Fat,Wet Ponies-Help please!

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SarahRicoh

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Well..
As some of you may know from my recent posts iv moved my 3 boys to a field im renting on my own. They have a wooden shelter on a concrete base which can hous 2 at a time or 3 if I open up storage side. I can shut them in but I dont(just leave it open for them) as one side is big enough for 2 but no separation so worry they might kick.

The fields grass is knee high and full of docks and nettles but im working to clear this.
Anyway theyve been sectioned into a 1/4 of the field as the grass is so long but they keep breaking out (dont have electric atm) and it got me wondering wether I should just give them the whole of the field? I know this may sound thick but theyll be roaming around eating wether theyre sectioned off or in whole field so why does sectioning them help?

My problem is with one being unbroken and all being good doers they are getting fat and I HATE fat horses plus I worry they'll get ill hence them being in a section. But.. As the grass is knee high most of it gets trampled down and although theyre eating theyre not eating all of it as theyre fussy. So would you section them? Let them have it all? Muzzle them? I dont know whats best...
My other worry is where its been sectioned off the grass is flattened and has gone yellow (looks dead).. Just wondering if this is normal and if its okay for them to eat?

Last problem is Crepelo looks prone to mudfever and although hes been okay you can see his pink skin well at the mo on his legs and they have gone scurfy. Thing is hes out in the grass 24/7 and its so long its always on his legs so Im just wondering if its going to start to affect his/their legs with it being so wet? If so, What can I do? I cant really shut them in shelter to let them dry off as Im worried they'll kick(as iv said above) and one side I use as storage? Any other ideas?

Sorry for esay please help.
Iv posted a pic to show you the grass in the field before it got trampled.

bc.jpg
 
You could shut one in the shelter for half the day, then swap for another one, then the last one overnight. That way they all get time off the grass and a chance for legs to dry. The one with bad skin you could put Keratex powder or baby oil on the legs when they're dry, to keep the wet out.
 
I would leave the field sectioned up, or do a track system around the outside (not good if field gets muddy). You need to electrify the fence. I would also have muzzles on them, at least during the day (I don't like having them on 24/7). I would also consider getting the rest of the field that you don't use made into haylage for the winter. I wouldn't worry about the shelter - they will be fine with what they have plus the trees around the field.

Sorry, didn't notice the mudrash bit. Hopefully its only due to the dreadful weather lately.. Baby oil would work, but it can also cause sunburn in sunshine...
 
I would not shut them in together and leave them, they seem to be great mates but in a confined space this could change.
With no electric they will keep breaking out and could get tangled in the fence so I would take it down or get a fencer.
The grass is very long, they will only pick at the best bits for now, the rest will just get trampled as they go, it really needs to be topped to help improve it.
There will not be much goodness in very long grass so they should not really get too much fatter, it will get eaten down and they will move around a fair amount while they look for the best to eat.

The horse with white legs should not get mudfever from the wet grass, some pinkness may happen but keep an eye on him, it will hopefully soon get dry again and he will be fine then.
 
Hi Sarah. Where have you hidden Berti? I've just realised who you are......small world lol!

No advice for you sorry, as I'm in the same position. Just had to separate Leo and new pony and Leo's paddock is knee high in grass! I've sectioned off a small area for him but he came in tonight with a grass belly and very sluggish. Debating getting the paddock topped, but on the other hand, new pony has got hardly any grass in his paddock and we are having to feed him hay! We can't win!
 
haha bertolie small world!! Look carefully behind crepelo and Joe and you will see Bertie very hidden haha..

Getting electric for the fence is what I need to do next just wondered what was best... I dont really know how much I can do to the field as I just rent it... AH new to the world of field management...
Thanks for all the advice!
 
Also I would worry about shutting one into shelter as he'd be able to see others and Id worry he'd stress or break out (plus the baby has never been stabled)..

Thinking about it its owned by my yard owner(who I work for) and the livery yard fields get topped so I could ask her if mine could be done?
When its topped can they go straight onto it? I know the docks need spraying but it may not be a long term thing so dont want to spend a lot of time and money on it to move on again...
 
lovely ponies ! if you are getting it topped I would get it baled and taken away - if you top it and leave it on the ground it will rot and new grass wont grow underneath - maybe when they are baling near you ask them to bale most of the field so that they can eat some of the long grass that is left round the edges but the good grass will grow through the nice clear ground. big baling will be cheaper -ask them if it is good enough for hay (they may take it away for cattle and therefore do it cheaper) but if not make sure they take it away so you arn't stuck with it !
 
