Fast Forage Switches Not Recommended for Horses

Do you know the first signs your horse’s digestive system is in danger? Diarrhea, upset stomach, or the worst scenario — colic — can all be caused by changing from one type of forage to another too quickly. Whether it is moving barns, moving to a new batch of hay from the supplier, or switching from a lush, moist, grassy paddock to a dry sandy sacrifice paddock and dry hay, the importance of switching forages slowly cannot be overstated. An adaptation period of 10 to 14 days to transition new feeds into your horse’s diet is recommended.

Forage makes up the largest portion of the horse’s diet and using an adaption period is of utmost importance when introducing a new forage source to your horse’s diet. A change in hay/pasture has been associated with the highest risk of colic (Hillyer et al., 2002).

Example of an adaptation period:

Days 1 to 3: 75 percent old hay and 25 percent new hay.

Days 4 to 6: 50 percent old hay and 50 percent new hay.

Days 7 to 10: 25 percent old hay and 75 percent new hay.

Educated horse owners take great care when introducing horses to spring grass in order to avoid health issues, but they are not always as judicious when pulling horses off grass in the late fall and early winter. “Switching from a grass to a legume hay, and also from a fresh grass pasture to a dried grass or mixed hay, it is beneficial to add a ‘yeast culture’ or a ‘prebiotic’ to their diet for 10 to 14 days while making the transition,” says highly experienced equine nutritionist, Don Kapper