does a horse need to eat grass all day if he is in a field?

Answer 1

A horse left on it's own will eat about 12 times a day, so it may seem like the horse is eating all day. They eat smaller meals very frequently because it is better for their digestive systems. Most horses love fresh grass as well so they will tend to eat a lot of it when they have the opportunity. This however can be very dangerous in the spring time though. A lot of fresh grass can cause a horse to founder, and once a horse has been foundered there is no curing him, so in the spring it is best to re adjust their digestive systems slowly, by allowing them time to graze in small time intervals, maybe at first as short as 15 or 20 minutes, and then gradually increase the time they have fresh grass available to them so it does not shock their systems.

Answer 2

Horse Eating Grass

Answer 3

Horses are trickle feeders and need to eat almost constantly throughout the day (and night) to keep a healthy amount of bacteria in their gut. If they are deprived of food for any length of time they can get a problem where the food goes back through their intestines that can lead to a build up and blockages (colic in other words which can be fatal) anyway depending on the type of horse you have they could happily munch away for 18 hours or more, if your horse lives out make sure there's good grazing or supply as much hay as your horse can manage if there's not. If your horse is stabled make sure there is plentiful hay to keep your horse munching away...also the chewing motion helps the horse remain calm and happy!
Modern feeding methods (hard feed three times a day and a weighed haynet at night) will keep the horse in good condition but I prefer the other method! I personally don't think there is a right way or a wrong way to look after horses, there is just a load of different ways of doing things.
p.s if your horse is lamanitic it's a whole different story and definitely do not feed it as much as it wants!!!

Answer 4

No it won't kill them. They would only get colic if they aren't used to eating grass ie kept in in winter or only eat grass for an hour then go out in a field and eat as much as they want as has happened to some in our herd at our old yard. If they live out all year like ours do then they won't get colic from the grass as it is always going through their system. We have 1 laminitic, she has a grazing muzzle on when the grass is rich which you could use on your horse if you're worried about laminitis. Ours have got fat this year because we have had so much rain and the grass is growing and growing , meant to be hot from the weekend though that will slow the grass down. If you have a dry paddock, you could turn them out in there for an hour or so to chase each other round. If your horse is a native breed then you need to be careful as they are more prone to laminitis.

Answer 5

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RE:
does a horse need to eat grass all day if he is in a field?

Answer 6

Horses are grazing animals whose digestive tracts are designed to have food constantly going through them. Without a constant intake of fibrous matter their intestines can stop functioning properly leading to colic and other gastrointestinal issues. If they have a high quality grass, they need nothing else. If there is no live grass (in the winter, during dry times, etc) they need to be supplemented with hay. Ideally the hay should be spread on dry ground to mimic the same type of eat-walk a few feet-eat some more behavior that their bodies are designed to engage in.

Answer 7

Watch how much grass is out in that field. Do you have poisonous plants out there? He may just stand in the grass, but any horse I know would eat it. make sure in spring you don't turn him out to long on the grass after he has lived on hay all winter. hay lacks nutrients that grasses have. If you do hay all winter try and go for the legumes. (grasses with flowers) Legumes have more nutrients. you can also pick out certain supplements to replenish lost nutrients.

Answer 8

generally speaking horses have stomachs that require a constant flow of feed to maintain a healthy gut. However if the grash is lush fresh stuff then you need to restrict his grazing time in this pasture or you'll end up with an overweight fatty!
It is not recommended that horses go hours on end without food so you just need to find the right balance!

Answer 9

Not all day but most of the time so their digestive system keeps going they are trickle feeders so that is why they graze most of the time. Horses need a constant source of fiber to keep them healthy so even if they arent eating it all the time it's better that they have something rather than nothing.

Answer 10

horses eat to stay warm for one thing. but they get all kinds of nutrients in grass that is lost in hay. people that have grass for their horses year round don't seem to have vitamin deficiencies in their horses. those that can only feed grass part of the year, or not at all, have to supplement with vitamins.