As “Dr. Green” flourishes across the UK, we at Horslyx spoke with Jennifer Little BSc Hons MSc RNutr at Equinutrition to get her expert insights on the role of grass in our horses’ diets.
For most leisure horses in the UK, grass is the primary source of fibre and forage. Owners often worry about the nutrient content in hard feeds, bagged fibres, and supplements, which are typically fed in small amounts (30g-2kg per day for a 500kg horse). In contrast, a horse can consume over 15kg of grass if turned out for 24 hours.
Grass is often overlooked in the overall diet unless there’s a shortage affecting body condition or an excess leading to weight gain and risks like laminitis. Understanding the balance of grass in your horse’s diet is crucial for maintaining their health and well-being.
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Grazing: The Balancing Act
As an equine nutritionist, grazing is key to creating the right diet for each horse. Grass, the main component of many horses’ diets, varies greatly in nutrient content due to soil quality, grazing management, weather, and season. A horse’s body condition, health, and workload also affect grazing suitability.
Too Much and Too Little
Over half of UK horses and ponies are overweight or obese, often due to excess calories from grass. However, grass can also cause nutrient imbalances, providing too much of some nutrients and too little of others. This dual challenge requires careful management to ensure a balanced diet.
Understanding Nutrient Imbalances in Grass Diets
The graph shows nutrient levels compared to a horse’s requirements, with 100% being the total requirement. Green bars indicate optimal levels, yellow bars show excess, and red or absent bars indicate deficiencies.
Excessive Grass Intake
A diet of abundant spring grass can provide too many calories and protein, leading to weight gain. This is problematic for overweight horses or those sensitive to sugar. To manage this:
- Increase Workload: Boosts energy and protein needs.
- Reduce Grass Intake: Use strip grazing, move to poorer grass fields, or use grazing muzzles.
- Limit Grazing Time: Bring horses in for part of the day and provide low-calorie alternatives like hay or straw. Use small-holed nets or forage balls to slow intake.
Photos/priority image/blog photos/ Pony wearing a grass muzzle
Addressing Deficiencies
For horses needing to gain weight, add fortified compound feed (2-5kg/day for a 500kg horse) to provide missing vitamins and minerals. For good-doers, use a low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplement to avoid excess calories.
Understanding Nutrient Imbalances in Grass Diets
The graph shows nutrient levels compared to a horse’s requirements, with 100% being the total requirement. Green bars indicate optimal levels, yellow bars show excess, and red or absent bars indicate deficiencies.
Excessive Grass Intake
A diet of abundant spring grass can provide too many calories and protein, leading to weight gain. This is problematic for overweight horses or those sensitive to sugar. To manage this:
- Increase Workload: Boosts energy and protein needs.
- Reduce Grass Intake: Use strip grazing, move to poorer grass fields, or use grazing muzzles.
- Limit Grazing Time: Bring horses in for part of the day and provide low-calorie alternatives like hay or straw. Use small-holed nets or forage balls to slow intake.
Addressing Deficiencies
For horses needing to gain weight, add fortified compound feed (2-5kg/day for a 500kg horse) to provide missing vitamins and minerals. For good-doers, use a low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplement to avoid excess calories.
When Grass is Too Little
Not all horses have abundant grazing. Factors like overstocking, poor soil, limited turnout, un-rested fields, rainfall, and temperature can limit grass quality and quantity. Figure two shows the impact of poor grazing on a typical 500kg horse’s diet.
When Grass is Too Little
A diet of poor grass provides enough protein but lacks calories and certain vitamins and minerals, leading to weight loss. Additional forages like hay may be needed to ensure sufficient fibre intake (1.5-2% bodyweight/day).
For underweight horses, a suitable concentrate feed can provide extra calories and nutrients. For overweight horses, a low-intake vitamin and mineral supplement is necessary to avoid excess calories.
Balancing Forage and Nutrients
Even with adequate forage, key vitamins and minerals may still be deficient. Adding a suitable supplement ensures a balanced diet, maintaining optimal health and body condition.
Balancing Grass in Your Horse’s Diet
Grass can provide too much or too little energy, and often lacks key vitamins and minerals. When hard feeds aren’t suitable, use a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement. Products like Horslyx Original Balancer offer a convenient way to ensure your horse gets the nutrients they need, while you focus on managing grass quality and your horse’s body condition.
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