The spring grass problem might arise because horse probably won’t have stomach flora to digest grass, after a winter of no green pasture, eating only hay. Especially a problem where there might be snow coverage. This grazing would fall under “sudden change in diet” and can cause problems to horse.
Location where you live is a big factor for hand grazing, pasture turnout on new grass for ANY amount of time after a winter hay diet.
Mine are not hand grazed, not part of our routines. When horses finally are allowed on pasture it will be AFTER they clean up morning hay. They will get 15 minutes grazing, then off the pasture. I am really harsh in keeping grazing times short, slowly adding time every few days, in acclimating our horses to grazing again. My horses can put away a LOT of grass in that time! I want no reaction to this diet addition. The horses need a longer time span to develop stomach flora that can digest grass instead of hay.
Allowing long grazing times when horse has not been grazing all winter, can cause colic, laminitus, because body can’t manage or digest the sudden food change. I take about a month or more to get our horses switched over to grazing several hours a day. Better to take longer than be sorry later. We see “issues” EVERY year in animals who eat too much grass after being hay fed all winter. Doesn’t have to happen.
Further South horse might have more greenery available or growing year around in his pasture. That horse will have more grass digesting flora in his stomach in Spring because he never was on an all hay diet over winter. He can tolerate longer grazing times right away.
Always best to be really careful with slower diet changes, take your time with it, not surprise the horse digestive system. Location does matter too, what works here could be problem in other locations.
