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Feeding Horses in the Spring The rich green landscape of April is now being greedily enjoyed by our horses who have been on hay throughout the winter. Even our eyes are feasting on the lush growth developing after such an enduring season. Along with the change in the equine diets, we need to manage our horses feeds accordingly. Any change in diet, especially on rich green grass, needs to be gradual with turnouts for just a couple of hours. Too much rich grass in abundance as a change can result in colic or founder especially in elder horses or horses susceptible to dietary changes. It is believed that many cases of founder from grass may be associated with fructan, a plant sugar, which is stored in cool-season grasses when the weather becomes cold. Commercial feeds are such a main staple in our equine feed programs and these can vary greatly. In particular, grain is fed to horses typically twice daily as an additional supply of energy or calories. If your horse is an “easy keeper,” then instead of grain, concentrates can provide additional nutrients without the excess of calories. A good rule of thumb for assessing body condition may be to see how much rib is showing. Usually the quality of pasture or hay will contribute substantially to body condition. In a world where we think more is better, the concern is that unbalanced provision of supplements can pose health risks to the horse. Certain Vitamins such as A and D which are stored in the body, can build to toxic levels, if overfed. Salt and mineral blocks which can be supplied as free choice for the horse can provide additional supplements. Note that most horses will chew the block rather than lick it. In particular, foals and mares need more energy than most forages can provide and grain can provide these. For additional fat, oils or rice bran can be provided as well. Overall, during this season, we watch horses carefully to ensure that they do not colic. Cause of colic can include rapid intake of feed, sudden dietary changes, overconsumption of grains, inconsistent feeding schedule, inadequate water intake, inadequate salt intake, confinement for the majority of the day, and lack of exercise. It is a great time of year to get some exercise with our equine friends. 4/25/05 | ||||
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