Tag: potassium

Grasses & The Problems They Present

18 April, 2023

Grasses are a common component of a horse’s diet, but not all grasses are created equal. Some grasses can contain compounds that cause symptoms and health issues in horses. In this article, we’ll explore some of the common grasses that can cause problems for horses. Fluorescing pigments are found in some grasses, such as rye, clover, lucerne, St John’s wort, buttercup, and plantain. These pigments give the grass a dark green color, but they can also cause photophobia and photosensitization in horses. Horses that consume these grasses may develop symptoms such as mud-fever and sunburn. Oxalate is another compound that…

Grass Affected Horse – How do you know if it is the grass?

17 May, 2016

If its Autumn or Spring, the risk is highest, however certain grasses, supplements and feeds can affect some horses all year long. A ‘Grass Affected’ horse is one where one or multiple aspects of their diet are adversely affecting their health and behaviour. This usually originates from the forage (grass) but can be further exacerbated by the addition of other potassium rich feeds to their diet. The fastest way to create a ‘Grass Affected’ horse is to graze them on dairy pasture or other pasture that has been fertilized with potash, super-phosphate, DAP, Urea, NPK etc. This is enough to create a…