FAQ about pasture management

Paddock sign with horse in the background

1. How long is a horse allowed to be turned out in a field with grass?

Grazing up to 16 hours a day is part of the horse’s nature. Daily turnout is therefore an indispensable part of species-appropriate horse keeping. However, not every horse benefits from 24-hour grazing. The high energy intake is often not used up due to a lack of exercise. This leads to over-fattening and metabolic disorders (laminitis, EMS, PPID) in horses. The duration of grazing should therefore be tailored to the individual horse. Regardless of this, every horse should get several hours of turnout every day. Young horses and broodmares, which need a lot of energy and protein, should be put out to pasture all day from spring to autumn.

2. When is the best time for horses to graze?

The best time of day and weather for horses is when photosynthesis is reduced and grass growth is boosted. In warm and humid weather with cloudy conditions, this is exactly the case. Therefore, especially stable kept horses should only be allowed to graze in the late morning as the sugar content of the grasses is at its lowest during this time.

You can find more detailed information on the best turnout time in our guide „Acclimating horses to grass in spring correctly“.

3. Restrict grazing time – sense or nonsense?

The intended effect of a shortened grazing time is close to zero. Many horse owners are of the opinion that the best way to put their horse on a diet is to put it in the field only for hours at a time. However, research has shown that the shorter the grazing time, the faster the horse eats. If you want to successfully put your horse on a diet, the only thing that will ultimately help is more exercise.

Why, in addition to limited turnout, grass that is too short tends to be counterproductive, you can read in point 15.

4. Can horses be turned out all year round?

Not every yard can offer turnout on grass in winter. In winter, the soil conditions are often unfavourable and the horses cause deep soil damage. In addition, not every horse is suitable for winter pastures. Especially for older, sick horses, winter turnout can cost a lot of valuable energy. Because not only is the grass very low in nutrients and energy in winter (point 13). Also permanently wet and cold weather with softened, slippery ground can lead to the horses not getting enough rest. A shelter with dry bedding is indispensable, along with additional hay feeding, to make the winter field a species-appropriate alternative to stable keeping with short, daily turnout.

5. How much land do you need for a horse?

Horses are animals that like to run and need space for stretched gallops in addition to sufficient feed on the pasture. The British Horse Society recommends a ratio of one horse per 0.4 – 0.6 hectares on permanent grazing (1- 1.5 acres per horse).

You can find out more about the special features of horse pastures in our guide.

6. When does the grazing season end?

The grazing season ends depending on weather and soil conditions and the amount of grass. The conditions for good grazing usually ends when wet humid weather softens the soils and the grass is too short.

The changeover from pasture grass to hay feeding must by no means take place abruptly. As in spring, it is important to gradually adjust the horses to the new feed constellation in autumn and winter. In order for the intestinal bacteria to get used to hay feeding, hay should already be added when the quantity and quality of the grass decreases. Adequate mineral supply through a vitamin and mineral supplement must also be taken into consideration, as now no fresh pasture grass provides minerals and vitamins.

We go into more detail about the importance of a slow feed change in our advice section „Acclimating horses to grass in spring correctly“.

7. How long can a horse with laminitis be turned out on grass?

For a long time, grass fructans were considered the main cause of laminitis. Laminitis is merely the result of metabolic problems due to fatty degeneration. Fructan is just the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Metabolically disturbed horses are unable to break down fructan sugar due to their insulin resistance, which in the long run leads to an overload of the intestinal flora. The dying bacteria release toxins, the blood vessels rejuvenate and thus no longer guarantee blood circulation to the hooves, the laminar corium becomes inflamed. Overweight, chronically under-exercised horses are therefore prone to bouts of laminitis – even with small amounts of grass.

It is a matter of conscience whether horses with laminitis are allowed to have grass at all. If you want to turn your horse out on grass, you should do so with a muzzle and only for a few hours at a time. If you want to exclude the risk of laminitis, you should refrain from grazing completely. Always consult your veterinarian when making a decision.

You can find further information on fructan content and the correct acclimating of metabolically stressed horses to grass in our guide on how to acclimate horses to grass.

8. How long can a horse with EMS be turned out on grass?

EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome) can be the precursor to laminitis, which makes grazing a high risk factor for horses. EMS is caused by a lack of exercise, too much energy intake, resulting in a massive increase in excess weight and fat deposits on the neck, shoulders and croup. This disturbs the sugar metabolism, which is comparable to type 2 diabetes.

