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Be careful in turning out to pasture...
SEASONAL ADJUSTMENTS
There is a bright side to every situation, and regarding the very dry weather we have been experiencing, that bright spot is for the horses at the fat farm. Unless you have been living a little better life than the rest of us, you have experienced several weeks of dry weather. This has dried the grass which in turn reduces its digestibility.
When the forage’s digestibility drops, it’s "lignin" or fiber content increases. This mature forage is lower in moisture as well. So what we have is a coarse grass that is more filler than nutritious. This of course is referring to our more common grasses, such as fescue and other common non-legume forages.
If, however, you have clipped the field to prevent the heads from forming, you may still have green grass. The green grass, while less digestible than it was a month ago, is still pretty nutritious. If your fields are green and lush, they are probably pretty digestible. We would suggest not putting the heavier horses on this grass until it has time to mature.
The horse that is heavy and at risk of foundering must be kept off the lush, highly digestible grass we see in the spring and fall. Of course, while he is in confinement at the fat farm Dobbin has only been fed a coarse, low quality hay. This roughage serves to occupy his time and keep him from resorting to cribbing or some other vice for entertainment. It also keeps the bowel full so Dobbin is not at risk of intestinal problems.
If the grass is turning brown, it is maturing. Once grass starts forming seed heads, its growth slows dramatically. This grass will make coarse, poorly digested roughage similar to the hay you have been feeding.
If you do decide to turn your horse out on the mature grass, a few precautions are in order:
![]() ![]() ![]() If you decide your pasture is OK for Dobbin, give him a feeding of hay each day before you turn him out.
![]() ![]() ![]() Remember, when the rains start again in the fall, the grass will start growing again. Dobbin will need to return to confinement for a couple of months until the cold weather slows the growth of the grass. Maintaining the heavy horse to prevent him from foundering requires a little effort, but the time spent is only a fraction of the time required to treat one that actually does founder.
I hope the above ramblings help you decide whether you should or should not turn Dobbin out. He will be much happier out on grass, but his health cannot be put at risk for this reason alone. If you are unsure about the grasses in your pasture, consult the local Extension Office or call us.
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