Autumn Grass can Cause Accidents

Example of a sudden & unexpected departure!

People are getting thrown off their horses in all sorts of unexpected ways and means.

Autumn is late but it is here

What does this mean for our horses? It means a sudden change in their forage, and if you have read anything by us, you will know that this is potentially problematic for all horses!

When a normally functioning horse spooks, it is relatively easy to ride. The horse calms down and you carry on.

However when the horse’s nervous system is not functioning normally it goes to the next level. To be clear, this is completely different to just having ‘excess energy’.

They can do lightning fast spooks or 180 degree wheelies ‘out of the blue’ and it is virtually impossible to stay on - even for practised rodeo riders , and we know a few who have come to grief.

There is a difference between just ‘falling off’ and being ‘fired off’.

When you are 'fired off' you slam into the ground with the resulting injuries being serious.

At the very least you will be so black & blue you won’t be able to walk for a week.

If your horse seems different, is doing uncharacteristic things or you feel at all ‘iffy’; DON’T GET ON.

It is best not to tie horses up either as they can be prone to violent pull-backs.

Ideally you would get these horses completely off the grass and onto 24/7 hay, don't let them run out of hay if you can.

When this isn’t possible section them off with tape, into a smaller area with a friend. The grass will soon get trashed and they will eat more hay.

When hay is in short supply here are other ways you can stretch out your hay to keep up the all important fibre content...

1. Add FIBRE BASED items to the feed. Feed more chaff (not lucerne) beet, lupin or soy HULLS.

2. Mix straw into the hay – oaten or barley and in Australia, wheaten.

3. Grass straw can work – bales are made from the stalks/leaves left after the seeds have been thrashed off.

4. Minimise hay waste by using small mesh hay nets

5. Haylage can work too preferably drier, late cut - always check what is in it and avoid rye/clover.

Here are some other things you can do:

• Eliminate all lucerne and extruded feed

• Make sure you are adding salt to the feed (10gms per 100kg live weight)

• Introduce GrazeEzy and SOS concurrently. If you are already feeding these, increase the amount when it starts raining rather than waiting for the horse to develop issues.
  

Always err on the side of caution when it comes to your safety and don't be talked into getting on a horse who is showing any signs of being 'not right'.