers, overweight, insulin dysregulated or prone to Laminitis, spring is the time to be proactive rather than reactive.
Spring Management Starts Before Problems Appear
The arrival of lush green grass can be one of the biggest dietary changes your horse experiences throughout the year.
By managing pasture intake, providing appropriate fibre, monitoring body condition, encouraging suitable exercise and paying attention to changes in behaviour and general health, you can help your horse transition through spring more safely.
And remember – a horse doesn’t have to be visibly lame for spring grass to be causing problems.
The earlier you recognise that your horse isn’t coping well with the change in pasture, the sooner you can make adjustments and reduce the risk of more serious problems developing.
If your horse has a history of Laminitis, EMS, insulin dysregulation or unexplained springtime changes in behaviour or condition, follow an appropriate management and testing plan.
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