Sources:
Pasture keeping | Horse Information Center
The benefits of grazing for horses | Horse Information Center
Safely accustom your horse to fresh food - Vetcare
Horses to pasture – happiness or nightmare? – mw horse services
Photo: Pixabay
When a horse can't graze
For many horses, summer consists of pasture and grazing holidays. Pasture is considered to be good for the horse both mentally and physically. Pasture is especially recommended for broodmares and foals. For young horses, exercise and social skills training have a great impact on development. Pasture is a part of the horse's natural environment and offers a social, species-like behavior model. Pasture grass is also a natural food for horses. Walking on grass promotes digestion and prevents flatulence and stomach ulcers.
If the horse or pony is a representative of a native breed, such as a Shetland pony, a Finnish horse or an Icelandic horse, it can gain weight more easily than others. Native breeds are often so-called good forage users. In that case, a smaller field or natural pasture is sufficient for grazing. Studies show that horses that were partly on natural pasture gained close to 30 kilograms during the summer, while Finnish horses that were on managed pasture gained even more than 60 kilograms.
At risk of foot and mouth disease
Even though every ungulate's summer dream is a lush meadow, not all horses have access to pasture for one reason or another. The reason may simply be the lack of pastures or the challenging organization of pastures, or the risks to the horse's health. These may include, for example, injuries, metabolic syndrome, susceptibility to hoof fever, and the risk of snoring. More active horses may not be able to graze in peace, but will wander restlessly or be anxious about insects. In the worst case, a very restless horse will sweat profusely, attract more insects, and may slip or otherwise hurt itself while running. Horses that are susceptible to hoof fever should not go out to pasture at all. Among other things, researchers and veterinarians do not recommend grazing at all for horses that are prone to hoof fever, the aforementioned metabolic syndrome, or suffer from Cushing's disease.
It has been studied that a common trigger for laminitis is grazing. When grazing, horses are exposed to too much sugar, starch and fructans too quickly. Ponies are often more susceptible to laminitis, but ultimately any horse can get it. Ponies can eat up to 40 percent of their daily feed requirement in three hours. If grazing time is limited, horses may compensate by gorging themselves.
Tips for the summer season
Another factor limiting grazing is heat and heat. Older horses in particular may be at risk of heat stroke. In extreme heat, the sun can heat a horse's surface temperature to up to 60 degrees Celsius. In this case, the body's thermoregulation is difficult, preventing the body temperature from rising higher than normal. When the horse sweats, it loses electrolytes. Therefore, in addition to fresh drinking water, it would be a good idea to have rock salt on the pasture. As a tip for hydration, we would like to mention Biohansa's molasses cut . The fiber-rich molasses cut is able to bind a lot of liquid, so it works as an excellent rehydrator. Especially in hot weather, dehydration can easily occur when the horse sweats and the metabolism accelerates. Molasses cut soaked in plenty of water is a good way to get fluid into the horse's body.
So what can you come up with as a substitute for pasture for your horse? Of course, the first thing to consider is whether the horse's health is such that it can tolerate or even needs a pasture substitute. One method used is to create a smaller feeding area for the horse, where it can spend a short time of the day. If the stable does not have pasture areas available, this method is used for all the horses in the stable. Mowing greens in separate treats is also a good way to provide the horse with variety in its feeding. Of course, mowing requires special effort, so that, for example, a wheelbarrow is filled a couple of times a day.
Discover Biohansa's feed products via this link . Remember to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to receive information about new products and current topics in your email. Also give us feedback on what topics you would like to read about on Biohansa's blog!
Sources:
Pasture keeping | Horse Information Center
The benefits of grazing for horses | Horse Information Center
Safely accustom your horse to fresh food - Vetcare
Horses to pasture – happiness or nightmare? – mw horse services
Photo: Pixabay
Sources:
Pasture keeping | Horse Information Center
The benefits of grazing for horses | Horse Information Center
Safely accustom your horse to fresh food - Vetcare
Horses to pasture – happiness or nightmare? – mw horse services
Photo: Pixabay
