To a horse, the sprouting pastures of early spring must look like an inviting all-you-can-eat buffet. But just like buffets (and most things in life), too much of a good thing can have consequences. This is especially true for “easy keeper” horses, who require extra care and vigilance during the changing seasons.
Spring pastures are particularly high in carbohydrates, and if over consumed can turn a season of rejuvenation into one of ruination.
Horses at the highest risk include senior horses, easy keepers, and breeds such as ponies, Morgans, Arabians and Warmbloods.
Here are some tips for avoiding pasture pitfalls, courtesy of the AAEP:
- Keep your easy keepers and ponies off lush, fast-growing pastures until the grass has slowed in growth and produced seed heads.
- Keep your horse’s weight down through routine exercise and diet management.
- Graze your horses on pastures containing a high percentage of legumes, such as alfalfa or clover, as they do not contain fructan.
- Avoid grazing horses on pastures that have been grazed very short during the winter.
- Keep cresty-necked, overweight horses in the stall or paddock until the pasture’s rate of growth has slowed, then introduce them to the pasture slowly.
- Allow the horse to fill up on hay before turning out on grass for a few hours.
- Place a grazing muzzle on horses to limit their forage intake. Grazing muzzles limit grass intake but allow the horse to exercise throughout the day.
Nutritionally speaking, consider the scientifically proven benefits of Metabarol®, which can help horses maintain healthy weight and metabolic function. Additionally, Metabarol can provide joint support by promoting a healthy inflammatory response in horses. Metabarol also supports hoof tissue by optimizing sugar and energy metabolism in horses, including during seasonal periods when there are significant increases in the sugar and nonstructural carbohydrate content of pasture grasses and other forage materials.
Metabarol contains Resveratrol, a potent natural antioxidant known for its beneficial properties in supporting appropriate sugar and energy metabolism. This sets Metabarol apart from standard metabolic supplements.
It’s not only what’s inside this product that matters, but what is not. Metabarol Pellets are naturally low in NSC content and contain no added sugars or unhealthy fats. Just Resveratrol, beet pulp and flaxseed. Simple, healthy, and highly palatable.
Give your “easy keepers” the nutritional support they need this spring with Metabarol® Pellets from Equithrive.
