Turning Out Horses to Pasture: How to Ensure a Safe Transition to Grass

Preparing your horse for turnout is crucial to avoid digestive issues and other health risks. When a horse transitions from a winter diet to fresh spring grass, sudden changes in feed can lead to colic, diarrhea, and laminitis. Therefore, it’s important to introduce grass gradually. The horse’s digestive system needs time to adjust to the higher levels of sugar and protein found in fresh grass.

Many horse owners begin turnout by allowing the horse to graze on small amounts of grass for short periods, gradually increasing the duration over time. This helps the horse’s digestive system adapt and reduces the risk of sudden health problems. A good practice is also to feed the horse roughage before turnout to reduce its appetite for the new grass.

Roughage, such as hay or haylage, is essential for a safe transition to pasture. Feeding the horse with high-fiber forage before turnout acts as a buffer against the sugars in grass and helps the horse tolerate grazing more easily.

Most horse owners use slow-feeding nets with low-energy hay as transitional feed, which helps reduce the risk of digestive issues and laminitis. Fiber also plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy digestive system and overall wellbeing in horses.

Before turning your horse out to pasture, it’s important to:

• check the field for toxic plants.

• be aware that poisonous plants like ragwort are most active and hardest to identify in early spring.

• remove ragwort either by pulling it up or spraying, as it can be extremely dangerous for horses.

• make sure these issues are under control before the horses start grazing.

Some horse owners overlook this important task, but it can have fatal consequences if the horses are allowed to eat grass mixed with poisonous plants.

In addition to checking for toxic plants, it’s also a very good idea to inspect the types of grass in the pasture, as different species can vary in their sugar and fructan content.

When it comes to turning horses out to grass, there are several methods that can be used to ensure a safe transition:

• Grazing can begin with a gradual introduction to grass.

• Grazing can be managed through strip grazing.

• Grazing can also be done by limiting the horse’s time on pasture.

It’s important to monitor the horse’s behavior and activity level during the grazing period to assess its overall wellbeing and ensure that it adapts healthily to the new diet.

One of the most effective methods for introducing horses to pasture is to gradually increase grazing time. It’s recommended to start with short grazing periods and slowly extend the duration over a period of 3–4 weeks. This allows the horse to adapt to the dietary changes without overloading its digestive system.

Grazing can begin with 15–30 minutes per day, gradually extending to several hours over the following weeks. This method is especially important for easy keepers and overweight horses, as it helps prevent laminitis and other health problems associated with rapid access to grass.

Full pasture or 24-hour turnout is best suited for horses that are not overweight, as it supports their natural grazing behavior. To ensure a smooth transition, it’s advisable to follow a turnout plan that gradually increases grazing time over approximately 25 days. This gives the horse’s digestive system time to adjust to the new feed source.

The horse’s diet while on pasture depends on its daily energy expenditure, the duration of grazing, and its caloric needs. It’s important to monitor the horse closely and adjust feed amounts as needed to ensure it receives all essential nutrients and maintains a healthy body condition.

It’s essential to monitor horses during the turnout period to ensure they tolerate the grass well. Keeping an eye on digestive function, manure consistency, and overall wellbeing helps detect potential health issues early.

Changes in manure consistency can indicate problems with the horse’s digestive system that require quick intervention. The horse’s gut may struggle to adapt to the higher sugar and protein content in grass without a proper transition period.

It typically takes about three weeks for the gut microbiome to adjust to a new diet. Monitoring the manure can therefore serve as a useful indicator of how well the horse is adapting to grazing.

A horse’s body condition refers to its general physical state. Hard fat deposits can signal a metabolic imbalance, which may indicate that the horse is not tolerating the grass properly.

It’s important to keep a close eye on the horse’s wellbeing and physical condition throughout the grazing period. Watch for changes in behavior and appearance, and adjust the feed amount as necessary to maintain optimal health.

Turning horses out to pasture can present several challenges. The energy-rich spring grass can cause serious diet-related problems such as diarrhea, colic, and laminitis.

It’s therefore important to be aware of these potential risks and take the necessary precautions to minimize them.

