We all love to see our horse enjoying a graze on delicious spring grass. But that pasture your horse eats with such gusto is not as benign as you might think—particularly for horses with metabolic disorders or genetic predispositions, although any horse of any breed can develop grass-related hoof issues at any time. In fact, some horses are better off avoiding the green stuff altogether. Learn how to manage your pasture and feed program to prevent founder or laminitis in your horse.

Mineral Balance

While grass contains most of the nutrients your horse needs for strong, healthy hooves, it doesn’t provide all those nutrients in the right balance or quantities. Calcium, magnesium, and sodium chloride are commonly deficient; selenium and iodine are frequently low as well.

Other vital minerals like zinc, copper, and manganese may also be present, but their levels in relationship to one another will affect how available they are to your horse. Minerals compete for absorption sites along your horse’s intestinal walls.

For example, if zinc levels are too high, they can block copper, a mineral that’s essential for maintaining the robust lamellar tissue your horse needs for his coffin bone to be properly supported within the hoof capsule. Iron is another competitive mineral that inhibits uptake of other minerals that are prevalent in grass.

Starch and Sugar Levels

Sugars and starches can be present in pasture grasses in levels that trigger a laminitic event. These nutrients are meant to be digested in the small intestine, but if your horse ingests these simple carbs in quantities greater than the small intestine can handle, the excess will continue along the digestive tract into the large intestine.

The large intestine is populated with microbes that process digestible fiber. These beneficial microbes thrive in an environment with a relatively neutral pH. If they are overrun with

sugar and starch, their home becomes so acidic they can’t survive. When they die, they release substances that are toxic to your horse.

At the same time, acid-loving microbes take over and compromise the integrity of the intestinal wall, allowing those toxins to penetrate and enter your horse’s bloodstream. When they reach the hooves, they cause the blood vessels to constrict, starving your horse’s hooves of nutrients and setting off a laminitic event.

Forage with a simple sugar (technically known as ethanol-soluble carbohydrates, or ESC) plus starch level of 10 percent or less should be low enough to keep your horse’s microbial population happy. If the levels in the grass are higher and your horse shows signs of inflammation, you will need to limit or restrict your horse’s access to pasture (find grazing muzzle options here).

Some signs that your horse may be getting too much starch and sugar from pasture include a thick, cresty neck; tender feet; a distended or more intense digital artery pulse (on your horse’s ankle); flared or ridged hoof walls; and unusual weight gain or loss.

Instead of grazing, provide low sugar/starch hay 24/7 in a slow feeder, such as a hay net with small holes or another device. To learn what the sugar and starch levels in your pasture are, have it analyzed by an agricultural lab. The report will give you the information you need to determine if your pasture is safe. If you aren’t sure how to interpret the results, an equine nutritionist can decipher the data and help you balance your horse’s diet accordingly.

Mycotoxins

If your hay’s starch and sugar levels are low and your horse’s diet is balanced, but the grass is still triggering laminitis, mycotoxins could be to blame. Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxic compounds released by fungi that live in grass. Mycotoxins are vasoconstrictors that are absorbed quickly through the small intestine and trigger a systemic inflammatory response, which can then cause laminitis.

According to Jennifer Duringer, Ph.D., director of Oregon State University’s Endophyte Lab, there are more than 500 known mycotoxins.

“Mycotoxin levels rise and fall seasonally and are present in more grass species than was once believed,” she says. “We are currently conducting a study to identify which species are infected.”

You can combat mycotoxins by turning your horse out on a dry lot instead of a pasture, although mycotoxins can be and often are present in cured hay. If you suspect your horse is suffering from mycotoxin-induced laminitis, try removing the offending toxins with a mycotoxin binder to reduce inflammation. These can be found in certain equine feed supplements that generally contain yeast derivatives.

Keeping a laminitis or founder-prone horse on pasture can be challenging, if not impossible. Keep up the good fight against pain and discomfort by reducing grazing as needed, testing hay, and being aware of potential mycotoxins.

This article about how to feed to prevent founder appeared in the March 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Spring is a crucial time to start getting your horse slowly back in shape and reach your goals for later this year. What do you dream of and hope to accomplish this year with your horse? What steps do you need to take in order to accomplish these goals? What exercises might your horse require to get back into shape and perform their best? Be sure to talk to your coach and veterinarian and let them know what your goals are so they can help you come up with a plan to set in motion.

Before setting your goals, take time to think about what you want to achieve. Then, once you have some ideas, write down your three separate categories: short-term, which are considered daily or weekly goals; medium-term such as monthly goals; and long-term, yearly or even multi-year goals. Once you have a vision of where you want to be, now you are ready to start the most important part of achieving success: tracking your progress.

Many successful riders create their own “SMART” goals for themselves and their horses, or goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Stay on track this spring by using this highly successful method below.

What Are SMART Goals?

Smart: “I want to improve” is not specific enough. Think what about what you want to achieve with a timetable in mind. An example would be, “I want to learn the USEF Dressage First Level Test 1 and memorize it by next month.”

Measurable: “I want to improve my First Level Test 1 score by 2 points” is a measurable goal that is specific as well.

Attainable: Make sure you and your horse can achieve the task. The task should be challenging but not one that is too difficult. If your horse is already struggling to perform skills at Level 2, don’t push it and ask him to do those tests yet at a show.

