Side note: it is still important to slowly build up the grazing season for horses that are not on grass 24/7. Long grass does not mean that you can immediately put your horses on it 24/7. Build it up slowly and keep an eye on the fructan index. Very useful to have as an app on your phone.

Short grass vs. long grass for horses

We have listed the characteristics of grass for you. Because long grass and strip grazing is definitely recommended for all horses. See below in this table the differences between short and long grass:

• Depending on fructan. See fructan index. ** Depending on soil quality and fertilization

High nutritional value means it is high in energy. It has nothing to do with the levels of vitamins and minerals. For most horses, you actually want grass with low nutritional value, because then it is safer to eat for extended periods.

Fibers and no sugars

What we want is for a horse to be able to graze all day without consuming too much sugar. We want horses to derive a lot of fiber from the grass. As you can see in the table above, long grass contains more fiber than short grass. This is because long grass has grown, reducing the sugar concentration compared to short grass. Of course, this doesn't mean you can put a horse freely in long grass if a horse is sensitive to getting fat. It is better to offer strip grazing.

Transition & Strip Grazing

The horse's digestion needs to switch from hay to grass. To allow the digestion to adapt, it is wise to gradually increase the time spent on pasture. Start with 1 to 2 hours at times when the fructan content is low (you can check this in the fructan index app). After the first week, you can gradually increase it in the following weeks. For example, add an extra hour per week. Especially at an older age, horses are more sensitive to changes in feed, and it would be unfortunate if they develop colic because of it.

Additionally, strip grazing is truly the best option. This is a good way to protect horses from overeating and an excess of sugars. With strip grazing, you limit the amount of grass the horse can eat by, for example, adding a small amount of grass daily. Strip grazing is also important for long grass. Eating excessively long grass is not recommended. With strip grazing, the grass is often consumed more evenly, allowing the entire pasture to be better utilized rather than just the tasty patches of grass.

More Fibers

Fibers are extremely important for horses. Horses derive most of their energy for all bodily processes from fibers. A horse's ration should consist of at least 50% fibers, preferably much more. Long grass contains more fibers than short grass. Therefore, on long, overgrown grass, the horse needs to chew much more. Chewing stimulates saliva production, which has a positive effect on neutralizing stomach acid. Additionally, the horse's digestive system has to work harder to digest this tough grass. Digestion of fibers occurs with the help of bacteria. So, the more fibers, the more good bacteria in the digestive tract.

On the other hand, short grass contains very few fibers, and the horse doesn't have to work much to consume it, resulting in lower saliva production and less strain on the horse's digestion. Horses also do not have a full feeling in their stomachs like humans do. Horses feel full through chewing movements. The more chewing movements, the fuller the horse will feel.

Nutritional Value

Young, short grass is richer in nutritional value than older, overgrown grass. Of course, the nutritional value depends on the type of soil and fertilization. Most of the nutritional value is found in the grass's leaves. The older the grass, the lower the percentage of nutritional value. Long grass also contains less sugar than short grass. Therefore, be careful with horses that are sensitive to laminitis, summer eczema, or insulin resistance on short grass. A sparse pasture with short grass is often seen as ideal for these horses. But it's actually the fresh grass shoots that are growing that are real sugar bombs. Strip grazing with long grass is often the best option for these horses. Conversely, an older horse, which easily loses weight and/or has difficulty chewing, benefits more from a pasture with shorter grass. These horses can use the higher nutritional value and grass that requires less chewing. Therefore, carefully consider your horse's nutritional needs.

Sparse Pasture Isn't So Sparse

A sparse pasture with short grass is actually much richer in sugar for horses. Why? Because the horses have eaten all the grass. Because if you were to fence off a part of that sparse pasture, what would that part look like? Right, that part would have longer grass. The horses have now eaten the grass with sugars. Therefore, a sparse pasture is not sparse at all. If you have a horse that is sensitive to sugars, laminitis, insulin resistance, or overweight, do not put them on a sparse pasture, but use strip grazing instead. This way, you can see what these horses are consuming and they won't eat the grass that is just starting to grow.

Conclusion:

For the majority of horses, long, overgrown grass is much better than short, young grass. Most horses do not need the high nutritional value and instead benefit from the many fibers and low nutritional value of long grass. Because older grass also contains less sugar, it is safer for horses that rub during the summer period or are sensitive to laminitis. Older horses with dental problems often benefit more from shorter grass because these horses have difficulty chewing the fibrous grass. In short, long grass is better than short grass for almost all horses. However, it is advisable not to put horses on pasture 24/7 right away, but to build it up gradually. Start with 1 to 2 hours a day when the fructan content is low. Increase this by an hour per week. Also, consider using strip grazing.

Tip: download the fructan index on your phone. Search for fructan index in the app store. It's really handy to see when fructan (sugar) levels are low and it's safe to graze.