Pasture

Pasture: Pretty, Not Perfect

Pasture looks simple, but nutritionally it’s anything but. Those green blades shift in value with season, soil, rainfall, and species — which means your horse’s “free feed” isn’t nearly as predictable as most owners think.

🌱 What Pasture Grass Usually Brings to the Table

Fresh grass is naturally rich in:

•Energy for maintaining weight and fueling work

• Protein to support muscle, topline, and tissue repair

• Lysine, the key amino acid horses rely on for growth and recovery

• Potassium, a major electrolyte lost heavily in sweat

• Magnesium, important for muscle relaxation and nerve function

These nutrients make pasture a powerful foundation — but not a complete program.

🌟 The Vitamin Boost Horses Get From Fresh Forage

When grass is green and growing, it delivers:

• Vitamin A (beta‑carotene) for vision, immunity, and reproductive health

• Vitamin E, a major antioxidant for muscles and the immune system

• Vitamin K for blood clotting and bone metabolism

• Naturally occurring B‑vitamins that support metabolism and gut health

This is why horses often look their shiniest and healthiest in spring and early summer.

🧲 Where Pasture Falls Short

Even the prettiest pasture tends to be low in:

• Copper

• Zinc

• Selenium (in some areas)

• Sodium (always needs to be supplemented-see last weeks Feed Scoop Friday!)

These minerals drive hoof quality, coat health, immune strength, metabolic stability, and overall performance — and they’re consistently lacking in most regions.

🐴 The Real Takeaway

Pasture is the base, not the whole recipe.

It gives your horse calories, protein, and natural vitamins — but the mineral gaps are real, and they matter. Balanced nutrition starts with forage, but it’s completed with smart, targeted feed programs.

Happy Feed Scoop Friday- go tell your grass to calm down.