Pasture Management

With flowers in bloom and days lengthening, spring is a great time to pause and turn our attention to your horse’s pasture. As a time of great environmental and biological change, it brings both opportunity and risk in equal measure.

After the cold, wet strain of winter, fields can be restored: poached ground reseeded and rolled, dead grass lifted through harrowing, and weeds and toxic plants removed before they take hold. These practical interventions set the foundation for the months ahead and as growth returns, so too does the quality and quantity of forage.

Yet this abundance needs to be treated with caution. Spring grass, rich in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), can place metabolic strain on susceptible horses, such as those with equine metabolic syndrome or Cushing’s disease, significantly increasing the risk of laminitis. For this population, aim to keep total dietary NSC below 10 - 12% of dry matter. Spring pasture alone can exceed this threshold within a few hours of unrestricted grazing. 

Body condition should be closely monitored. A score of 4 - 5/9 is a sensible target, and distribution of fat is as important as overall weight. In practical terms turnout should be shorter or timed (overnight or early morning best), grazing muzzles can help reduce intake and soaking hay and mixing with straw are good options for reducing the NSC in forage. The priority is not only to prevent weight gain, but to minimise insulin surges, which are closely linked to the onset of laminitis.

Spring also offers a useful time to review the fundamentals that determine how well your pasture will perform in the coming year.

Low stocking density is key, with 0.4 - 0.8 hectares per horse being ideal. Overstocking weakens pasture, increases weeds and parasites, and undermines any reasonable efforts at pasture improvement. Regular removal of droppings and the use of rotational or alternative grazing systems help keep the pasture productive and resilient.

With the sun shining, it is also a great time to check and maintain fencing, infrastructure, and your horse’s water supply. Water must be consistently clean and accessible, containers checked and cleaned regularly and positioned to allow easy access for all horses in a herd.

These measures reflect a consistent approach that favours prevention over intervention, and a recognition of the importance of good pasture management to your horse’s overall health.