Why no Clover?
Clover is very high in starch (complex sugars), contains phyto-estrogens which can upset hormones, contains photodynamic pigments which lead to mud-fever and sunburn and there is a very strong correlation between clover and head-flicking.
Consequently it is not on the list of good grasses for horses!
There are a few types of clover - the ones we deal with here are red, white and the insidious subterrainiun clover pictured here with red clover leaf to give you a size comparison.
Phyto-oestrogens
Clovers especially red clover and sub-terranian clover contain phyto-oestrogens which interfere with hormones and reproduction. These can turn mares into nymphomaniacs and geldings into stallions!
They also increase the number of services to conceive.
There are way safer grasses to feed your horses. If possible change to cocksfoot, brown-top, any of the Poa’s, silver tussock, Yorkshire fog, prairie, or timothy and enjoy horses that are ‘good to go’ all year round!
More about Clover here...
The case against rye and clover
Gelding to Stallion
Toby was a super quiet gelding. He had been ridden from Queenstown to Nelson. His owner’s visa had run out so she sold him to me, I then sold him to a teenage girl who wanted a pleasure hack.
Three weeks later she rang saying he was doing violent spooks and had become so aggressive towards their other horses that he had even run through the fence to attack another gelding they were leading past his paddock.
Then he had front-footed the vet when he came to stitch him up. He had turned into a 'stallion'.
I went over to investigate and saw that their pasture was 100% red clover (the property had previously been used to grow red clover seed). We moved him down the road to a friends yard where he was fed meadow hay and within five days he was back to his old normal self.
It turns out the reason these people had wanted a gelding was because they had so much trouble with mares on the property. Toby was sold back to his original owner who was by now back in the country and has lived happily ever after.