Tomatoes
New User
Hi, I could do with some advice please (sorry, very long)
I have two ponies. One which I ride and one which is a non-ridden companion.
They both live at home and are currently out 24/7 with access to stables & yard. I have approx. 3.5 acres of grazing separated into one winter field and four summer fields.
The ponies are currently being strip grazed in the winter field to get some growth off it. This field will then be rested until about November time when it will be strip grazed again then used all winter. This field has long stalky grass in it, is mostly flat and is quite small. When I've finished strip grazing it, the ponies will then be moved to one of the other fields which are very hilly with very short grass (which does of course mean that they are constantly eating the re-growth ie the sugary-est bits)
My companion pony has visible ribs but also fat pads on her crest and forehead and I'm getting concerned about her weight. She looked fab until the beginning of June when the pads reappeared.
My farrier has suggested keeping the ponies in for part of the day, but unlike a livery yard, if my ponies don't go out there are no others to eat the grass down, it just continues growing so when they do go out there is more grass for them to eat.
I'm unsure what is the best thing to do. I take my companion pony out with my other one a couple of times a week, just for 30mins or so at the moment as she's really not fit and I struggle to take her out more often as there aren't a lot of routes I can take two together & also I want to go further with my ridden pony & school her a couple of times a week to keep her weight off - there aren't enough days in the week!
I could:
1. Keep them in during the day with soaked hay then turn out at night
-But this would give her less exercise & would she then just stuff herself when she's turned out? I also work long hours and would need to rely on my mum helping out
2. Make a small pen with electric fencing for her in the same field as my other one
-Again, less exercise for her and I'm not sure she'd stay put
3. Put them back in one of the Summer fields straight away and strip graze it lengthwise up the hill
-more exercise but then I'm back to her eating the very sweetest tips of the growing grass all of the time.
4. Leave them in the winter field with the stalky grass but just stop moving the fence for a while
- I do need this field to recover in time for the winter so could do with moving them out fairly soon and meanwhile the grass in the summer fields is growing (especially after today's rain)
A muzzle wouldn't really work as the grass in the Summer fields is too short to go through it. Also, just to add to the issue, my ridden pony could do with losing a little bit of weight but is prone to eating through the wooden field fencing if she gets hungry.
I have two ponies. One which I ride and one which is a non-ridden companion.
They both live at home and are currently out 24/7 with access to stables & yard. I have approx. 3.5 acres of grazing separated into one winter field and four summer fields.
The ponies are currently being strip grazed in the winter field to get some growth off it. This field will then be rested until about November time when it will be strip grazed again then used all winter. This field has long stalky grass in it, is mostly flat and is quite small. When I've finished strip grazing it, the ponies will then be moved to one of the other fields which are very hilly with very short grass (which does of course mean that they are constantly eating the re-growth ie the sugary-est bits)
My companion pony has visible ribs but also fat pads on her crest and forehead and I'm getting concerned about her weight. She looked fab until the beginning of June when the pads reappeared.
My farrier has suggested keeping the ponies in for part of the day, but unlike a livery yard, if my ponies don't go out there are no others to eat the grass down, it just continues growing so when they do go out there is more grass for them to eat.
I'm unsure what is the best thing to do. I take my companion pony out with my other one a couple of times a week, just for 30mins or so at the moment as she's really not fit and I struggle to take her out more often as there aren't a lot of routes I can take two together & also I want to go further with my ridden pony & school her a couple of times a week to keep her weight off - there aren't enough days in the week!
I could:
1. Keep them in during the day with soaked hay then turn out at night
-But this would give her less exercise & would she then just stuff herself when she's turned out? I also work long hours and would need to rely on my mum helping out
2. Make a small pen with electric fencing for her in the same field as my other one
-Again, less exercise for her and I'm not sure she'd stay put
3. Put them back in one of the Summer fields straight away and strip graze it lengthwise up the hill
-more exercise but then I'm back to her eating the very sweetest tips of the growing grass all of the time.
4. Leave them in the winter field with the stalky grass but just stop moving the fence for a while
- I do need this field to recover in time for the winter so could do with moving them out fairly soon and meanwhile the grass in the summer fields is growing (especially after today's rain)
A muzzle wouldn't really work as the grass in the Summer fields is too short to go through it. Also, just to add to the issue, my ridden pony could do with losing a little bit of weight but is prone to eating through the wooden field fencing if she gets hungry.