The high sugar and energy content of fresh grass can exacerbate symptoms of EMS, a disease of affluence. The best therapy and prevention of EMS is to reduce weight through more exercise and a gradual decrease in the amount of energy supplied. Only turn your EMS horse out on grass for hours at a time with a muzzle and only at times of day when fructan levels are lowest. You can find out how to properly acclimate a metabolically stressed horse to grass in our grazing plan.

9. When is grass dangerous for horses?

As with all things, too much grass can be dangerous for horses. If the horse cannot burn off the supplied energy through exercise, this will have a negative effect on its health.

Energy-rich grass is determined by the fructan content, the values of which vary and are favoured by various factors. They are lowest in summer, while they are very high in spring, as well as in autumn. Grass becomes particularly dangerous for horses when they are turned out during frost and sunshine, because under these circumstances the fructan content shoots up.

Stressed grass can also be dangerous for the horse due to endophytes (fungal symbionts). Under stress (drought, over-grazing), endophytes release toxins that are supposed to protect the grass from dying. These toxins can damage the horse’s metabolism. You can find more about this in point 15.

10. How much grass does a horse eat per hour?

The amount of grass eaten depends not only on the size of the horse, but also on the duration of the turnout. A horse that is allowed to spend 24 hours in the field eats less grass per hour than a horse that is only turned out on fresh grass by the hour. Furthermore, there are horses that eat slowly and with relish, often older horses eat slower than young ones, and horses that eat quickly, almost gobbling. Therefore, the question of how much grass a horse eats per hour cannot be answered in a general way. In general, a 600kg horse is able to eat 3 to 5 kilograms of fresh grass per hour. If the water is removed, only 450 to 750 g of dry matter remain, which the horse has taken in per hour. However, one should not be deceived by this low value, because grass contains a lot of energy through sugar and protein.

11. How much hay to feed when the horse is turned out all day?

Feeding hay before turnout is a sensible thing to do, as the horse then comes to the field with a full stomach. On the one hand, this inhibits the greed for fresh green. On the other hand, hay provides the intestinal bacteria with crude fibre and thus protects the intestinal flora. Hay is indispensable, especially in the transitional period, as it prevents feed-related diseases.

Also in the grazing season, the supplied crude fibre content is crucial for feeding horses according to their needs. The horse needs approx. 1.5 kg of hay per 100 kg of body weight. From fresh grass it can take in about 3 to 5 kilograms per hour, but the crude fibre content varies depending on the length of the grass and the growing season. Therefore, adjust the amount of hay to the amount of grass, length, quality and the length of time the horse has access to grass.

12. Why are horses not allowed to eat mown grass?

Grass cuttings can lead to poisoning and colic. On the one hand, chopped grass, for example after mowing the lawn, can form heavy lumps in the stomach, leading to colic, which can be fatal. Possibly cut up poisonous plant parts in the cut grass, which the horse cannot sort out, can cause poisoning.

Cut grass also heats up very quickly when it starts to dry. Freshly cut long grass must not be more than ten hours old. It must also have been spread out, stored in an airy and cool place if it is to be fed. Grass that has already been warmed up must not be fed under any circumstances! This causes fermentation, which can lead to life-threatening gas colic in the horse.

13. May horses eat frozen grass?

Frozen grass has no negative effects on the horse’s health purely from the cold temperature. While the horse chews the cold grass, it is warmed up in the oral cavity. However, plants have a kind of frost protection: they store long-chain carbohydrates (fructan, starch) as short-chain compounds (glucose) for this purpose. These sugar compounds can lead to digestive disorders in horses and, in large quantities, to laminitis. Therefore, horses must be provided with sufficient hay in the winter months so that they do not eat too much frozen grass.

14. Do muzzles cause stress?

For many horse owners, it is the optimal solution: a muzzle prevents a horse that is too fat or sensitive to metabolic stress from eating too much grass without having to give up grazing. A US study found that muzzles do not cause stress in horses by measuring heart rate and the stress hormone cortisol.

However, this study, as well as others, found that only horses and ponies with a 24-hour muzzle lost weight, while horses that only wore them for a maximum of 10 hours consumed the saved amounts by eating hastily and even gained weight. It therefore makes sense to stop grazing after removing the muzzle.

Make sure that the horse can drink with the muzzle and that the muzzel does not cause unpleasant chafing marks on the horse’s head. Also check the incisors regularly.

