All horses need pasture and many horses will do great living on pasture, but before you decide to leave your horses out on pasture as their sole source of food, there are a few things you should know first.
The Horse’s Health
First of all, you need to have enough pasture if you intend for a horse to live on it as their only source of nourishment. Your grass also needs to be nourishing enough to your horse in order for it to thrive on it. Also, most dietary issues are encountered when horses have been fed hay and grain rations and then are suddenly introduced to pasture alone.
As with any change in diet, you have to move slowly. Horses that are kept on pasture year round will usually adjust to new grass as it grows, but horses that have been on grain all winter and then thrown out on the pasture in the spring may have some issues. These horses need to be gradually introduced to pasture and should still be fed hay and grain rations. These horses also tend to overeat on green grass because it tastes so good, which can cause colic.
Spring pasture is typically very nutrient rich and the grass will have much higher moisture content, around 75-85% water. The protein tends to be greater than 20% and will include vitamins and minerals as well. Energy and protein in spring grass is often 50% higher in the spring as the growth of the grass is new. However, just 12 weeks later, this will drop significantly.
There are a few conditions that can develop when a horse is suddenly put on spring grass. One of course is common. It’s not usually the most common condition, but the sudden ration change may cause the horse to have excessive gas or just an upset stomach. Loose stools are also common due to the large amount of moisture in the grass and the change in ration.
Founder (laminitis) is always a concern when going from a hay and grain diet to a pasture diet. Ponies and donkeys are the most susceptible to this. Spring grass also has higher levels of carbohydrates, especially fructan, a sugar. The consumption of large amounts of this sugar can be similar to grain overload and can lead to the development of founder.
There are a few ways to avoid or minimize the development of these issues when putting the horses on pasture in the spring. One is to feed hay just before turning out. This will help the horse have a fuller stomach and will make them less likely to overeat. The second option is to simply reduce grazing time. Start out at about 30 minutes once a day to twice a day and then gradually to a full day of turnout, etc. Gradually increase the amount of time the horses are on pasture until they have adapted.
Fall grass can also cause similar issues. Increased rainfall in the fall can cause the grass to have springlike qualities so if your horses have been stalled all summer for the show season, to avoid heat, etc. You will want to gradually work them into a pasture routine.
The Pasture’s Health
Now, that you know how to switch your horse to pasture. You need to care for the pasture to ensure that it supplies appropriate nutrition. Ideally, each horse on pasture should have 1-2 acres each. So two horses should be on at least 4 acres of pasture, more is better. The amount of acreage may also depend on the climate in which you live. If you don’t have a lot of grass on 4 acres for 2 horses, then you may need 8 acres, etc.
Horse owners should also be aware any dangers that may be lurking in the pasture. Fill in any holes and mend fences where necessary to ensure horses are safe.
When you are determining how much pasture you have, it is also a good idea to have more than one small pastures rather than one large one. If you have 8 acres to work with, consider splitting it in half so that one side can rest while the horses on the other and then when the other needs rest you can move the horses over to the better pasture. This is called pasture rotation and the more sections you can have to rotate the better. Rotation provides the pasture the opportunity to rest and regrow and minimizes pasture damage, as horses are very hard on pasture.
If the pasture gets wet and holds water, it also won’t be long before the horses destroy the forage by walking it into the mud. If this is the case, you want the horses on the drier pasture or remove them from the pasture until the conditions dry. If a pasture is excessively wet, the horses are also going to destroy the grass’s root system and you need to take this into consideration as well.
On the flip side, if you’re not getting rain, then the horses may also need to be removed from it or you may need to water. If a pasture is dry, it won’t be long until the grass is gone and the horses have it overgrazed. Overgrazing can lead to sand colic and sand ingestion. Horses should be housed in dirt paddocks, pastures and fed hay in feeders.
Additionally, you want to always be vigilant about weed control and removing toxic plants in your pasture. It is also a good idea to remove manure from pastures if possible or use a tractor to spread it. Drag pastures on hot, sunny and dry days, as it will destroy parasites rather than spread them.
Always pay attention to your horse’s condition. In the winter, you will most likely need to supplement horses with grain and hay. If the horses have been on pasture for quite some time you will want to gradually work this back into their diets.
Feeding Horses Grain in Pastures
When you’re feeding a group of horses in a pasture you always want to have one or two feed pans extra. It is not advisable to tie regular buckets up to a fence row, but instead to use ground feeders and spread them in a circle on the ground. You will want to have about a 1 or 2 horse length between each bucket. Place the same amount of feed in each feeder. Horses have a natural pecking order and the highest in the order will be the first one to circle of feed and will most likely eat from the first pan. If the pans are too close together, it is likely that the horse will try to guard two pans; this is why you want one extra. When the higher pecking order horses move down the row to the next pan, the horses at the end of the row will have something and somewhere to eat with the extra pans.
You will also want to have round bales of hay available to horses in winter. They need the forage in their diets during these months because the grass will be of poor quality. If you are not sure of the protein levels in your grass throughout the year, contact your local state extension agency and they will help you get this tested.
If you would like more information on how to care for your horse and how to feed horses in pasture read Horses 101: The Complete Guide to Buying and Caring for Your Horse.
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