Many people think that they are giving their horses a treat when they dump piles of lawn clippings into their pens. What they don't realize is they could be making their horse sick.
You may think that it's "just grass" but unfortunately, when grass is mowed and collected, it begins to ferment very rapidly, turning it into a toxic snack for your horse.
http://www.equiculture.com.au/Equi%20rspca%20lawnmower%20clippings.pdf
If you ever stick your hand into the middle of a pile of cut grass, you will feel just how warm it is.
Never mind the moisture causes rapid growth of toxic mold and with a little more time, even botulism which can be fatal.
Two summers ago, my mare was fed a huge pile of grass clippings by the owner of the property where I kept her. Luckily I came out to see her that evening and I could tell right away that something was very wrong.
She looked positively ill and wasn't eating her hay. She began kicking up at her belly and I knew right away that she was colicking. We got her walking and then called the vet. She began to burp (Yes, burp. She is one of the only horses that I have ever met who can burp. It is likely because she suffered a serious neck injury as a foal and my guess is the one way valve to her gut was damaged at that time).
Her burps smelled rotten. It was awful. The vet came and gave her something to combat the gas forming uncontrollably in her gut and in the event that there was an obstruction also gave her a good dose of mineral oil and some banamine to relax her and reduce pain.
Thank goodness I was able to be there to help her as there is danger of a rupture due to the rapid formation of gas. She felt pretty rotten that night but seemed far better in the morning.
With lawn trimmings your horse is also eating far more quickly and they are taking in large doses of sugar in a very short period of time which can also lead to laminitis (the inflammation of sensitive layers of tissue (laminae) inside the hoof which can lead to extreme lameness).
Honestly, it is just not worth the risk. Why not add the trimmings to your manure pile where they will compost very rapidly and make awesome fertilizer for your pasture once rotted.
Just something to think about.
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