Get a 12 volt energiser and a leisure battery (and a charger) and you can electrify your fence. I personally wouldn't let my lot loose in all that grass, I fear it would end in tears... I think I would be strip grazing it. You can do a lot of weeding with a ragwort fork, they are very good for getting docks out too.

Sectioning the field does help, it limits how much they can eat. I've had one of mine standing there groaning and unable to move before when he's literally eaten himself to a standstill (twice).
 
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I'd get that cut and baled: see if there's a farmer who would do it and take it for the cattle. I would have to remove any ragwort by hand first, and I'd also remove the ragweed (big elephant things) too.

Alternatively why not ask about and borrow some cattle? Is the fencing ok?

Or could you borrow a petrol lawnmover or strimmer and cut back a section for them?

The grass is too long and will die back and prevent the new stuff growing. You'll get far better grass growing through if it's cut.
 
We had cattle in one of our longer grassed fields and I swear they brought the docks, like horses seem to bring buttercups!

If you are just going to top the field get it flailed as it rots away a lot quicker. I would bale it if you can though. Ragwort must be pulled out first, obviously, but we have docks in our haylage sometimes and just pull it out when we net it!
 
I'd get it cut and baled if no ragwort etc in there, and muzzle ponies! My fat pony is out in a muzzle in grass worse than that (if you can believe it!) yes- and the field is huuuuuge! the grass comes up quite far past my knees and it looks like a sea in the wind- its quite strange, shes on the chubbier side of a good weight atm 14.2hh at 408kg weight taped, but fit enough to xc, hack and jump for hours so can't be too bad! 2 fields are being cut and baled where I am but the one they are in isnt and the grass is thriving with the weather.

No excuses for expensive hay this year surely? -.-
 
Honey08 said:
We had cattle in one of our longer grassed fields and I swear they brought the docks, like horses seem to bring buttercups!
Click to expand...

I've noticed that. It must be the way they graze. But docks are 100x easier to control that buttercups! And they're not posionous. One years spraying and they're all gone.
 
Or ask the farmer where the nearest farm supplies shop is - elec fencing is usually cheaper than at equine sources... If you do get one, hide it well, in a tree/bush away from the road - they are very prone to being stolen..
 
for most weeds spraying is best when the weeds are at rosette stage - I would get it cut and baled - let it grow up for a couple of weeks so weeds have leaves etc then spray half keeping ponies off it for a good few weeks (and pulling ragwort as it is more palatable when dead) then do other half - once sprayed you should be able to spot spray (make sure u have right weed killer for the job - some dont do buttercup or other weeds)

hope this helps.
 
I'm sure this is a totally numpty question, but reading this has made me wonder. (Sorry to hijack your post OP!)

The general consensus by all you knowledgeable people is to top the field. My understanding (please correct me if this is wrong!) is that longer, stalky grass is less nutritious than shorter, more lush grass. Wouldn't topping the field result in the remaining grass being a lot more nutritious? Why can't the field be left as it is, with longer, less nutritious grass? That way the ponies would have bulk without nutrients, and would get more exercise by being in a bigger field and needing to mooch about to find the tastiest stuff. You could also pop muzzles on if they're stuffing themselves. Is there a reason long grass isn't suitable?

I've only ever had my own horses years ago as a teenager, when I wasn't in charge of field management. I'm ever optimistic I'll get my own one day, so will need to know all this stuff :)

Eek, I'm bracing myself for being shot down for having to ask such a dozy question :rolleyes:
 
mollyblob said:
The general consensus by all you knowledgeable people is to top the field. My understanding (please correct me if this is wrong!) is that longer, stalky grass is less nutritious than shorter, more lush grass. Wouldn't topping the field result in the remaining grass being a lot more nutritious? Why can't the field be left as it is, with longer, less nutritious grass? That way the ponies would have bulk without nutrients, and would get more exercise by being in a bigger field and needing to mooch about to find the tastiest stuff. You could also pop muzzles on if they're stuffing themselves. Is there a reason long grass isn't suitable?
Click to expand...

You're absolutely right: the long grass is better for fatties than short lush grass.

However the horses aren't going to make much headway with that grass and will trample and kill most of it. Come autumn she'll have very little useable grass left. The dead stuff will fold back and die and stop anything else underneath it growing. OP is also concerned about the constantly wet legs that long grass is causing.

It will also be very ineffective to spray the weeds with the grass at that height.

Topping it then fencing them onto a small patch is the best way to maintain their weight AND improve the grazing.
 
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Spoke to a farner.. By tomorrow they should be fenced in with electric (wont harm them if theres not much grass toeat as theyre fat) & once weathers dried he'll top & bale field and cut down the massive patch of weeds by shelter... Dont know about spraying docks yet :/

Hooefully topping should improve it though
 
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