How To Introduce Your Horse To A New Pasture

Allowing a horse to simply run free in a new pasture can cause health issues such as colic and laminitis, among other. Because of this you should always introduce your horse or pony to a new pasture carefully. Read on to find out how.

Ponies Can Get Very Fat, Very Quickly

Ponies are like goldfish. They will gobble up every bit of grass in sight. Letting them loose in a pasture that is too lush can make them obese very quickly, so you are going to have to introduce the new pasture slowly and keep an eye on how much grass they are ingesting. Keep in mind that ponies can also develop laminitis if allowed to frolic in a new pasture too quickly, so doing it slowly is the way to go.

Go Carefully When Changing Your Horse To A New Pasture

One of the biggest problems when introducing your horse to a new pasture that is too lush is colic. This condition can develop quickly and unexpectedly, and can result in the death of your equine companion. Additionally, horses can develop laminitis and metabolic disorder, so introducing a new pasture a little at a time is the best way to go. Allow your horse to graze for a short period of time each day, starting with half an hour or so, and adding 10 minutes daily until your horse has adapted. Don't forget to provide some hay before entering the pasture so your horse doesn't gobble up all the lush grass that could cause a problem.

A Final Note

When changing your horse or pony's pasture you should take things as slowly as possible to avoid any unwanted problems that could result in the loss of your friend.