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It’s a beautiful sight: horses in the pasture, grazing delightfully. But is this really so good for them? And what do you have to consider? In this article, we address some of these questions. We also explain how good quality forage can help when your horses do graze and you have little or no control over the quality of your pasture.
Grass good for horses?
In recent years there has been a lot of talk about the importance of good nutrition for your horse. Is grass good or not? Silage, haylage or haylage? Corn or not? And with that, there are almost as many opinions as horse owners. Plus the horse feed market is overflowing with types of kibble, mueslis and supplements.
As always, the answer to: Is grass good for my horse? More nuanced than a simple yes or no. It depends greatly on the type of horse and type of grassland. After all, some horses are more sensitive than others. And one type of pasture is richer than another.
On top of that, research into what constitutes good pasture for horses is still in its infancy. However, more and more is becoming known about the effect of fructans in particular on your horse’s health. But what are they, “fructans”? And what are they doing in my horse?
Fructans
Fructans, sugars and starches are all forms of carbohydrates. Fructans are a form of sugars commonly found in grasses. In the grass plant, fructans serve as a reserve store of energy when the plant cannot grow (enough), but has enough energy from sunlight. In addition, fructans act as a kind of “anti-freeze. It protects the grass from freezing.
High levels of fructans are therefore particularly prevalent in (early) spring. Especially when the nights are still cold and when there is ample sunlight during the day. Fructans also rise in grass when the grass does not get enough water and/or nutrients. Even then the grass cannot grow enough, but does receive energy from photosynthesis from sunlight.
So a dry, sunny spring with cold nights are the ideal recipe for high levels of fructan. But then what does fructan do in your horse’s body?
As nutrition
Recent research at Wageningen University shows that high levels of fructans have a negative effect on your horse’s intestinal health. High levels of fructans cause a more acidic content of the intestines. This higher acidity has a strong negative effect on the intestinal wall, which can affect nutrient absorption. In addition, the lower acidity causes degradation of healthy bacteria, which negatively affects the continued digestion of the feed.
Previous research has shown that higher levels of fructans are linked to laminitis, digestive problems and other serious diseases in horses. These studies suggest that the deterioration of the intestinal wall and the concomitant worsened absorption of nutrients causes high levels of toxins in the blood. When these toxin levels become higher than the liver can handle, laminitis can occur, among other things.
Mental perspective
In addition to the physical aspect of eating grass, grazing also has an important mental factor. Research has shown that when a horse is tense and has higher levels of stress hormone in its blood, a horse becomes more alert and will raise its head. We all know that image: your horse finds something exciting and runs bellowing with his head in the air. And when he is relaxed, he lowers his head.
This also works in reverse: lowering the head, as in grazing, lowers stress hormones, increases “relaxation hormones” in the blood and lowers the heart rate. In addition, chewing also causes release of these “relaxation hormones.
Microbiota
More and more attention is being paid in science to the importance of microbiota. By microbiota we mean all the microorganisms, bacteria and fungi found in your horse’s gut. An article recently appeared on horses.co.uk announcing a major study on the importance of healthy microbiota in horses.
The diet your horse ingests is one of the biggest determinants of a healthy microbiota. As we mentioned, high levels of fructans have a negative effect on the microbiota. These high fructan levels cause an increase in certain bacteria and fungi while other microorganisms get snowed under.
Roughage as a buffer
Healthy and varied forage can help your horse cope with higher fructan levels. The different types of crude fiber stimulate healthy bacteria and prevent a sharp drop in acidity, even when your horse gets more fructan. Especially when you have no control over the amount or quality of grass your horse ingests, offering varied roughage is a good way to support your horse’s intestinal health. By offering your horse a variety of forage before he gets on the grass, the forage provides a buffer for the amount of fructan your horse gets next. This reduces any negative effects of the fructan.
Want to know if Florian’s mixed forage is a good option for your horse? Then fill out our horse checker or contact one of our advisors.