3 acres, 3 horses and too much grass!

M

moneypit1

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 January 2007
Messages
2,246
Location
North Devon
Visit site
Well, actually two horses are on box rest due to a keratoma and a tendon stain so that leaves Harry. He is in a starvation paddock between 3pm and 7am and out in the field the other 8 hours BUT he is obese. He is a 3 year old Friesian x and he is FAT. So....................... as from tomorrow he will be on starvation paddock 24/7 with two soaked hay nets a day. I hate to do it but I am very concerned about lami. My fields will be topped and horse free. Hopefully the horses will be able to stay out later than usual this year (perhaps till Jan next year) so all is not lost. Anyone else got problems with FAT horses this year?
ooo.gif
 
Well I worked really hard over the winter to exercise some weight off my Welshie and since April he has been on the equivalent of two grazed down tennis court sized area and hay. This has worked really well as he has stuff to pick at that grows through and hay ad lib but is maintaining his weight well. He is able to be out 24/7 with access to his field stable whilst his weight stays stable and how I want it.
 
I was going to say, strip grazing would be a better idea. I'm sorry to say but giving him 8 hours in it will actually be worse than him having it 24/7, he's more likely to gorge himself and get lami.
 
i know how you feel i am having the same problem there is just way too much grass and i have two good doers plus the bit of my field that has the most grass is practically verticle so i cant use it when its wet (cause i panik about them slipping) and i dont think i could get it topped cause its sooo steep. My 12hh pony is in a starvation paddock and my appy is being moved around small patches on the hill but i am worries about her cause she puts weight on without a blade of grass i swear she just turns air into fat so im trying to exersise her more but at least it may mean that they can stay out for longer thins year as i dont like them stabled
 
[ QUOTE ]
I was going to say, strip grazing would be a better idea. I'm sorry to say but giving him 8 hours in it will actually be worse than him having it 24/7, he's more likely to gorge himself and get lami.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, but strip grazing will still be too much. He would gorge it within an hour. Apparently a horse can gorge enough in a couple of hours that the average horse would eat in 8. Frightening isn't it. I do not like muzzles (as recommended by my vet) so I guess starvation paddock and soaked hay is the next best thing. Never had such good doers before (always had TB's) so a real learning curve this year! x
grin.gif
 
I wish Shilisdair, BUT, the grass is coverd in buttercups (whats that all about, never had them before) and apparently anything under 5 acres is not worth doing (if you use contractors). What a waste! x
frown.gif
 
Oh................and by the way, I agree Shilasdair, "fat Friesians", I am a TB person by preference. How the hell did i end up with a Friesian xCOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and he has "feathers")! Tomorrow I am getting the clippers out and the feathers are going. Dreadful! Look out for the pics! xx
 
[ QUOTE ]
I wish Shilisdair, BUT, the grass is coverd in buttercups (whats that all about, never had them before) and apparently anything under 5 acres is not worth doing (if you use contractors). What a waste! x
frown.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I have a similar problem in that one of mine gets grass colic. If I am faced with a lush grass field, I fence off a two stable sized bit, with electric fence, put water out, maybe some hay, and then move the fence each day once the original area has been grazed down. That way, I can control the amount of grass eaten.
S
grin.gif
 
A horse will not continually gorge when out 24/7, so I agree, your best bet is to strip graze moving the fence a little every few days.
Either that or the muzzle.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Oh................and by the way, I agree Shilasdair, "fat Friesians", I am a TB person by preference. How the hell did i end up with a Friesian xCOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and he has "feathers")! Tomorrow I am getting the clippers out and the feathers are going. Dreadful! Look out for the pics! xx

[/ QUOTE ]

My Shire x TB isn't in danger of anorexia either. She has feathers. And a lot of mane. And an awful lot of forelock. And even more tail - all in spirals, much more than any one horse needs.
When I asked the vet when I could start her flat racing career, he was quite speechless, (with admiration, I think).
I have been told, though, that if I clip her feathers, she'll event (the feathers obviously would have slowed her down XC due to the lack of aerodynamic efficiency).
S
grin.gif
 
~Ah thankies, but Harry is a fattie. (I do sympathise, I too, enjoy my food!). I am still, however, confused by the strip grazing thing. If they eat everyting in a day and then you move the boundaries, what exactly are they "missing"? It seems to me that they are getting 'prime grazing' every 24 hrs? Please enlighten.
tongue.gif
 
you just don't give them enough to eat in 24 hours, trust me, after a few days they learn not to eat it all straight away.
 
My horse is huge atm. I have always struggled to keep weight on him and feed costs me a fortune.

However he is now in an isolation field as hes had strangles. Its usually a hay field so he is now very fat and out of work
frown.gif
Hopefully he will shed a few pounds and he is coming back into work very soon
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top