Better Grass with better shelter v grass, shelter and better 'check' points!

RuthnMeg

RuthnMeg

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Penny has been out in the day recently on the grass with some shelter and good visablity so I can kep an eye on her. Now the weather is foul, she would need better shelter, so can put into paddock 2, but this has better grass and the visability to see them from our point of view isn't so good. Would this upset her tummy?? Iam planning on keeping her out as from tonight too...

Suggestions please!!!
 
Good grass upsets my mares stomach (and she is a good doer who is v sensitive to the sugars) so I would keep in the field with poorer grass. Perhaps if you want to move to the field with better grass you could electric fence some of it off to restrict how much of it she has access to? Ours tend to ignore shelter anyway so that wouldn't figure in my choice! Is the visability important? Do you need to be able to check on her more than (say) twice a day going down to the field?
 
If she already has shelter then I wouldn't worry too much. Does she actually use it much? I used to worry about ours always having access to shelter, but even if it is chucking it down they don't use it! I then have a worry they are cold and soaked so trapse out and get drenched myself - but when I check they are wet just over the top of their backs, but toasty as you like! If you are keen to move to the other field, could you put a different horse out on it for a while to take the best of the grass off?
 
Natural shelter with big thick hedges ect.. on 3 sides of the second field, only 1 side of the first. Both Meg and Juno will be with her, and they have been put into the second paddock during the nights while Penny has been stabled, but moved to the first for the days to be with Penny. I want Penny to live out now, but too much of the second lot of grass - would it upset her, she isn't used to having quite that much, although its not a massive change, it may well be for such a baby!
 
I would be tempted to give her a night or two out in the field she is used to then when you know she is OK 24/7 I would move her and her friends onto to new pasture. That way she only has to deal with one change at a time. Was she at grass 24/7 with mum? If so then she'll prob be ok in a few days to move.
 
yes, grass 24/7 with mum. She is a NF - if that makes a difference!!
Thanks for your ideas... Off now to put her out (has been mucked out and fed).
Iam delayed though as my son has spent the last 20 mins on the loo - good start!!!
 
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