“Meeting our horses’ fundamental needs and avoiding pasture related “Grass Affected” problems can be a huge challenge.  Our ethos is to help you learn more about how your horses pasture can affect his health, movement and behaviour and what we as horse owners can do to improve the situation.”

Sue Dawson, Calm Healthy Horses UK

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Calm Healthy Horses UK

Our site explains how, in our experience, you can provide your horse with a way of life that puts his fundamental needs first, whilst still allowing  you to succeed in your equine goals  – whether that be hacking, competing or simply enjoying the time you spend with your horse.

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The importance of maintaining a Healthy Well Balanced Diet throughout the Year

 

Always keep in mind the difference between a horse’s natural environment: a vast semi desert biome and conditions in the UK that are usually  warm, wet, organic and unless you are very lucky, confined by paddocks.  Our aim is to provide a nutritionally well-balanced diet in the form of high fibre, low sugar feeds, with species-appropriate potassium and nitrate levels.

The challenge is that sugars, potassium and nitrate levels in UK pastures often become excessive for the horse. Due to our weather, grass growth takes plance during most of the year and  can be particularly prolific in spring and late autumn.   Grazing on relatively small areas means that many horses are feeding from a ‘green carpet’ most of the time, a situation that conflicts with their natural metabolic needs.

The horse does have a reasonably efficient self-regulating mechanism to keep its body functioning normally when exposed to excessive potassium and nitrates in limited circumstances, as happens in nature.

However, the persistent effects of the  ‘green carpet’  created by our paddocks, cool season grasses and warm wet weather  can overwhelm these mechanisms and this is when we see the various health and behavior issues listed on our  Grass Affected Check Sheet.

Fibre is the biggest and most critical element of the horse’s daily nutrition.

The horses gut is designed to function on ‘high fibre forage’.  If the gut is ‘not right’ look to the type and quality of your forage first, is it appropriate for you horse?  

Grass affected problems are management issues not horse issues.

When the management of the horse’s fundamental needs are right i.e. his diet and environment, by nature he is a calm and athletic animal.