Laminitis in horses often occurs due to high sugar levels—especially fructans—in the grass. The sugar content in grass tends to be higher:

• Early in spring

• During summer, particularly on warm, sunny days

• When the grass is stressed, as it accumulates sugars

It is recommended to wait until nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 5°C before allowing horses to graze, as this helps reduce the risk of laminitis. Grass that has been exposed to drought or frost can also contain high sugar levels, posing additional risk to horses.

Controlling parasites is crucial for maintaining the horse’s overall health and wellbeing. Collecting manure from the pasture regularly is an effective method of parasite control, as it significantly reduces the parasitic load.

Many horse owners also use dewormers and other management strategies, particularly in herds with multiple horses. This is especially important during the grazing season when the risk of parasitic infections is higher.

Controlling parasites is crucial for maintaining the horse’s overall health and wellbeing. Collecting manure from the pasture regularly is an effective method of parasite control, as it significantly reduces the parasitic load.

Many horse owners also use dewormers and other management strategies, particularly in herds with multiple horses. This is especially important during the grazing season when the risk of parasitic infections is higher.

The sugar content in grass is influenced by factors such as growth stage, weather, and environmental stress. During the day, grass produces and stores sugar through photosynthesis, which means sugar levels are generally higher during the day and lower in the early morning. For that reason, it’s best to let horses graze early in the morning to reduce the risk of laminitis.

On sunny days when night temperatures drop below 4°C, the grass may still have high sugar levels in the morning, making it risky for sugar-sensitive horses to graze. Stressed grass—such as grass that is short or overgrazed—can also have higher sugar concentrations, which increases the risk of metabolic and digestive issues in grazing horses.

Proper pasture management can help keep sugar levels low by allowing the grass to use its stored sugar for growth. It is recommended to:

• Stop grazing when the grass is around 8 cm tall.

• Learn to recognize the different grass species in your pasture.

• Stay informed about the sugar content of grass and plants.

Grass becomes stressed due to high temperatures, drought, overgrazing, mowing, or other unfavorable conditions. This stress alters its nutritional composition and increases sugar levels. When temperatures suddenly drop or the grass experiences harsh weather, it may accumulate excess sugars, making it unsafe for horses.

Horse owners should closely monitor the condition of their pastures and understand when it is safe to allow grazing, especially if the grass shows visible signs of stress. It’s essential to adjust grazing schedules accordingly and consider alternatives such as roughage when the pasture’s condition is poor or unstable.

To ensure a successful turnout, it’s important to follow a structured schedule. The purpose of this grazing guide is to provide clear guidelines for introducing healthy horses to grass safely.

Below is a detailed schedule showing how long horses should graze during the introduction period. This plan helps ensure a smooth and healthy transition to pasture:

It is generally recommended to turn horses out early in the morning, especially for those that are sensitive to sugar or at risk of laminitis, insulin resistance, or Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS).

Ensuring a safe transition to grass requires careful planning and close monitoring. Preparing the horse with roughage, checking the pasture for toxic plants, and using different grazing methods can minimize the risk of digestive issues and laminitis while increasing the likelihood of a healthy adaptation. Gradually extending grazing time, using strip grazing, and eventually allowing full or 24-hour turnout are all effective ways to help the horse adjust to fresh forage.

Monitoring the horse’s digestive function, manure, body condition, and general wellbeing during this process is essential. Common challenges such as laminitis and parasites should be managed proactively to maintain optimal health.

By following a structured grazing schedule, you can give your horse the best possible start to the grazing season. Remember, a healthy and happy horse is the result of careful management, patience, and consistent attention.

Introducing a horse to pasture typically takes 3–4 weeks and should begin with short grazing sessions that are gradually increased. This gradual approach ensures a healthy adaptation to fresh grass.

Grass has the highest sugar content during the day, after it has stored sugars through photosynthesis, and when the grass is under stress. On cold nights, sugar levels may remain high even in the morning, posing a risk for sugar-sensitive horses.

Turnout is essential for a horse’s health because it helps the digestive system adjust to the higher sugar and protein content in fresh grass. A slow transition helps prevent serious health issues such as colic and laminitis.

If your horse doesn’t tolerate grass, you should reduce grazing time, supplement with more roughage, and consult your veterinarian for professional advice.