Can to much clover cause colic?

Question

hi, ive just bought my horse to a new yard where most fields are filled with an excessive amount of clover, im getting worried as previously two horses have suffered with it and unfortunately one passed away.. also we are using barley straw and some tend to eat it when they have no hay..so i was wondering whether anyone had any answers?? thanks

Answer 1

I have never heard of clover causing colic, but leaving a horse in a pasture with too much grass for too long can cause colic. Try a grazing muzzle for a while until the horse is used to the grass.

Answer 2

closest thing i can find

Answer

Clover itself is not bad for horses. However, it contains more fat, sugar, and carbohydrate than other grasses. Horses, commonly ponies, tend to founder (laminitis) in the early spring, when clover, laden with a higher fat content, grows rapidly after the dead winter grasses. It's just the horses intake of too much clover in a short period of time that causes them to gain weight and possibly founder.

Answer

Alsike clover (the kind with smaller pink flowers, non-hairy stems and no white "V"s on the leaves) can cause colic, diarheea, hypersensitivity to light, liver damage, ulcers and hair loss. Also, red clover (looks like alsike but has bigger flowers and a hairy stem) sometimes has a fungus on it that can cause the horse to salivate excessively (though it won't kill him.) Most clover is just fine, though (besides the possiblility of founder mentioned above.)