18/11/2025
The seasons arent like they used to be..Spring isnt the only danger zone!
The thing that many of us don’t want to think about at this time of year… the grass is still very much growing!
It might look like winter’s setting in (it blimmin felt like it at 7am today 🥶), but out on the track we’re seeing active grass growth, I’ve even got ox-eye daisies popping up here in the South of England 🥴 and that means it’s time to think carefully about whether turnout, especially if your horse has had metabolic or gut issues, is suitable yet.
It has been a fairly mild autumn with the addition of increased rainfall, the grass underfoot is still producing sugars and growing in ways that can trip horses up. Please don’t assume that grass is safe just because of the date on the calendar.
For horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or digestive sensitivities this matters even more. EMS horses are far more vulnerable to sugar spikes in pasture. 
Now with the addition of cold snaps, the levels of sugars and fructans may start to spike even more which even ‘unaffected’ horses can struggle to manage.
When horses ingest grass that’s high in non-structural carbohydrates it can upset the hindgut microbial balance. When things go wrong there you get colic, discomfort, and for EMS horses a serious risk of laminitis. 
Consider keeping your horses on track for a bit longer, let the temperature get below 6 degrees more consistently and watch for grass growth slowing or stopping completely.
In short - just because it feels much more like winter to us, the grass is still active and a potential risk. Use those tracks to your advantage!
(Picture taken on the 16th of November…WHAT!?!?)
