Introducing horses to spring pastures

WADESBORO — Spring pastures are right around the corner! Green pastures bring high nutrition and less hay feeding. However, several problems also tend to arise this time of year. Horses that have been on dry lots can colic due to sudden changes in their diet and gut microbiome. Another common problem for horses with metabolic disorders is laminitis or founder.

Horses that have been kept on pasture all winter generally adapt well to the changing grass composition. However, these horses should still be monitored closely and changes should be made when necessary. Fortunately, there are several ways you can mitigate the risk of these diet changes in horses kept in a stall or in a dry lot over the winter.

1. Don’t turn out a hungry horse: Feed hay before turning your horse out on pasture

2. Limit the grazing time: Only allow horses to graze 15 to 20 minutes when you start introducing them to spring pastures. Gradually increase the time by 15 minutes each day until horses are out 4 to 5 hours.

3. Graze in the morning: Spring grasses can be high in nonstructural carbohydrates. NSCs are highly digestible energies that taste good and lead to overeating. These nutrients build up in the plant throughout the day because they are produced by photosynthesis. During the dark hours, plant use up these nutrients so the morning is a good time for horses with metabolic diseases to graze.

4. Consider overnight temperatures: Plants aren’t able to utilize NSCs if nighttime temperatures are below 40 degrees F leading to sugars and fructans to build up.

5. Good pasture management: Forages that remain in a vegetative stage tend to have less stored carbohydrates because the plant can utilize them in growth. Also, fructans are found in higher concentrations closer to the ground. When a pasture is overgrazed it forces horses to eat those high fructan concentrations.

6. Grazing muzzles can be great tools: Muzzles can take a lot of work and getting used to, but they can be a lifesaver for some horses. They work well when drylots are not an option or in combination with drylots. Muzzles can be worn on a continuous basis up to 10 hours, but make sure the fit is right.

For the health of your pasture, grazing should not happen until forages reach at least 6 inches. Pastures should also not be grazed below 3 to 4 inches. For adequate regrowth, plants need leaf area to photosynthesize. Grazing too early will deplete the energy that is stored in the plant to regrow. This allows weeds to grow and out-compete the desirable forage which leads to reduced stand quality and yield. Even though your horse may be looking over the fence longingly for lush green pasture it is in their best interest to manage them and the pasture appropriate for everyone’s health and wellbeing.

For more information contact the Anson Extension office at (704) 694-2415 or email Kinsey Everhart at kinsey_everhart@ncsu.edu.