Longer days and warmer temperatures mean spring is on its way, which brings a welcome relief after the challenges of a cold, wet winter. Milder spring temperatures mean that the grass starts to grow, winter coats start to shed, and we all hope to spend more time in the saddle.
Nutritionally speaking, this is often a time of significant change as your horse’s diet transitions from winter to spring, so it’s important to ensure this is as smooth as possible. Equine Nutritionist Lisa Elliott, Msc from Equine Nutrition Solutions shares some tips and advice to help keep your horse happy and healthy.
Dietary Change
The transition back to spring pasture after winter invariably involves dietary change. Sudden dietary change associated with the change in seasons is a common cause for digestive upset and potentially colic.
Research has indicated that the risk of colic is greater when a horse is changed to a new forage, for example, going from winter grazing and preserved forage to fresh spring grass. Make any changes very gradually over at least 2-3 weeks to allow your horse’s gut microbes time to adjust. If your horse has had little or no turnout over the winter gradually introduce some grass into your horse’s regime before they go out full time to help prevent digestive upset. Begin with short spells out on the grass and increasing the time very slowly until fully transitioned to being out 24/7.
With its ability to buffer acid, Coligone Powder or Liquid can help mitigate the effects of dietary change by helping to maintain a healthier hindgut pH, reducing the potential for digestive upset. Additionally, Coligone contains scientifically proven pre and probiotics to encourage a healthy hindgut microbe balance within the hindgut at times of change. Coligone Powder or Liquid can be fed during the transition to new feeds and forage and can also be fed daily throughout the year for improved digestive health.
Boosting Fibre
When turned out 24/7 in the spring your horse’s main forage source will be grass. While grass provides a nutritious source of forage for your horse, the fibre levels in fresh grass are significantly less than the hay your horse will have been used to throughout the winter. Offering hay out in the field even when the grass is growing can be beneficial to boost fibre levels and provide some variety. This variety will encourage diversity within the hindgut microbial population for optimum health and also satisfy your horse’s natural desire to forage on a variety of fibres.
Spring grass provides excellent levels of nutrition for your horse, but the higher levels of WSC (Water Soluble Carbohydrates or ‘sugars’) in fresh grass is not ideal for some horses. Good-doers, horses and ponies prone to laminitis, or those with Insulin Dysregulation and PPID will need to be carefully monitored. To control grass intake you may need to loo at using a grazing muzzle, or strip grazing.
Fresh spring grass contains energy levels that are high enough to support even harder levels of work. So, if your grass is good and your horse is turned out 24/7 it’s likely that energy demands will be easily satisfied or even exceeded by what they graze every day. Therefore, once your horse is turned out in spring, they shouldn’t need any extra feed for energy. The only thing you might need to consider is vitamin, mineral and protein requirements.
A Balanced Diet
Ideally horses should be grazing in fields containing a diverse variety of grass species and plant life to provide a full range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids. However, while the quality and quantity of grass generally increases in spring, UK grazing is commonly much less diverse, often dominated by a single grass species. This can vary in protein quality and doesn’t supply a full range of micronutrients for optimum health and performance. Feeding a well formulated balancer such as one of the Coligone Balancers or adding a balanced micronutrient supplement like Multivit Pro, alongside grazing will ensure the diet is well balanced.
Monitoring Body Condition
As the nutritional value of fresh spring grass is higher than hay, the energy levels it supplies means that the energy needs of your horse are often exceeded. As a result, this excess energy will be stored as fat, leading to weight gain.
Body conditioning scoring (BCS) and weighing your horse regularly with a weigh tape is something that should be done all year round but especially once your horse is turned out full time on spring grass. Recording and monitoring your horse’s weight and condition will highlight when you need to make adjustments to diet, management, and exercise. Ideally your horse should be maintained at an overall score of 5 on a nine-point BCS scale throughout the year.
Don’t Forget Water
Water is easily the most essential nutrient in your horse’s diet but is frequently overlooked. During spring, horses are often exercised more which will increase water loss through sweat. Always ensure your horse has access to fresh, clean water, to replace these losses.
Adding 1-2 tablespoons of salt to your horse’s daily feed can help encourage drinking for good hydration. If your horse is away competing regularly and is reluctant to drink less familiar water, taking your own, along with adding tempting flavours like apple juice can help entice them to drink. Harder working and competing horses can also benefit from electrolytes for optimum recovery, fluid balance and hydration.
Whilst changing from winter to spring can have a significant impact on nutritional needs, providing the right care and dietary management will help keep your horse happy, healthy, and performing well through spring and beyond.
If you have any questions about creating the best diet for your horse and keeping your horse healthy through the right nutrition, please get in touch at sales@hbradshaws.co.uk
