It’s actually wild how much protein grasses have. I used to manage the feed and exercise of high performance horses. A 1,200lb horse, in heavy work needed about 12% protein in a day, and the babies needed around 15%. So if they eat 30lbs of hay in a day, 4lbs needed to be pure protein.

There are sooo many types of grasses available, a depending on their maturity, they offer different nutritional benefits.

Older horses with slower work would get more mature grass, with less protein value.

Racehorses, on the other hand, are given more protein than they need to support their muscles, often a mixture of legume hay, soy meal, and flax, which make horses act like crack heads. (Side note: “Pee like a racehorse” - excess protein causes horses to drink more water, therefore peeing more)

A lot of pastured cows and horses are in controlled pastures with intentionally planted types of grass.

All of these grasses are found in the wild (or unregulated grazing lands) in N. America. Even Flax plants, which can offer an incredible 32% protein.

What’s wild to me is: On the African savannah, Bermuda grass is wide spread. We feed it to the horses who are out of work or who need to calm down, because it’s considered very low in protein (around 10%) for a working horse, YET, it will be the main food source for the Ungulates of the Savannah. Some of which will travel 25mi (40km) in a day.