A grazing/field mgmt wwyd

[FlyingCircus]

I have 2.5 acres for 2 natives. Both of them were off it this year for 8 weeks for various reasons...so I have a LOT of grass.

Both of them are in fat, but they're in rehab so I can't exercise them more to lose some timber just yet.

My mare had sand colic 9 weeks ago, so I'm scared of leaving her on too bare ground, because she eats the soil at the same time as the grass ?

How would you manage them on the grazing to reduce risk of lami and also reoccurrence of sand/soil colic? I have lots of electric tape and they are mostly respectful (gelding jumps it sometimes...).

I have no idea what to do for best! I'd love to turn them out on the entire thing and just let them be horses but they'd explode ? I also don't really want them wearing muzzles out 24/7 as regardless of which I've tried, they all rub my mare.

Only have 1 stable so could bring them in and alternate but would prefer not to as they love being out together and playing (...so using some calories!)

 

[Loveponies]

Could you put up a fairly narrow track as it is good for movement and whilst they eat some down muzzle and once less grass gradually give them a small amount of fresh each day as track gradually gets longer. You could also feed a mix of hay and straw as the straw will give some fibre but is lower calorie and generally only picked at but may stop eating dirt.

 

[tda]

Definitely track or strip graze

 

[Carrottom]

My feeling would be to cell graze. That way they get a small area of long grass but don't get enough choice of only the best bits.

 

[FlyingCircus]

Wouldn't a track get quite dusty/bare quite quickly? I could make a pretty decent track but just worried about the soil eater ?

I've not heard of cell grazing before - what's that?

 

[irishdraft]

I have tons of grass so I strip graze with electric fencing giving them some fresh grass am & then give them some soaked hay at night x

 

[Carrottom]

Cell grazing differs from strip grazing because rather than adding a strip you move to a new area each time.
I would set parallel lines of tape about 15m apart and then divide this with 2 pieces of perpendicular tape that can easily be moved along. So that as you advance along the strip the other tape moves up behind keeping the area the same size.
Sorry I can't explain this very well, hope you can get the idea.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I would top the paddock to remove an amount of grass then create half acre paddocks or a track round the outside of field for ponies to walk round and eat.