Do Pasture Horses Need Grain?

PAM DENTe-PRO, SRES, SFR

www.jumpintogreenerpastures.com

When looking for Charlottesville horse farms, one must look at the horse’s necessity.

Horses naturally eat grass. Grain was only created by man to make the horses heavy.

Horses were used to pulling caravans and did not have the luxury of time to graze. Feed bags were invented during this

time to supplement the food of horses.

Here are several ways to know if a horse should be given grain:

Activity

Horses are created to survive on grass alone. Giving them grain is a decision that can be greatly influenced by the

activity of the horse on a daily basis and amount and quality of pasture that is available.

If a horse is reserved for a competition, it would be best to calculate the number of games that the rider wants to enter

and its condition.

Age

Young horses that are just babies under the age of five is best to be given grain so that they can reach their full

potential. They grow fast and their body needs the energy from food.

Breed

The breed of the horse also needs to be considered. There are certain breeds that need a small amount of food. On the

other hand, horses such as Thoroughbreds might need more grain to develop into a strong and healthy animal.

Breed - cont.

Monitoring your horse’s condition is part of being a responsible owner. Horses that are used for breeding and

horse shows can be weighed constantly.

They might become an aggressive eater and can result in obesity. If that happens, you can stop giving grain to the

horse and put it in a catch pen.

If you decide to give grain to a pasture horse, the amount of food can be lesser during the winter. If it is not done, they

might suffer from laminitis.

A condition where heat travels to the horse’s feet. It is a painful and permanent condition.

Giving grains to horses can be an important deciding factor when you look at Charlottesville horse farms for sale. It can

help you win in the annual Keswick horse show.

To give you more information, check out www.jumpintogreenerpastures.com

If you need help in buying or selling Charlottesville horse farms, call me, Pam Dent at 434 960-0161.

As a native of Charlottesville VA who is both an expert in horses and equestrian properties, I have the knowledge and

experience that make me the best agent to market your Charlottesville horse farms for sale.