Realistic: Achieving goals requires commitment. Make sure you and your horse are motivated, willing and able to make your goal happen.

Timely: Every goal needs a deadline to keep you focused and working toward it. Set a date by which you want to accomplish your goal. Then, check in with yourself to see how you are progressing and if minor changes need to be made to meet your timeline.

An Example of a Complete SMART Goal

Instead of saying “I want my horse to listen to me,” a SMART goal would sound more like, “I want to improve my horse’s responsiveness to my aids. I will accomplish this by doing 15 sets of up and down transitions (walk to trot, trot to canter, trot to halt)—asking once, then demanding the second time—during each ride for two weeks.”

How Might Goal-Setting Positively Impact a Rider’s Mindset?

Writing down something about your daily activities with your horse is very rewarding to see the progress you make as an equestrian. Sometimes progress can take a while to see, as progress is not liner. You may find some days where everything is going well and other days not so much, but progress is not the moment. Rather, progress is a continuation of moments over the long run. When you have notes, photos and videos of your sessions, it really helps put everything into perspective as you work toward your goals, not to mention this makes for wonderful memories to look back on!

Journaling your daily progress helps maintain a positive mindset. Upon reflection, you will likely learn something new about your horse or yourself and feel proud of an accomplishment or progress after each session. In addition, it’s helpful to record behaviors, attitudes and anything about your horse’s health.

Finally, remember to celebrate and reward your horse (and yourself) for the daily progress you achieve together. It’s about the journey you are on as a team and the beautiful partnership you continue to build. If you need to reevaluate your goals, change them or make adjustments, that’s OK. Your long-term goals are made up of many small daily accomplishments. Good luck with your goals and have fun on your journey with your horses this year!

This article about SMART goals for horses and equestrians is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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1. Vaccines

Vaccines are vital to your horse’s health because they train his immune system to fight off infection from specific diseases, helping to keep him healthy all year round. Typically, horses get vaccinated every spring. The specific vaccines your horse receives will depend on his age, where he lives, and how often he’s in contact with other horses. Your veterinarian will know exactly which vaccines he needs, but there are a few that every horse should get at least once a year.

Most vaccines, like those for rabies and tetanus, are injections given in your horse’s muscle, usually on the side of his neck. When your veterinarian comes to give vaccines, make sure your horse is well-groomed and his neck is clean. But don’t worry; most horses hardly react to a shot. Just imagine it’s like a pesky fly bite—over in seconds.

2. Deworming

Horses frequently pick up parasites, commonly called “worms,” from grazing on pasture. These worms live in a horse’s stomach or intestines, and severe infestations can cause diarrhea and weight loss. These symptoms are most often seen in younger horses that haven’t yet developed a strong immune system to fight off parasites.

The eggs of these worms are passed in the horse’s manure, then hatch and attach themselves to the grass so they are easily eaten by horses. This is where they enter the gut and start their life cycle all over again.

With warmer weather, your horse is likely spending more time out on pasture. This increases his risk of parasite infection and he may need treatment with a deworming medication, which kills the parasites in his gut. However, not all horses need this treatment.

The best way for your veterinarian to tell if your horse needs treatment is by taking a sample of his manure and looking at it under the microscope to count the parasite eggs. Typically, if a lot of eggs are present, your horse should be dewormed; if just a few eggs are seen, he doesn’t need treatment.

3. Gradual Grazing

With the sun and extra rain that spring brings, the grass in your horse’s pasture is growing like crazy. This is good news for your horse, as grass provides great nutrition, but too much new, green grass too soon can be dangerous. Horses need time to adjust to lush pasture so you may need to slowly introduce grazing back into your horse’s daily routine.

This can be done by using a grazing muzzle, which only allows your horse to nibble a few blades of grass at a time as opposed to an entire mouthful. Another option is to keep your horse in a dry lot part or all of the time to reduce the amount of grass he’s eating every day.

When first placed on spring pasture, some horses may experience loose manure, especially if the pasture is really wet. His manure should go back to normal in a few days as his digestive tract gets used to the new diet.

If your horse gets too much lush pasture too quickly, he will likely gain weight. Keeping track of his weight by regularly using a weight tape is a good idea in the spring.

Additionally, too much grass can cause founder, a condition that results from laminitis. This is a dangerous hoof disease that is very painful. Signs of founder include the horse leaning back on his heels when standing and moving and looking like he’s tenderly walking on eggshells. His hooves will also be hot to the touch. Ask your veterinarian for help if you’re worried about your horse’s weight in the spring or if you’re unsure how to acclimate him to pasture.

4. Funky Feet

With spring rains come muddy pastures. And muddy horses. And muddy boots. Basically, muddy everything. Standing in very wet conditions for weeks can leave your horse’s feet at risk. For example, smelly black gunk in the frog of your horse’s hoof is characteristic of a disease called thrush, which is caused by bacteria growing in the wet, dark corners of your horse’s soles.

Scratches is another problem sometimes seen in wet conditions. A horse with scratches will have sore, tender pasterns and fetlocks and the skin will be hot and painful to the touch. Sometimes you might see small sores or scabs on the skin.

Keeping your horse’s feet and legs as dry and clean as possible can prevent both of these conditions. Try to pick out your horse’s hooves as often as you can and remove caked mud from his legs, even if you’re not going for a ride. His health will thank you for it, and before you know it, you’ll both be ready for those spring rides.

This article originally appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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