Fertilising question

[SFoers]

If land has just been fertilised and you have at risk horses how long before they can graze the land please?
I’m just about to take on some land for a laminitic, due to go over during the first two weeks in August once the farmer has cut his hay and I notice today that it’s been fertilised in the last few days.

 

[JBM]

It depends a lot on the fertiliser but if you don’t know the type to be safe I would wait 2 weeks and make sure it has rained heavily in that time so it’s spread into the grass.
Depending too on the size I might strip graze for awhile to see how fast the grass is growing as fertiliser will increase grass growth

 

[SFoers]

It depends a lot on the fertiliser but if you don’t know the type to be safe I would wait 2 weeks and make sure it has rained heavily in that time so it’s spread into the grass.
Depending too on the size I might strip graze for awhile to see how fast the grass is growing as fertiliser will increase grass growth

Thank you JBM, I am more wondering about the grass - the land has never been fertilised which is why I thought it would be ok to carefully graze a laminitic on, now I’m concerned about the grass being forced up and whether a laminitic would be more at risk.

 

[reynold]

strange time to fertilise - usually spring or autumn (muck spreading)

If it's a commercial fertiliser then there should be a data sheet for it. Can you talk to the farmer about it and see what he says? Farmers can be very helpful.

I would say for a laminitic that fertilised land does tend to grow richer grass. I used to have my fields fertilised in the spring as I cropped them for hay and wanted an increased yield but I always kept 2 small fields that were too small for machinery aside for my small ponies that would have been at laminitis risk.

 

[JBM]

Thank you JBM, I am more wondering about the grass - the land has never been fertilised which is why I thought it would be ok to carefully graze a laminitic on, now I’m concerned about the grass being forced up and whether a laminitic would be more at risk.

Well grass for laminitis horses still needs fertilised but usually use a lower nitrogen one to prevent flush grass growth
I do think your horse would be more at risk unfortunately as the fertiliser is going to make the grass grow a good bit if it has been lacking fertiliser for awhile.
Do you know the type of grass?
There are arguments that stressed grass has more sugar but obviously if there’s a lot of grass it would even out the same
Definitely keep them away for at least two weeks until the grass growth evens

 

[SFoers]

Well grass for laminitis horses still needs fertilised but usually use a lower nitrogen one to prevent flush grass growth
I do think your horse would be more at risk unfortunately as the fertiliser is going to make the grass grow a good bit if it has been lacking fertiliser for awhile.
Do you know the type of grass?
There are arguments that stressed grass has more sugar but obviously if there’s a lot of grass it would even out the same
Definitely keep them away for at least two weeks until the grass growth evens

Thank you JRM that’s very useful, I’ll definitely keep them off it for a few weeks at least. I’m not sure what grass it is or what fertiliser has been used but I’ll find out from the farmer

 

[SFoers]

strange time to fertilise - usually spring or autumn (muck spreading)

If it's a commercial fertiliser then there should be a data sheet for it. Can you talk to the farmer about it and see what he says? Farmers can be very helpful.

I would say for a laminitic that fertilised land does tend to grow richer grass. I used to have my fields fertilised in the spring as I cropped them for hay and wanted an increased yield but I always kept 2 small fields that were too small for machinery aside for my small ponies that would have been at laminitis risk.

I think he’s fertilised at this time to get a quick growth burst so he can cut hay before we arrive.
I definitely wouldn’t want them on fertilised grass ideally but unfortunately this has happened, like you I like to keep some un fertilised for the ponies

 

[expanding_horizon]

Ah he’s fertilised his hay crop before he cuts it. By the time he cuts crop I’d imagine most of the fertiliser will have been used up.

 

[Red-1]

I would say that is very unfortunate!

I think the increased risk will be at least for the rest of this year.

From a fellow laminitis prone owner of an older cob!

Can you muzzle? I would as I think with the extra rain, grass will be silly anyway.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Not the same as no hay was taken off this field but a friend of mine put nitrogen on a paddock that was grazed by ponies. I had one go down with spasmodic colic and my friend lost her Dartmoor mare to the worst laminitis I have ever seen.