Instructions
Substitute feed at a rate of 25 percent when switching types of hay or grain. Increase every two days, over a period of a week until the change is completed.
Provide the horse all the hay it will eat about a week before you begin turning it out to green pasture in the spring.
Increase the time the horse is allowed to graze in green pasture gradually to avoid having it overeat. Starting with one hour, increase time by an hour a day over a period of five to 10 days. On the final day, provide the horse with a meal of hay before allowing it to graze all day.
Changing a Horse's Diet
Changing a horse's diet too quickly can cause health issues. Changing a horse's diet should always be done gradually, over a period of at least a week, to give the animal's system time to adjust. Laminitis, commonly known as "foundering," is an inflammatory condition affecting the horse's feet that is widely believed to be triggered by a sudden change in the animal's diet, especially when switching from hay to green grass. Colic, a possible life-threatening intestinal disorder, is also believed to be triggered by sudden changes in diet.