15. Endophytes in pasture grass: What are endophytes?

Endophytes are bacteria or fungi that live in symbiosis with plants, for example pasture grasses. The fungus receives sugar from the plant, which is necessary for survival, and in turn the grass becomes more resistant due to the fungi. Endophytes are not harmful to horses at first. However, if the host grass comes under stress (drought, overgrazing, parasites), the endophyte produces toxins that ensure the survival of the grass. These toxins are harmful to the horse’s health and can even be lethal.

The dilemma: Especially stress-resistant grasses, such as ryegrass, create a closed sward, which is why they are often sown in horse pastures, but they carry many endophytes with them. How stress can be avoided by grasses and how you can protect your horse from endophyte poisoning, you can read here in our grasses guide.

16. Which animals can be kept with horses?

Horses as selective grazers prefer certain plants and leave unpalatable poisonous plants. This can result in an imbalance of the grazing area. Animal species that have a different grazing behaviour than horses can contribute to pasture management for more balanced areas.

Good grazing partners for horses are:

Cattle
Sheep (eat weeds that horse does not eat)
Goats (eat weeds that horses do not eat)
Chickens and ducks (eat larvae and insects of parasites)

The following animal species can be used as herd protection for fields with the flight animal horse:

Llamas
Alpacas
Donkeys

17. Why acclimating horses to grass?

The horse’s digestion survives by means of intestinal bacteria that break down the feed for the horse. The intestinal flora is always adapted to a certain feed composition. If the horse has been fed exclusively hay over the winter, the intestinal bacteria are adapted to crude fibre-rich food. An abrupt change to fresh pasture grass would contribute to massive microbial die-off and toxin release, which has a negative effect on the horse’s metabolism. The sensitivity of the microbes requires careful acclimatisation to grass feeding. What is important when acclimating to grass, including a plan, can be found in our guide „Acclimating horses to grass in spring correctly“.

18. How long after worming should the horse not be turned out on grass?

When deworming, it is important that all horses sharing a paddock, field or stable are dewormed at the same time. Afterwards, they should not be turned out to a field for one to three days. If it is not possible to keep the horses inside, fields should be rotated three days after deworming and the field should be poo-picked. Only those who work thoroughly here can prevent infection by worms.

The first worming treatment of the year is recommended 14 days before the first grazing in spring.

19. What happens when horses eat manure?

Contrary to popular belief that fertilised grass is bad horse feed, manure can be the solution especially for horses with metabolic problems. This is because fertilised areas have a lower fructan content than unfertilised areas. Fertilising horse pastures with nitrogen in spring before the grazing season thus contributes not only to general pasture care but also to horse health.

But be careful with freshly applied fertiliser! If it has not yet rained and the nitrogen has not yet seeped deep into the soil, the horse can inadvertently eat the fertiliser pellets, which leads to poisoning of the digestive tract through the release of ammonia.

Typical symptoms of poisoning are:

restless behaviour
increased salivation
shortness of breath
trembling
sweating
diarrhoea and free faecal water
cramps and muscle tremors
colic

Call the veterinarian immediately, provide your horse with sufficient water and remove it from the fertilised area.

20. When can horses be turned out again after fertilisation?

If the paddocks and pastures have been fertilised, a waiting period of 7 days, preferably 14 days, should be observed. Rain should have dissolved the fertiliser well so that it can seep deep into the soil.

During walks and hacks in spring, pay particular attention that your horse does not graze on other people’s meadows. Because every piece of meadow may be fertilised!

21. Which herbs should be used in the horse pasture?

Many horse pastures are depleted by one-sided use and lack nutrients. On the one hand, dried herbs or supplements can be fed to the horse, but these should only be given as a cure and not permanently.

The following medicinal herbs and plants can be found in a balanced horse pasture:

Birch
Nettle
Rosehip
Camomile
Dandelion
Milk thistle
Yarrow
Ribwort
Devil’s claw
Hawthorn
Wild carrot
Walnut (leaves)

You can read about which herbs and supplements make a sensible addition to your horse’s feed plan in our detailed horse feed guide.

22. Low-fructan grasses – which ones are they?

Meadow foxtail (low fructan content)
Red fescue (low)
Timothy grass (low)
Cocksfoot (medium fructan content)
Kentucky bluegrass (medium)
Meadow fescue (medium)

23. Ragwort in the field – Who is responsible?

According to the Weeds Act 1959, landowners have to control ragwort within risk areas for forage production or grazing. There is a legal obligation to remove ragwort where it?s growing on this land or there is a high risk of spread to it. Ragwort control is vital to help reduce the risk of poisoning in horses.

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