‼ HIGH SUGAR GRASS ALERT ‼

As the UK weather shifts to spring, your grazing changes QUICKLY, so we're sharing our top tips on how to keep your pony or horse healthy during the change of seasons, it's happening NOW!

With the longstanding wet conditions felt by us all this winter, we are seeing strong early grass growth. After last years dry summer, grazing can respond very quickly, producing lush, high-sugar/low fibre grass that poses potential health challenges for your horse.

👀 Keep your eyes open, and use a camera

Walk your fields weekly, look for rapid growth in areas that were muddy in the winter. Take a photo each week to easily compare what you might not notice each day.

⏰ Control grazing intake EARLY before health problems start

High-sugar grass is most dangerous when:

• Days are sunny and nights are cold
• When growth is rapid but not mature
• Horses are overweight or good-doers

🔧 Management tools:

• Introduce new grazing as slowly as possible
• Strip grazing with electric fencing
• Track systems (encourage movement and restrict intake)
• Grazing muzzles (carefully fitted, introduced and monitored)
• Turning out overnight rather than late afternoon during peak sugar months

💚 Keep grass slightly longer

Very short, stressed grass accumulates sugar. Aim for 5–8 cm height and avoid overgrazing as much as possible. Rotate paddocks where you can to prevent stress regrowth which spikes sugar levels even further.

🐴 Improve fibre availability in the field

When grass is lush and growing quickly continue to provide ad-lib, low sugar hay in the field. This helps maintain a healthy digestive system and also reduces binge grazing behaviour.

👩 Protect the hindgut first

Grass that is high in sugar and low in fibre can disrupt gut microbes and consistency is more important than restriction alone. Support long term gut stability by:

• Feeding ad-lib mature hay
• Using a balancer formulated for good-doers
• Avoiding sudden increases in turnout time

🐴 Manage body condition proactively

• Use a 1–9 body condition scoring system (Don Henneke PhD, see details below)
• Aim for a 5 for most leisure horses
• Take photos of your horse weekly and track changes
• Cresty neck thickening is an early metabolic warning sign
• Weigh tape every 2–3 weeks, especially during rapid grass growth periods, record your results as you often see change son paper before you can see them by eye

🥕 Adjust additional hard feed when grass energy/sugar levels increases

• Reduce/remove additional higher calorie feeds slowly
• Many horses need far less bucket feed than you expect
• Avoid/eliminate cereal-based feeds
• Switch to low-calorie, nutrient dense feed such as a balancer if not used already
• Make sure your horse has digestive support in their diet to help them process the changes in the grass more efficiently

🐴 Time turnout and exercise strategically

Grass sugars rise during sunny days and drop overnight (unless cold stress prevents growth) so safer turnout windows are often late night to early morning. Avoid mid-afternoon in bright conditions where possible. 

Movement improves insulin sensitivity, weight control and reduces the risk of laminitis. Track systems are the best way to help encourage natural movement, alongside daily exercise suitable to your horses needs.

🚩 RISK SIGNS TO WATCH FOR

Rapid forage changes are a major risk factor for laminitis and digestive upset. The Royal Veterinary College reports that laminitis cases frequently spike during periods of sudden pasture growth.

🔎 Key risks of high sugar and low fibre grass

• Laminitis
• Weight gain
• Equine Metabolic Syndrome
• Hindgut acidosis
• Behavioural sharpness
• Colic risk from rapid dietary shifts

⚠️ Laminitis risk increases dramatically during sudden grass flushes, call your vet urgently if you notice:

• Short pottery steps
• Reluctance to turn
• Warm hooves
• Strong digital pulse
• Sudden foot soreness

Healthy management needs to be weather-responsive, not date-based, as seasonal patterns shift and weather is more unpredictable.