Pony feed

Question
We have planted a cover crop of Buckwheat and it is in Bloom and starting to ripen. I was wondering if it's ok to feed it to our pony?  He's 20 years old but in very good health.  Thanks for any help you can give me.
Mary

Answer
Hi Mary,

Thank you for your question.  You can feed buckwheat grain to your pony, but I would suggest that you do so in moderation.  The seed itself can be quite hard, and so a little more difficult to digest than lets say oats.  You will want to feed it in small amounts at a time (no more than 1 pound per feeding to an absolute maximum of 3 pounds per day...all for a 500 lb pony) to ensure that it is thoroughly digested and none makes it to the hindgut.  Buckwheat grain is listed as a feed source in the NRC, available as a feed source to horses.

You may not want to feed green chop buckwheat (fodder/silage) as the plant itself contains a pigment that can cause a photosensitive dermatitis in horses and ponies.

I hope that helps.

Thanks, Corlena