To Graze or Not To Graze?

 

Individual horse's needs are different and we have to put that first when choosing the best management.  The purpose of this blog post is to make you think and consider if grazing is the best option based on your horse’s needs and situation.  Here are some questions to consider before grazing:

·         Does your horse need to be on a strict diet based on weight issues, metabolic disease, past health problems, allergies, laminitis, etc.?

·         Is pasture space limited for the number of horses?

·         Are you breeding horses and have KY 31 tall fescue pastures?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above you may want to consider installing an equine dry lot to manage those specific horses/situations.  Let’s take the overweight horse for example.  If your horse is overweight and possibly prone to developing laminitis then it is crucial that you know exactly what the horse is taking in.  Pasture “calories” can change with the time of day, grass species, weather, etc. so the horse could be taking in more than it needs or less depending on several factors.  It may be best to formulate a diet that can be consistent and measured through forage analysis so you know what the horse is taking in each day. 

Dry lots are a great alternative to grazing when more space is needed for exercise but not calorie intake.  Some issues are so complex that it is just hard to make grazing work even with limited turnout, grazing muzzles, and poor forage quality pastures.  Consult with your veterinarian and Livestock Extension Agent to come up with a plan that works for you and your horse today!      

For more on special diets and nutrition issues please visit: https://extension.umn.edu/horse/horse-nutrition#special-diets-or-nutrition-issues-2393465