Long, hot, dry weather may be wonderful for us during our leisure time, but the driest spring on record has had some serious implications for all connected with the land - including our horses. The dry spell looks likely to continue into drought. Plants cannot grow well without sufficient moisture, and in particular, plants with shallow roots will be most affected. This includes most grass.
Many horses were turned out early due to the early spring and ate the available grass which then has not been able to regrow well as it has been so dry. Continuing to graze when there is so little grass will eventually kill the grass that is left and the horses will end up grazing down to the roots and ingesting soil, which in turn increases the risk of sand colic. For more information about sand colic from an equine vet's perspective, watch the information video below.
Overgrazed paddocks will need a lot of extra care, but this can only be best done when the weather conditions will aid good growth. Reseeding may be necessary, but only do this when the ground is damp, or rain is forecast, or your efforts could be futile. You may also wish to apply a paddock treatment, such as Natural Paddock Recovery before reseeding to add vital minerals to the soil, as well as to reduce acidity to improve the pH.
While grass is in short supply, horses will need topping up with hay, soaked forages such as Blue Bag Grass Pellets, or forage blocks, for instance. This will take pressure of the pasture and also help mitigate the risk of colic.
Lots of sun means high levels of UV and the risk of inflammation to unpigmented areas. The soft skin of the muzzle and nostrils are especially vulnerable and will need to be protected with factor 50 sun block or a suitable UV mask. Sun cream should be unscented and suitable for children for best results. If the area has been affected already and is sore, inflamed or scabby, antiseptic cream with a high inclusion of zinc and/or titanium oxides may help. Be aware that the affected areas will be very sensitive and will need treating with great care. If they are not responding quickly to your treatments, call your vet.
Grass that is not growing due to drought is still alive and making sugar in the sunshine. Being unable to grow, this sugar will build up and is stored in the base of the grass. This can be a problem for horses sensitive to sugars, especially those who are laminitis prone, have Insulin Resistance (IR) or Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS). There may not be much grass, but what the there is, may not be appropriate. For such horses, it is sensible to offer alternative, low sugar forage sources such as low sugar hay, buckets of soaked feed - HayCare, PuraBeet and Lucie Fibre Cubes all being suitable, or forage Brix. Additionally you may wish to support them with MetaSlim, which was created with a leading equine vet for such horses.
For advice tailored to your horse's specific needs, contact the Feed Line on 01728 604 008, or complete our advice request form here.