The role of improved pastures in supplying forage varies from farm to farm, depending on the type of livestock operation, available facilities, quality of these facilities, and personal preference of the operator. It is possible for animals to receive a large portion of their feed from pastures; however, if this is to be achieved, careful consideration must be given to planning and carrying out a forage production and utilization program.

Ideally, stallions should be maintained in a moderate body condition (condition score of 5 or 6) year round. A moderate body condition will provide enough fat cover over the ribs, making them hard to see, but still easy to palpate. The withers will appear rounded and the shoulders and neck will blend smoothly into the body. Some stallions may lose weight during a breeding season while others are able to maintain themselves in good condition. For stallions that tend to lose condition, a higher degree of body fatness (condition score of 6 or 7) should be established before the breeding season to ensure stallions do not become too thin during the season.

Poisoning by a toxic plant can produce a number of different symptoms depending on the plant eaten, the amount ingested, the period of time over which it has been eaten, and even varies from individual horse to individual horse. It is often very difficult to diagnose poisoning in a horse primarily because many of the symptoms can mimic those of other conditions. Plant poisoning is often extremely serious and even fatal. For this reason it is important to contact a veterinarian as soon as a horse begins exhibiting any abnormal behavior thought to be caused by the ingestion of a toxic plant.

Since the publication of the 1989 Nutrient Requirements of Horses by the National Research Council (NRC) more information has become available to better help us address the nutritional needs of horses. These needs vary greatly depending on the age, reproductive status, and activity level of the animal. The main emphasis of this article will focus on some of the more recent research that has come available regarding energy, vitamins, and some minerals for the performance horse.

Broodmares have specific nutritional requirements that differ from other classes of horses. There are differences both in the amount of feed mares need and the nutrient concentration needed in that feed. Throughout the year, the pregnant broodmare goes through three different phases, each with a different nutritional demand. She is either in early gestation, late gestation or lactation. To maintain these cycles consistently requires proper health care and nutrition for the mare.

Poisonous plants can cause serious injury to horses, particularly if animals graze when plants are at an especially dangerous growth stage, when little other forage is available, and when animals are very thirsty. Poisonings can be avoided by proper management of animals, pastures, and hay. Suggestions for preventing poisoning are as follows: Know which plants are poisonous and when they are potentially dangerous; Inspect pastures to identify and destroy poisonous plants before initiating grazing; Be sure animals are neither hungry nor thirsty when put on pasture or fed hay that might have poisonous plants; Buy hay locally so that unfamiliar and potentially poisonous plants are not fed and seeds are not introduced to your farm; Do not put animals on forage that is too young in springtime; Maintain grazing pressure appropriate for the pasture; Provide supplemental feed and water to animals during periods of low pasture availability.

Horse pastures differ in several respects from cattle pastures, although most principles of establishing and fertilizing forages developed for cattle pastures also apply to horse pastures. In general, horses are much more destructive to pastures than cattle. Horses tear the sod, denude paths along fences, gates, etc., and punch holes in the sod in times of excessive moisture.

Breeding stallions, on the average, have daily nutrient requirements that are 25% above maintenance of a mature stallion during the off season.1 This is based on the assumption that a stallion's breeding activity and exercise are comparable to the energy expenditure and nutrient needs of a mature performance horse with a light work load. Although limited research has been conducted on nutrition of breeding stallions, it appears obvious that a stallion's book, age, behavior, body condition, general health picture, routine handling and level of free or forced exercise all impact how a sire should be fed. Some stallions are being ridden, trained and hauled, even throughout the breeding season.

ProVet healthcare information article on mistletoe poisoning. Mistletoe poisoning is rare - but it does occur in dogs, horses and cattle - particularly over Christmas and New Year. In dogs it is frequently fatal and follows the ingestion of large numbers of the red fruits during the winter months.

The purpose of this publication is to help horse owners get the most out of the time, effort, and money they are (or should be) putting into permanent pasture management. Discussed first are two basic pasture-planning decisions: (1) the nutritional role of your pasture acreage whether it's to be a major feed source or just an exercise lot; and (2) the options for pasture improvement-whether to renovate, reestablish, or merely maintain. Presented next are step- by-step procedures for renovating or reestablishing an existing pasture, and for establishing a new one. The final section reviews those practices that help maintain-even extend-pasture productivity.