Grass Issues and Rain

🌱 How Pasture Chemistry Changes When It Rains

We’ve had a couple of dry days here in the Manawatu, followed by a good soaking of rain last night, and that means it’s straight into strict pasture management today to protect our horses from the chemical changes happening in the grass.

Even a short dry spell can trigger a rapid flush of sugars and an increase in plant mycotoxin levels. That combination can dramatically raise the risk of laminitis and cause some big changes in how your horse feels and behaves.

When the concentration of mycotoxins rises, they can start to affect your horse’s central nervous system. That’s when you might see a range of physical symptoms and notice your horse becoming more anxious, over-reactive, or even a little panicky.

If you haven’t already, take a few minutes today to review your grass management plan and add a good detox formula to your feed routine to help protect your horse.

Leaving horses on full-time pasture in conditions like this can create the perfect storm for laminitis and grass-related behaviour problems.

I hope this helps you avoid the pain and distress that laminitis and grass-affected behaviour can cause ~a little care and caution now can save your horse a lot of trouble later. 🌾

Tracy @ Natural Horse NZ