Where is the horse spring?

Is your horse at risk for digestive problems this spring?

Although this forage cornerstone of the equine diet offers excellent nutrition, provides fiber to keep the horse’s digestive tract healthy, and allows the horse to satisfy his innate need to graze, come spring it is also notorious for causing causing problems. This is particularly true in horses at risk for digestive or metabolic disorders.

Can pasture grass cause digestive problems in horses?

“Spring pasture grasses are capable of accumulating high amounts of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs), which are implicated in acute equine digestive diseases associated with rapid fermentation, and chronic metabolic disorders,” says equine nutritionist Bridgett McIntosh, MS, PhD.

How to train a horse to go out on pasture?

Allow horses on the pasture for 20 minutes the first day and increase the grazing time by five minutes per day over a two-week period until they have adapted to the new feed source. 2. Feed hay immediately before horses are turned out on pasture during the adjustment period. They fill their stomachs somewhat, thus helping to prevent overeating.

How to adjust a horse to a new feeder?

Restrict the grazing time. Allow horses on the pasture for 20 minutes the first day and increase the grazing time by five minutes per day over a two-week period until they have adapted to the new feed source. 2. Feed hay immediately before horses are turned out on pasture during the adjustment period.

Should I keep my horse off of grass in the spring?

For those of you that have horses that are overweight, insulin resistant, or Cushing’s, you are probably very familiar with keeping them off of grasses in the Spring. The non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content is too high for free-choice grazing to be safe, which increases the risk for laminitis and founder.

Does grass cause toxins in horses?

Normal pasture and any grass most of the year, does not release toxins that cause negative behaviour patterns. Horses that are overweight, sometimes of a chunky body type, are more vulnerable to problems from high levels of carbohydrates and may develop grass laminitis.

Does spring grass affect an event horse’s diet?

An event horse’s diet is of vital importance and riders often worry that the spring grass contains too much energy, changing their horse’s behaviour or affecting their digestive system, but what is the reality of spring grass, and what can we do to manage our event horses through this period successfully? Good to know….

How do I change my horse’s diet?

You can then gradually introduce new water and feed to this. You’ll want to consult your veterinarian if you have any questions about changing your horse’s diet. Gradually change the horse’s feed over a few weeks if you have to.

How to introduce a new feed to a horse?

If you’re introducing your horse to a new feed, you’ll need to do it slowly. During the first few days, replace a small portion of your horse’s old feed with the new. Then, over the next week, gradually increase the percentage of the new feed in the mix.

Should I Manage my horse on spring pastures?

Managing horses on spring pastures can prevent health problems. Early spring pastures are lush in nutrients. A horse that has been stalled through the long Michigan winter may be at risk to laminitis if their forage source is abruptly switched from hay to lush spring pasture.

Is your horse insulin resistant?

Veterinarian Frank Reilly, DVM demonstrates a new protocol to insure proper results to testing of Insulin resistance in a horse. Equine insulin resistance is now the #1 cause of laminitis in the world.

Is fescue grass poisonous to horses?

Nematode galls are often found in the seed and have produced toxic symptoms in horses after they ingest either the seed or the grass. Coryne toxins are the toxic principle. Tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea, is a drought-resistant, coarse perennial grass that thrives in wet areas and is often grown for forage.

What kind of toxins do horses get?

Toxins that affect horses can be from native trees and plants like ngaio or tute, weeds like nightshades, if you have seen horses after eating these – they are very sick, scour badly and lose weight rapidly.

Are nematode galls in grass toxic to horses?

Nematode galls are often found in the seed and have produced toxic symptoms in horses after they ingest either the seed or the grass. Coryne toxins are the toxic principle.

Is fresh spring grass bad for horses?

Fresh spring grass makes most horse caretakers wary. Find out how to get through the season safely. The first spring sprouts are actually lower in sugars and starch (non-structural carbohydrates or NSC) because they use all that energy to promote their own rapid growth.

What can I do to help my horse gain weight?

You may need to limit his grazing and keep him on a low-carb diet with special feed and steamed or soaked hay. Your veterinarian can help you identify and manage these problems.

Are low ESC/low carb pellet feeds good for insulin resistant horses?

Not all low ESC/low carb pellet feeds on the market are good for an Insulin Resistant horse because they may also have high fat. We want a low carbohydrate (low ESC), high protein, and low fat diet.

Is your horse at risk of insulin resistance?

Just as in people, overweight in horses is not healthy. A growing number of horses in the Europe are too fat and this increases the risk for conditions such as insulin resistance. What is insulin resistance, how does it occur and how can you help a horse with insulin resistance in the best possible way? What is insulin?

How does Hay affect insulin resistance in horses?

Researchers at Louisiana State University found that mares having enough hay during the day but deprived of hay overnight showed the greatest degree of insulin resistance. [i]

Is alfalfa good for horses with insulin resistance?

Alfalfa can be an excellent addition to most horses’ diets, even for those who are insulin resistant (IR). resistant (IR). I often recommend feeding it because it boosts the overall protein quality of a grass-hay diet and, in general, enhances the horse’s muscle tone, immune system, and overall health.

What should I do if my horse eats a poisonous plant?

Regularly inspect the pasture in your horse paddock to ensure it is a toxic plant free zone If you suspect your horse has consumed a poisonous plant, we advise you to call your local veterinarian immediately, for advice.

Can horses eat tall fescue?

Horses can safely eat endophyte-free tall fescue. You can’t discern endophyte-infected tall fescue from endophyte-free tall fescue with the naked eye. Tall fescue is a perennial bunchgrass. It’s leaves are dark green, shiny and plentiful. The underside of the leaves are smooth, while the tops are rough from ribbed veins.

What happens if a mare eats fescue?

Mares that consume large amounts of endophyte-infested tall fescue can suffer from a number of reproductive problems, and the range of fetal deaths in the last third of pregnancy for herds affected by toxicity varies from 0 to 100%. The normal gestation length in horses is approximately 11 months.

What is Fescue toxicity in horses?

It is through contamination of the seed that infection by fescue toxins are spread. The consequences of fescue toxicity in horses are almost exclusively related to poor reproduction.

What is the nematode that causes ryegrass seed heads?

This nematode carries the toxin-producing bacterium, Rathayibacter toxicus, into ryegrass seed-heads. The toxins produced by these bacteria cause annual ryegrass toxicity in grazing animals when consumed in sufficient quantity. The seed-head galls are created by the nematode Anguina funesta and colonized by R. toxicus.

Is your horse ingesting parasites with each bite of grass?

Your horse could be ingesting harmful internal parasites with each bite of grass. Horses grazing lush green pastures paint an idyllic picture. But things might not be as serene as they seem—these animals could be ingesting harmful parasites with each bite.