Pasture during fall could be a source of inexpensive feed for horses, but the lushness of the grass can conceal some issues that bear watching. Horses are prone to digestion-related issues and founder when they feed on fall grass or early spring grass.
Horses need to adjust to the change in climate. Change in climate is accompanied by change in pasture, while supplements of hay and grain and fallen leaves can cause chaos in your horse's digestive tract.
Here is some guidance.
1. When you switch from one sort of diet to another, like pasture to hay-based, ease your horse steadily into it. A good system would be to go in slow steps, changing between 10 and 15% of old hay with new and increasing the proportion once in 3 days.
2. If you're supplementing with grain, start extremely slowly with small amounts of less than a pound per feed. Don't include grain in excess of 4 pounds at any one feed.
3. Stay alert to the indisputable fact that fall's cool weather, particularly if it is also wet, may cause changes to grass nutritional balance.
4. Keep a continuous watch out for indicators of digestive problems when changing diets. Look out for gas, distension of the gut, diarrhoea or even severe colic.
5. With decrease in pasture quality and quantity, horses tend to experiment with other plants. Events of plant-based poisoning occur most during fall; be very alert to symptoms of poisoning. Symptoms differ for different poison sources, so take the trouble of acquainting yourself with common poison plants in pasture and their symptoms and cure.
6. Plants like horse nettle, perpetual rye grass fungus and white snakeroot are far more toxic during the fall season. Eating acorns in big quantities can also lead directly to difficulties.
7. To wrap up, don't leave behind big quantities of freshly raked leaves in your pasture. Horses like to eat these leaves, but they are awfully dense and capable of compacting while passing thru the colon. This may cause compaction colic. The danger of the presence of toxic varieties such as Red Maple and Black Walnut is also high.
While trying to exploit the advantages to your horse's health and your pocket that fall pasture offers, stay alert to possible issues of digestion.
Horses need to adjust to the change in climate. Change in climate is accompanied by change in pasture, while supplements of hay and grain and fallen leaves can cause chaos in your horse's digestive tract.
Here is some guidance.
1. When you switch from one sort of diet to another, like pasture to hay-based, ease your horse steadily into it. A good system would be to go in slow steps, changing between 10 and 15% of old hay with new and increasing the proportion once in 3 days.
2. If you're supplementing with grain, start extremely slowly with small amounts of less than a pound per feed. Don't include grain in excess of 4 pounds at any one feed.
3. Stay alert to the indisputable fact that fall's cool weather, particularly if it is also wet, may cause changes to grass nutritional balance.
4. Keep a continuous watch out for indicators of digestive problems when changing diets. Look out for gas, distension of the gut, diarrhoea or even severe colic.
5. With decrease in pasture quality and quantity, horses tend to experiment with other plants. Events of plant-based poisoning occur most during fall; be very alert to symptoms of poisoning. Symptoms differ for different poison sources, so take the trouble of acquainting yourself with common poison plants in pasture and their symptoms and cure.
6. Plants like horse nettle, perpetual rye grass fungus and white snakeroot are far more toxic during the fall season. Eating acorns in big quantities can also lead directly to difficulties.
7. To wrap up, don't leave behind big quantities of freshly raked leaves in your pasture. Horses like to eat these leaves, but they are awfully dense and capable of compacting while passing thru the colon. This may cause compaction colic. The danger of the presence of toxic varieties such as Red Maple and Black Walnut is also high.
While trying to exploit the advantages to your horse's health and your pocket that fall pasture offers, stay alert to possible issues of digestion.
About the Author:
Horses are Heather Toms passion and she
enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about horse rugs
enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about horse rugs
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