Companion Animals

Horse Pasture Management and Seasonal Welfare

Pasture quality and management directly affects horse and pony welfare through nutritional content, parasite burden, and physical hazard management.

Key Facts

Lush spring grass can cause laminitis in susceptible ponies within hours of access
Sacrifice paddocks protect good pasture during wet winter periods preventing poaching
Rotational grazing reduces parasite infective larval burden on pasture
Toxic plants including ragwort, yew, and foxglove cause serious welfare harm
Horses require at least 1-1.5% of their bodyweight daily as forage from pasture or hay

Welfare Considerations

Pasture management directly determines horse welfare through nutrition, toxin exposure, parasite control, and hoof health. Proactive seasonal management prevents both acute conditions like laminitis and chronic problems like worm burden.

What You Can Do

Walk paddocks regularly to identify and remove toxic plants
Restrict spring grass access for laminitics with muzzles or track systems
Maintain rotational grazing to reduce parasite burden on pasture
Create sacrifice areas to protect pasture integrity during wet periods