As the days grow longer and warmer, spring brings a significant change to pasture quality and availability. This seasonal shift is a favourite for many horse owners, but it’s not without its challenges. The surge of fresh spring grass can impact your horse’s diet, requiring adjustments to ensure they receive the right nutrition based on their workload and health needs.
The Impact of Spring Grass on Your Horse’s Diet
Abundant, Moisture-Rich Pasture
Springtime pastures thrive due to warmer soil temperatures and longer daylight hours, leading to increased grass growth. While it’s tempting to let your horse graze freely, it’s important to remember that spring grass is high in moisture, with a Dry Matter (DM) content as low as 15%. This means that for every kilogram of pasture consumed, only 150 grams are nutritional components, while the rest is water.
To meet their daily nutritional requirements, a horse would need to consume significantly more pasture compared to hay, which has a much higher DM content of around 90%. As a result, simply reducing or eliminating hay and grain from your horse’s diet in favour of pasture can lead to nutritional imbalances.
Quality and Quantity Management
Increased pasture availability means your horse will likely spend more time grazing, which can reduce the need for additional feed sources like hay or grain. However, it’s crucial to manage both the quantity and quality of what your horse consumes:
- Quantity Management: Horses that easily gain weight may require their pasture intake to be limited. Strategies include feeding hay before turnout, limiting grazing hours, or using a grazing muzzle. For properties with excessive pasture, harvesting the surplus as hay can be a practical solution.
- Quality Management: Spring grass often contains higher levels of Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSCs), including sugars and starches, due to increased photosynthesis. This can increase the risk of laminitis, especially in horses with insulin dysregulation. Grazing at-risk horses at night and removing them from pasture after sunrise can help reduce NSC intake.
Additionally, spring pastures can have higher nitrate levels, which may cause digestive issues such as colic and diarrhea in horses. Monitoring your horse’s health closely during this time is essential.
Feeding According to Workload
Regardless of the season, your horse’s diet should always align with their energy requirements. Here’s how to ensure you’re feeding appropriately:
- Horses on Rest or Light Work: If your horse is resting or in light work, abundant pasture may be sufficient. However, if pasture quality is poor or insufficient, supplement with good-quality hay and consider a high-fibre, low-grain feed if your horse struggles to maintain weight.
- Horses in Average to Heavy Work: Horses in moderate work generally do not need large amounts of grain or processed feed if they have access to quality pasture or roughage. However, performance horses or those in heavy work may need additional energy sources. Always ensure that roughage remains the primary component of their diet, making up 80-90% of their daily intake.
- Body Condition Monitoring: Regularly assessing your horse’s body condition is key to adjusting their diet appropriately. If your horse struggles to maintain condition, it’s wise to consult your vet. Issues such as worm burdens, gastric ulcers, or dental problems can impact your horse’s ability to gain weight, and addressing these may reduce the need to increase grain rations.
Supplementing the Diet
Even with abundant spring pasture, some nutrients may still be lacking. Horses in domestic settings, particularly those in performance or heavy work, often require additional supplementation. Key areas to consider include:
- Vitamins and Minerals: Pasture alone may not provide sufficient vitamins and minerals, particularly B Group vitamins and magnesium, which are vital for metabolic and bodily functions. A daily supplement, such as a ration balancer, can help meet these needs.
- Hydration: Hydration is critical, especially as temperatures rise. Providing salts and electrolytes can help maintain your horse’s hydration levels by triggering the thirst reflex and replenishing nutrients lost through sweat.
Conclusion
Spring is a time of renewal and growth, but it also brings the need for careful management of your horse’s diet. By adjusting their feeding regimen to match the changing pasture conditions and their workload, you can ensure they stay healthy and perform at their best. Regular monitoring and consultation with your vet are key to maintaining your horse’s wellbeing throughout the season.