Feeding the Horse from Spring to Summer – What Should Be Considered?
After a long winter spent mostly indoors, access to pasture is a true celebration for horses. When the gate first opens to spring’s lush greenery, many horses seem to lighten their step and brighten their gaze. They gallop with ears pricked, roll joyfully in the grass, and bury their muzzles in the delicious green sward.
Pasture provides not only nutrition, but also freedom of movement, social interaction, and species-appropriate behavior—everything a horse needs to thrive. The freshness and sweetness of green grass make it highly appealing, but it is precisely this richness that makes a gradual transition to grazing so important. A sudden dietary change can overwhelm a sensitive digestive system. Careful adaptation to nutritional changes supports gut health, helps prevent digestive disorders, and promotes overall well-being.
The transition to pasture requires gradual adaptation
Spring pasture contains a large amount of easily digestible energy, especially sugars and fructans, but is relatively low in fiber. Rapid introduction to grazing can disrupt the gut microbiota, increase gas production, and raise the risk of laminitis. Grazing should therefore begin with short sessions of 15–20 minutes and be increased gradually.
The importance of fiber-based feeding is emphasized
Although pasture appears to offer everything a horse could want—green, fresh, and abundant—it has one weakness: it is not always coarse enough. Especially early spring grass is so soft and sugar-rich that the horse’s gut still craves familiar, slowly digesting forage. Fiber is essential for microbial function and pH stability in the hindgut. Offering hay or haylage even during the grazing season supports digestion and can help prevent feeding-related problems.
Water and electrolytes
Warm weather and increased activity can raise sweating and, consequently, the need for fluids and electrolytes. Through sweating, horses lose especially sodium, potassium, and chloride—electrolytes essential for gut and nervous system function. Deficiencies can lead to fatigue, muscle stiffness, and performance issues if losses are not replaced.
Fresh water is always the best drink for a horse—but sometimes it needs a pinch of salt alongside it, and after strenuous exercise, electrolytes may be needed to replace lost salts. A salt lick should always be available.
The need for concentrates often decreases
The energy content of spring pasture is not always obvious to the eye—but the horse’s body feels it. Green grass is rich in water-soluble sugars, some of which are rapidly converted into energy in the gut, while others, such as fructans, can overload the microbiota. In spring, pasture grass may contain as much as 150–250 g/kg dry matter of sugars, making it a significant energy source. For this reason, many horses’ need for concentrates should be reduced—or even eliminated—during the grazing season. It is often observed that the same amount of concentrate that worked in April is excessive by June. For example, 5 kg of fresh pasture can contain 4–5 MJ more energy than the same amount of dry hay (NRC, 2007).
Often the solution is simple: reduce or completely remove concentrates.
Monitor weight and adjust feeding
As summer progresses, the composition of grass changes: sugar levels decrease and fiber content increases. Feeding should therefore be reassessed regularly based on body weight, manure quality, and activity level. The eye adapts easily, and changes in body condition can be difficult to notice. A readily available and easy-to-use weight tape can be a helpful tool.
Summary
The transition from spring to summer is not just about opening the pasture gate. It is a physiological transition period for the horse that requires careful adjustment of feeding—especially regarding fiber, energy, and electrolytes. Taking these factors into account helps reduce the risk of laminitis, digestive disturbances, and decreased performance.
Sources:
- Hintz, H. F., & Cymbaluk, N. F. (1994). Nutrition of the horse. Annual Review of Nutrition, 14(1), 243–267. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.nu.14.070194.001331
- Jansson, A., & Lindberg, J. E. (2012). A review of the impact of nutrition on the health and welfare of horses. Livestock Science, 144(1), 92–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2011.11.008
- Longland, A. C., Barfoot, C., & Harris, P. A. (2009). Effects of period, water-soluble carbohydrate content, and amount of dry matter intake on the glycemic and insulinemic responses to pasture in ponies. The Veterinary Journal, 180(3), 329–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.03.010
- McCutcheon, L. J., & Geor, R. J. (2008). Thermoregulation and exercise-associated heat stress in horses. In K. W. Hinchcliff, A. J. Kaneps, & R. J. Geor (Eds.), Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery (2nd ed.). Saunders Elsevier.
- National Research Council. (2007). Nutrient requirements of horses (6th rev. ed.). The National Academies Press.
- Watts, K. A. (2005). Managing pasture to reduce the risk of laminitis. Safergrass.org. Retrieved from https://www.safergrass.org/
- Geor, R. J., & Harris, P. A. (2013). Feeding management of the equine athlete: Nutritional strategies for health and performance. Equine Veterinary Education, 25(11), 507–518. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12128
