05/22/2023
This is excellent advice as a horse recently passed (not our area) where he was allowed to munch on the fresh grass clippings.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=688344673096554&id=100057630820433&mibextid=ZbWKwL
At this time of year we are out working in the garden, tending plants and mowing the lawn, but did you know that lawn grass cuttings should never be fed to horses. Please remember never put cuttings into any area where horses are grazing.
Unfortunately, grass cuttings are potentially very dangerous for horses to eat and sadly many have died as a result of people putting lawn mowings over the fence into horse pastures.
5 Good Reasons not to feed cutting to horses:
COLIC: A horse may gorge itself on piles of clippings. The large amount of grass can cause excessive fermentation in the hind gut. This can lead to colic or laminitis.
CHOKE: Horses tend to gobble down grass clippings quickly. Unlike grazing on grass out of the pasture and slowly chewing it, clippings require little effort or chewing to swallow. There is a potential risk that the clippings can get lodged in the esophagus.
MOLD: Piled up grass clippings can quickly grow mold, especially in hot and humid environments. Mold can also lead to colic.
BOTULISM: Dense piles of grass do not allow for air to circulate through grass clippings. This is an invitation for the deadly botulism toxin to develop.
POISONOUS PLANTS: Horses unknowingly eat toxic weeds and plants they normally would avoid when they get mixed in with the mower clippings.
