09/11/2025
Understanding Pasture Sugar: What Every Horse Owner Should Know
🍂 Fall is a particularly risky time for grazing—especially when nighttime temperatures dip below 5°C. Cold nights slow the plant’s sugar use, causing sugars to accumulate. That means a sunny fall morning can pack a sugary punch!
Here are a few key tips to keep in mind:
🌱Grass height matters – The bottom 3–4 inches of grass contains the highest sugar content. Horses grazing short or overgrazed pastures may be taking in more sugar than you think.
🌱Time of day is important – Grass sugar levels rise throughout the day. Aim for early morning grazing (before 10am) and avoid turnout after sunny afternoons.
🌱Stressed grass = more sugar – Drought, frost, or overgrazing can cause spikes in non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs).
🌱Taller grass isn't just safer—it’s healthier – Rotational grazing, mowing, or resting fields can help reduce sugar concentrations.
🌱Shady areas help – Grass growing in shade tends to have lower sugar buildup.
For horses prone to laminitis or metabolic issues, even small amounts of high-sugar grass can be risky.
🐴🥰We've had good results using KER EquiShure to help buffer hindgut pH and support horses that may have grabbed a few too many sweet bites:
littleoasisequinestore.ca/shop/p/ker-equishure
***there's a ton of free information/education here ➜ safergrass.org/managing-grass-for-lower-sugar and this is was the source for this post.
You can also read my Canadian mare Xenia's Laminitis recovery journey here:
littleoasisequinestore.ca/blog/how-i-rehabilitated-a-foundered-horse
