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Grass
is the food a horse has evolved to eat, whether it be the
shetland pony or the thoroughbred. The evolution of the
horse has created a digestive tract ideal for the digestion
of grass and herbage in fact two thirds of the digestive
tract is devoted to it. Modern horse keeping is quite different
to the freedoms experienced by the evolutionary horse, as
we have limited grazing of variable quality. The major problem
with keeping a horse or pony at grass throughout the year
is that a horse’s demand for grass is relatively constant
throughout the year, but the pattern of grass growth and
nutritional content is extremely seasonal.
During
the summer months many of us look forward to being able
to turn our horses out to grass and seeing them enjoying
the green pasture. However, how many of us really know what
nutrition they are getting from the grass. Just because
your pony looks OK doesn’t mean he’s getting all
that he needs.
Unless
you have your grazing analysed on a regular basis you can
never be quite sure of the quality of nutrition it is providing.
Although, most horses and ponies will receive most of their
energy and protein requirements from spring and summer pasture,
vitamin and trace element delivery can be very variable.
Different soil types, pH, time of year, stocking rate and
management all effect the quality of pasture. Weeds also
affect pasture quality, in a recent Spillers survey 7 out
of 10 fields were poached and of those fields 95 % had weeds,
this will greatly effect the nutritional value of the pasture
as a whole. In order to make sure your horse or pony is
receiving all his micronutrient requirements you should
feed a daily multi-vitamin and mineral supplement.
The
most convenient and effective way of doing this is feeding
New EQUIVITE® PASTURE PLUS®. PASTURE PLUS® is the first daily
multivitamin and mineral supplement that can be fed from
the hand. Just like we may take a multivitamin mineral tablet
each day, so should our horses and ponies. Feeding only
5 biscuits for ponies and 10 for horses, is the ideal way
to ensure our horses and ponies are receiving all their
micronutrient requirements.
PASTURE PLUS® is particularly suitable for horses and ponies receiving
little or no compound feed or ponies turned out in large
groups making it impractical to feed from a bucket.
For
further information on PASTURE PLUS® or advice with diets
for your horse or pony please contact the
Spillers care line on 01908 226626.
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