Question: Can a horse get all of its nutrition just eating grass?
All members of the equine family have evolved to extract their necessary nutrition from grasses.
Answer: On the best quality pasture horses should be able to get all the nutrients they need. Unfortunately, very few owners have top quality pasture. Over grazing, drought, poor management, poor soil, snow cover all affect the quality of the grass and the horse’s ability extract adequate nutrition. Most horses will require supplementation with minerals, fodder, or concentrates for at least part of the year.
Ponies, donkeys, and some mules may need to be restricted from eating too much fresh grass as they metabolize their food much more efficiently. Overeating can easily cause obesity and founder--a painful inflammation in the hooves.
