Grass Varieties for Horses

Many horse owners are concerned about sugar and fructosan levels in pastures and hay. While levels of these components have not changed in forages over the last century, the needs of horses have. Significant range in nonstructural carbohydrate contents of all grass species would allow for selection of varieties with lowered levels of these components. However, the grass seed industry must perceive a market for these types of grass before they would invest in the development of varieties and seed production and marketing of such types. Levels of these components currently vary with species, management, and the environment in which the plant is/has grown. Horse owners should be aware of these differences and use them to the benefit of their horses. Significantly lower levels of sugars and fructosans can be obtained by selecting grass species for low water soluble carbohydrate, then pastures can be managed or hay harvested with management practices favoring lowered nonfibrous carbohydrates. Forage can be analyzed for fructan or sugar, starch, and fructan can be estimated from nonfibrous carbohydrate analysis which is commonly determined in forage analysis.