On safer grass

Today we have two sides of the same coin, in the sense that both are harmful to horses. We have the horses locked up in a bench 24/7 and only coming out for ‘training’, and if they are lucky they are hand grazed a bit. Wearing leg protection and who knows even a helmet and bubble wrap. Then we have the horses that seem to live in paradise, 24/7 outside… on grass. All though the second option seems better, and for sure to the horse it is a million times better, there can be a huge problem, still.

👉 THE TRUTH ALWAYS LIES IN THE MIDDLE
Mostly the horses that ‘can be a horse’ sufficiently (daily outside with friend for most hours of the day, but not 24/7 access to grass) do best, health wise. The reason for that, is simply that over consumption of grass can endanger horse’s health.

🤔 BUT HORSES ARE GRASS EATERS, HOW CAN GRASS BE BAD?
Horses indeed have developed over millions of years to survive on grass and plants that can be found mostly on open wide land. The problem is that most grass we find today in the human world is not the same grass as the wild natural grass, horses developed on. This nature made grass would not withstand being grazed and walked on, as much as horses in a meadow or paddock would. In nature, horses move away from grass that is depleted, which gives it a chance to grow back. The grass we have in all our meadows and paddocks is developed by humans to withstand grazing and being walked on much better. Secondly, this grass is developed to fatten cows, or make them produce more milk, as this grass has much more sugar. It gets better when the
grass is allowed to really grow, then it can produce more fiber, but as we have situations where horses are on the same grass 24/7, this never happens.
The result is often obese ponies and horses, especially the more sober old breeds, like Shetland ponies, Arabs, Iberic horses, Gypsy vanners etc. Sweet itch, laminitis and PPID (cushings) therefore most often occur, which is sad as this could have been easily prevented.

⚠️ THINK OFF 24/7 ON COW GRASS AS FEEDING A KID EVERY DAY FROM THE CANDY STORE. ARE THEY HAPPY, YES? WILL THEY REMAIN HEALTHY? NO!

✅ HOW TO MAKE GRASS SAFE
First of all, limit the intake. The best way to do that is building a track on your land and feed hay on the track. For obese horses, even ad lib hay can be a problem, in which case you can mix the hay with good quality straw. Feed in nets with small openings. Only let the horses on the grass for 2 hours a day. Horses that already have (had) laminitis should be limited even more, if not completely.
You can have your hay tested, if you always have the same hay, for sugar content. If it is to much, you can soak the hay in water before you feed it. Stay away from haylage as it wreaks havoc on the gut bacteria because of the acidity and the fact that each bale has a different lactic environment. Next to that the plastic wrapping leaks dangerous chemicals into the hay, when the temperature goes above 20 degrees Celsius.
Movement is crucial to burn of excess sugar intake. A track provides more movement than any stable and training can, which means this solution works double.

✅ SAFER GRASS
The grass paddock on the inside of your track you can change out for safer grass than the cultivated cow grass. Do not artificially fertilize your grass, just mow it, to keep weeds in check. If grazing is limited the grass will grow without fertilizer. If you are able to change your grass, there are special grass mixes for horses that are more suitable and safe. For a wealth of information of safer grass, check out safergrass dot org.

In the photo, Petra from The horse in Need foundation. If you would like to know more about this foundation, or would like to help them out, find their website here (Dutch) and their Facebook page here.

For the love of Horses,

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Josepha
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