10/02/2026
🍂 Fall is here, and your horse's forage is changing. Here are 5 things every horse owner should know:
1️⃣ Pasture is slowing down, and losing nutrition.
Grass growth slows as temperatures cool, and warm-season grasses go dormant after frost. Even green-looking pasture loses nutritional value in fall, so many owners start feeding more hay.
2️⃣ More hay can mean more nutrient gaps.
Even good pasture can come up short on certain nutrients, depending on the soil it grows in. Hay raises the risk: some nutrients break down after cutting, and one hay source reflects just one field's soil and plant mix. Vitamin E, for example, starts dropping at cutting and keeps declining in storage.
3️⃣ Less moisture means more dehydration risk.
Grass is far higher in moisture than hay, so horses take in less water on a hay diet. Switch gradually over 7–14 days (longer for sensitive horses), keep water from freezing, and offer salt daily to encourage drinking.
4️⃣ Cool nights can mean more sugar in the grass.
As temperatures drop at night, cool-season grasses can store up extra sugar. Horses with EMS, insulin resistance, or PPID may need limited grazing, so talk to your vet.
5️⃣ Watch for falling leaves.
Wilted red maple and wild cherry leaves are toxic to horses. Check pastures after storms, and keep horses away from fallen leaves and branches.
What's your biggest challenge feeding your horse when the grass starts to fade? 🐴👇
