Grass As Food For Horses

By Dr. Joyce Harman

Horse owners rarely think of being a true farmer, but, in fact we all are grass growers, which qualifies us as farmers. So, we need to think a bit more about how to grow healthy grass, and to recognize when our grass needs attention.

As we think about the horse from a holistic perspective, we must look at the food we feed them. Not just that bag of grain full of preservatives, or the supplements we endlessly feed them, but the mainstay of their diet, the grass they eat on a daily basis.
But, you say, we fertilize regularly and spray for weeds periodically. The grass looks wonderful, in fact sometimes it is so rich we cannot turn the horses out on it for long periods of time because they will get too fat or even founder. Great, but is that a healthy thing to have happen?

Most soil today worldwide is devoid of the healthy microorganisms and organic matter that make it alive. Soil is compacted and hard, there are areas of erosion and bare patches or places where growth is poor and weeds take over if we forget to mow for a while.

Weeds are not a bad thing, however, as most of our common “weeds” are really medicinal plants that horses/ livestock will eat as they need. However, weeds also appear in poor soil to try to correct some of the imbalances there and when weeds want to take over, it is an indication of severely imbalanced soil.

Healthy soil is rich in color. loose in texture and drains well. It is much more drought resistant and good soil provides many more nutrients to the horse because the grass has more nutrients available to it.

Normal fertilization will only replace nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus while lime replaces calcium. Healthy fertilization provides many trace nutrients as well as sources of carbon such as hay, straw and properly-made compost. It takes some effort to reclaim fields, but it can be rewarding in lower feed costs and improved health of the animals that live on it.

Look for some more detailed articles on this site in the future. One great resource for information caring for soil is www.acresusa.com. They have a newspaper and many books.

About Joyce

Be sure to visit her website www.harmanyequine.com

Dr. Joyce Harman graduated from Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984 with an interest in acupuncture and alternative medicine. She went to England, the Ireland to study equine exercise physiology and sports medicine, always looking for a better, safer way to treat and train horses.

Upon her return to the United States, she went to work in New Jersey for a large equine practice, with all the latest equipment. However, as Dr. Harman began to find out, many animals still could not be helped and she began to use acupuncture extensively to resolve cases that were not responding to conventional medicine. Dr. Harman became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist in 1990.
She decided to open her own practice and do just acupuncture, so she moved to Virginia in 1990 and opened Harmany Equine Clinic. In 1994 she became a Certified Veterinary Chiropractor and also completed an advanced homeopathic course for veterinarians. Along the way she has taken many other courses in holistic medicine for animals.