This article first appeared in the July 2022 digital edition of Equestrian Life. To see what’s in the current issue, click here.

Why you should prepare for Sping in Winter

By Ellie Jolley 

It can be hard to visualise spring when your days feel caught in an endless cycle of chilly winter horse care. But rest assured spring will come and with it a fresh set of challenges for the horse owner. By giving your spring routine some advance thought in the winter months, you’ll be all set by the time the new season rolls around. Equine nutrition experts, Hygain, have some fresh tips for your Spring prep.

SPRING’S TOP CHALLENGES

You know spring is here when your horse starts getting some extra fizz after a few days on fresh, green pasture. In some areas of the country, spring grass seems an insurmountable force of nature. Good management is essential for horses prone to laminitis, weight gain or pasture sensitivity. For these sorts of horses, preparation is key. By eliminating or reducing the risk factors, you are a step ahead of the health issues that come hand in hand with spring grass. Unfortunately, by the time you see symptoms in your horse, the problem has likely outpaced you.

The first step you can take to get ahead of the problem is identifying the paddocks most at risk of rapid pasture growth. Another issue to be mindful of here is if the pasture is bare, weeds will most likely be the first thing you see when that spring rain hits. So you may need to spray these weeds or slash them before they go to seed. If the weeds have caught you off guard, it’s important to identify which ones might be toxic to your horse…

Click here to read the full article FREE in the July 2022 issue of Equestrian Life magazine.