Pasture and Paddock Management Tips

David Schwinghamer, DVM

April 2005

Spring is on its way and now is the time to start thinking about the management and safety of your pastures and paddocks.  There are many hazards that you may or may not be aware of that can cause harm to your horse.  Some of these hazards are loose or broken fencing, unprotected pole barn steel, parasites, toxic plants, and even the nice green grass that we all are anxiously awaiting.  

Fencing tends to take a beating over the winter when your horse becomes bored. Now, with that the weather improving is a good time to get out there, and fix those broken boards and loose wires.  Check for any nails that have worked their way loose on fence rails and around the paddock over the winter.  Large magnets or metal detectors are great to find loose nails or scrap pieces of metal in pastures and paddocks. The smallest nail or the shortest loose wire can cause a major catastrophe in the lives of you and your horses. It’s never too early to put on your muck boots and do a thorough perimeter search. 

We see many lacerations each year from horses that get entangled in or kick a hole through unlined pole barn steel. Tin edges cut like a knife. The severity of the injuries can be anything from minor lacerations that will heal with bandaging and time, to major wounds which are so severe that it ends in the euthanasia of the horse.  Unfortunately, we tend to deal with the more severe cases far too often.  Injuries can range from simple skin lacerations to severed tendons, joint lacerations, fractured bones and blood loss because of major artery or vein is cut and the horse needs a transfusion.  Therefore, we recommend lining your pole building with ¾” to 1” thick plywood to prevent a horse from acquiring these injuries.  A horse can easily kick 4-6’ up in the air, so the plywood should also be extended up this high.  The plywood should be lined directly against the tin and thoroughly secured so there is no space in between. This will prevent a laceration if the kick comes from the outside of the building.  You should also examine all corners for any loose or sharp pieces of tin that could pose a danger.  The money you will spend on a few pieces of plywood far out weighs the time and expense of attempting to get your injured horse back to normal.  Also remember to move the manure to a pile outside the fence. 

Don’t forget that parasite control is much more than just worming your horse every 6-8 weeks.  It is a good idea to strip your dry lots of all the manure that has built up over the winter months, especially if you are expecting a newborn foal.  This manure acts as a major site of re-infestation of parasites in horses.  Consequently, the paddocks and pastures should not be dragged, for this just spreads the parasitic eggs out rather than removing the source of infestation.   

Finally, as the grass starts to emerge this spring, don’t forget to look around for toxic plants that can cause problems for your horse.  Hoary alyssum & white snakeroot, for example, are just two of the toxic plants that affect a number of horses each year in Minnesota.  We also see a number of horses each year that show signs of colic and/or laminitis from being turned out on fresh green grass that they are not used to.  The first grasses of the spring are very high in carbohydrates.  A sudden, excessive increase in the amounts of carbohydrates ingested can cause an upset in the normal numbers of micro flora in the gastrointestinal tract.  This upset can bring about an episode of laminitis. Horses that eat too much grass or too quickly run the risk of a case of obstructive colic.  To reduce the chances of either colic or laminitis incidents occurring, we recommend introducing your horse to pastures either very early before the spring shoots come up, or later in the season after the spring grasses have matured.  If your horse appears to be over-eating it is a good idea to withhold pasture until you can slowly transition them onto the grass.  This is often accomplished by adding an additional hour of grazing time every few days. 

By following some of the above guidelines we recommend for your pastures and paddocks, this spring can be a healthier, happier one for you and your horses.