Spring Turnout Tips for Horses

As the seasons transition from winter to spring, it's time to start thinking about horses' nutritional needs, as well as changes in the forage available to horses grazing on pasture. The spring also brings an increased risk for several health conditions, including laminitis and insulin resistance, in all horses on pasture. Here are some tips for turning your horses out on spring pasture safely.

 

Turnout Management

 

First, it's important to understand the significance of the nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC, a measurement of sugar and starch levels in forages and grains) component of grass. Researchers know that an overabundance of NSCs in a horse's diet has the potential to cause problems, including colic or laminitis. (Editor's note: For more a detailed description of NSCs, see Carbohydrates: Sugars and Starches.) Therefore, when reintroducing green grass to a horse after the winter, it's important to consider NSC concentrations in pasture grass.