When Can You Turn Horses Out In Spring Grass?

It is tempting to turn horses out into spring pastures at the first sight of green grass, especially after a long winter. However, spring grazing should be introduced slowly and delayed until grasses reach 6 to 8″ to optimize both the health of the horse and pasture.

Can spring grass cause colic in horses?

Spring grasses are higher in Non-Structural Carbohydrates, (NSC’s), starch and sugars, like fructan and low in fibre, especially during rapid growth phases. A sudden increase of fresh spring grass in a horse’s diet can change the pH in the hindgut and cause all sorts of health issues including colic.

How does spring grass affect horses?

Many riders notice that after grazing on spring grass their horses become spooky, nervous and excitable. In extreme cases they are impossible to ride. In addition to the sudden increase of sugar in their diet, the cause of this behavior is the insufficient level of magnesium in spring grass.

What time of day is grass safe for horses?

Therefore the safest time to graze is generally between 4 am and 9 /10 am. Unless the overnight temperature has dropped below 5C or 40 F. This causes the grass to shut down and store/accumulate sugars. Therefore several days of low overnight temps and sunny days are extremely hazardous for grazing.

Can you put a horse out to pasture?

Begin by turning the horse out to pasture for only 15 minutes a day, preferably after he has eaten his hay. Continue the 15 minutes of grazing for several days and then increase turnout time in 10 minute increments each day until the horse is grazing for 3 to 4 hours each day.

How long should horses graze on spring grass?

Once the pastures are ready to graze, begin with short grazing periods for the first few days (15-30 minutes per day). Slowly increase the grazing periods by an additional 15-30 minutes per day until the horse is grazing for 3-4 hours daily.

Can a horse founder on spring grass?

While it may be picturesque to see our horses out grazing on lush spring pasture, an abrupt switch from hay and brown pasture over the winter to the green grass of spring can cause a major disruption in your horse’s GI flora, potentially resulting in colic and/or founder.

How do you calm a horse in spring grass?

Keeping horses calm on spring grass
Magnesium is known to play a key role in behaviour, and recent research has shown that when a magnesium and herbal blend is supplemented to reactive horses, it was shown to support focus and a calm outlook, without any signs of sedation.

What time is sugar highest in grass?

afternoon
Sugar content of grasses is higher in the afternoon than in the morning and sugar content is lowest at night, so grazing should be restricted to the safest times of the day to graze, early morning and night times.

Can spring grass cause ulcers in horses?

Endotoxins and exotoxins could then enter the horses’s system, leading to colonic ulcers, laminitis, and even colic – in any horse.

What time of year is sugar lowest in grass?

Sugars accumulate in grass when there is abundant sunlight but factors limit growth. What times of the day or night are “safer” to turn horses out on pasture considering those factors? When conditions for grass growth are optimum, sugar levels are lowest from about 3AM to 10AM.

When can horses graze new grass?

The interval between sowing and leaving the new seeds to establish will normally be 5 – 6 weeks. When the new seeds are sufficiently established, graze lightly for several days, before removing the animals and allowing the area to recover for 2 – 3 weeks.

Is it better to turn horses out at night or during the day?

Turnout at night helps horses avoid the bugs and humidity of summer. Consider herd dynamics. If every horse in your herd has been turned out at night before and they are all friends, they will probably adapt easily to the new schedule.

How long should horses be on grass?

The recommended rule of thumb is to let horses graze for one week, or until the short grass species (Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass) are 2 to 3 inches high and the tall grass species are 3 to 4 inches high.

How do you transition a horse to a grass pasture?

How to Wean a Horse Back Onto Grass

1. Allow your horse to graze for 15 minutes for a few days.
2. Increase your horse’s grazing time by 10 minutes each day until the horse can comfortably graze for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Maintain a 4-hour grazing period for two weeks.
4. Allow unlimited turnout and a full grass diet.

Can I keep 2 horses on 1 acre?

In general, professionals recommend two acres for the first horse and an additional acre for each additional horse (e.g., five acres for four horses). And, of course, more land is always better depending on the foraging quality of your particular property (70% vegetative cover is recommended).

When should I start grazing in the spring?

It is easy to find recommendations to delay grazing spring pastures until grass is 8 to 10 inches tall. Under continuous stocking systems this may help protect grass from overgrazing.

Why does spring grass cause laminitis?

In spring, when horses consume the lush grass, the extra starches and sugars ferment in the horses’ gastrointestinal tracts. This fermentation affects the balance of bacteria in the GI tract, which in turn can trigger laminitis.

How do you prepare a horse pasture in the spring?

Applying nitrogen early in early spring jump starts plant growth. Phosphorus (P) improves plant quality and root development. Potassium (K) helps the plant survive disease and stressful periods such as drought or freezing. These are ideally applied after the horses have first grazed.

How do you prevent laminitis in spring?

5 tips to prevent spring laminitis

1. Avoid grazing overweight horses and ponies on spring grass.
2. Test susceptible horses for insulin resistance.
3. Manage body weight.
4. Older horses should be tested for Equine Cushings Disease.
5. Re assess the diet.

What happens if a horse eats fertilized grass?

The consumption of too much nitrogen or potassium through fertilized hay or grass can be deadly. The solution is simple. The next time you are on a farm and you see a salt or mineral block (or even a salt rock, which are popular these days), please tell the owners to throw them away as they may be killing their horses.