Pasture after frost

[Reble]

Just wondering what you guys thought.

Hubby says we should not let the horses out now that we had some dusting of snow and frost.

Is some plants now toxic to horses?

 

[Margo_C-T]

I have always heard that it is best to keep horses off pasture for a couple of weeks after a killing frost. Can't say I know the 'why' of it, but in the interests of not taking the risk, I adhere to that advice. Around here, there is ONE plant that is definitely known to be dangerous to stock to eat for approx. that long after frost; it is Johnson grass, a 'giant' 'bunch-grass that sort of resembles sudan. It tends to grow along irrigation ditch banks and in irrigated fields, as it is often 'spread' by the irrigation waters.

Margo

 

[SampleMM]

We had a really bad frost this morning but I will still turn horses out once the frost is gone.

 

[Marty]

When we have frost, the horses stay in the barn and eat hay until it melts off.

 

[Genie]

Deadly after frost- - - - -deciduous leaves, red maple/cherry

High bloat potential after frost are legumes, alfalfa, red clover, white clover

Nitrate toxicity can also be an issue after frost

Above info taken from the web.

We are in the same area as you and we supplement with hay once frost arrives as the pastures are not as nutritious and seem to be less palatable.

 

[Reble]

thank you all, I guess hubby is right for a change.

He also thinks he heard can cause abortions in mares?

Off pasture for sure today.

 

[midnight star stables]

Deadly after frost- - - - -deciduous leaves, red maple/cherry

High bloat potential after frost are legumes, alfalfa, red clover, white clover

Nitrate toxicity can also be an issue after frost

Above info taken from the web.

We are in the same area as you and we supplement with hay once frost arrives as the pastures are not as nutritious and seem to be less palatable.

Interesting. I just got in from turning the horses out. To be honest, I have never heard of that.

After the last week of RAIN, the horses have spent most of their time inside. Today is going to be beautiful and warm, I'd truly hate to keep them in with weather like this.

I also feed the horses hay outside (well year round) and don't think it will affect my guys as long as they are eating that... But I'm going to throw another extra flake or two to all the horses to keep them busy today.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[ohmt]

Well our mares are out on 20 or so acres of pasture year round so they are free to eat grass whenever they like (except in the winter when there's a foot of snow covering the ground of course-if it's just a little snow they dig for grass even with hay out) and we have never had any problems. They don't get sick and we haven't had problems with abortions. I suppose it could be luck, but we've been doing it since we started so that's a lot if years of being lucky

 

[targetsmom]

I know about the red maple issue, but that isn't exactly a pasture issue IMO. The pasture issue I have read about is that after a frost the SUGAR content in the grass/pasture increases. So if you have a horse prone to founder, it could be an issue, but most horses probably will be fine or just gain weight. Our insulin resistant mare, for whom this could be a real problem, doesn't go out on pasture.

 

[Helicopter]

Apparently frost keeps the sugar levels high in the grass and so increases the risk of founder. .........that's what I've read.

 

[AnnaC]

Horses that live out all year round will suffer no harm from frosty grass. It is those that are stabled and then let out into frosty paddocks that may suffer - it causes bloat (in cows as well as horses). Once the frost has lifted properly then it is safe to let them out. My girls all live out, but my boys are stabled nights, so they have to wait for the frost to lift, plus I make sure that they have eaten their food and plenty of hay before turning them out, even if the frost has gone.

It is not so much the frosty grass that can cause laminitis or founder, but the sun on frosty grass does cause an extra 'flush' of sugars as it melts/lifts the frost.

Of course I'm in the UK so have no idea of whether the frost can make some of your plants/grasses poisonous to horses, I dont think we have anything here that actually becomes more dangerous through frost damage.

 

[Mona]

The same holds true here as what ohmt said about her place and her horses.

 

[noblebrook]

I have never heard of this either!!! Will have to do a little more research--I am in the same area as Reble and Genie and have had horses for 30 yrs.

I have never kept horses off the pasture after a frost and have never had a problem in the past.

 

[Mona]

Well, really, what would horses in the wild do?? They would certainly remain on pasture year round.

 

[Reble]

Well, really, what would horses in the wild do?? They would certainly remain on pasture year round.

Yep you are so right, but hubby had heard can cause abortions so we did wait till the sun was out for awhile and than let them out once again.

I know what you are saying, but now our horses are domesticated, with proper pasture, food and vaccines, and shelter etc. never hurts to be safe.

Thanks all for your help, once the snow fly's we usually cut off pasture, and boy it looks like it might be coming sooner than what we want.

 

[MajorClementine]

Never heard that about frost. We have big and small horses that are out in open pastures all year. They pick at what is left of the grass until the snow covers it. It's just good ol' bermuda grass though. Nothing fancy.

 

[levi]

What the abortions and deformaties comes from Alfalfa fields where people turn horses out after a frost,. When you harvest a second cut with alfalfa you have to wait so many days after the frost to harvest it due to complications with pregnant mares only. As far a grasses with frost yes their is a sugar that stays in it but that is for only so many days, does not really bother the horses if they are on grass all the time. The most improtant is the pregnanet mares with alfalfa in the fields!