Autumn
Autumn grass, sugar and laminitis in horses
New or regrowing grass changes what your horse eats. Follow a transition plan suited to your horse. A weather forecast does not measure grass sugar or establish safe grazing time.
Why the plan needs to fit the horse
Pasture can contribute to laminitis in susceptible horses. Previous laminitis, excess weight and metabolic disease are reasons to discuss grazing with your vet first. A slower transition does not automatically make grass suitable.
From pasture to the winter routine
Autumn often changes several things at once: turnout hours, the hay batch and who feeds. Compare the old and new instructions. Record when each change starts, the agreed hay amount and who checks water and feed intake.
What the season cannot tell you
Light, temperature, grass species and growing conditions influence grass composition. They do not give a reliable sugar percentage for your field. Morning, cloud cover or frost cannot provide an individual horse with an all-clear.
What to agree and record
- Current feed, previous grazing and relevant health conditions.
- Agreed field, start date, duration and reasons to review the plan.
- Actual turnout, feed and changes in droppings, behaviour or movement.
- Who to call with concerns and who provides the next day’s care.
In Halster
Keep your autumn turnout arrangements handy
Save a note in Halster of the turnout times you agreed and when you changed them.
Install the test version through TestFlight.
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