For those that have starvation paddocks

mine is kept to less than a cm short at all times - i have a mower/roller /vac which I use on a weekly basis. the fatties are kept out 24/7 with no additional feed. I used to event one of them from fat paddock and he would just get chop with electrolyes for 2 days before a competition and 2 days afterwards. He never tied up and always had more than enough energy to event and BSJA
 
I use a corral if I need to keep any horses off pasture. My corrals are all dust based and any horses in them are fed ad-lib hay. I don't hard feed any horses in the Summer.
 
Our grass is just very short but not bald (as in dirt). We've got a lot of grazing so we have one field of horses that need grass that graze it right down, then the weight watchers move in after and keep on moving after the other lot.

In the summer they are out 24/7, most of the horses are in work and get hard feeds, but there are 2 little ponies that aren't worked a lot and get fat on air so they don't get anything, and they're still not ribby!
 
I like the grass to be as short as possible without being bare earth. That way Daisy has something to wander about and nibble at to keep her stimulated while at the same time receiving very little in the way of actual food. When she's out 24/7 on a starvation paddock she has soaked hay to ensure that she is getting enough roughage to keep her gut moving
 
Mine is probably a 1/4 acre and thats shared by two 13.2 NF mares and are out 24/7 on it in the summer. The grass is very short, but there is grass there so they graze all day.

Here are some pics, although not great-

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Just to add; I would never want to keep a laminitic on a "starvation" paddock. The short grass is by far the worst for them. If your horse has laminitis then the best possible thing for it is to keep it off the grass totally or put in a field with long rough grass.
 
Hmm thanks everyone for your input. I am just trying to decide whats best for the little ones next summer. ( early i know but i need to be thinking about what i am doing with the fields over winter ) I have about 3/4 acre for the two, which is plenty for them. I have used about 3/4 of this field so far over summer and winter but now it is getting trashed, but thought that this would be the best option, so that i could keep ontop of it when summer arrives.

Tia, why is it that the longer grass is better than the short grass??? ( i am not questioning your reliability of information as i always respect your advice but i really dont understand why it is!!!
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If thats the case should i carry on letting my field get trashed so there wont be much grass or shall i save it to get longer???
For info the grass would prob be quite rich if left to grow and i can use electric fencing to make field smaller/larger as required. Inky has never had lami but after last farrier visit it has become clear that Ty most definatley has.

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I am thinking Tia says the long grass is better as the nutritional value (sugars in particular) is lower, much as winter grass is. My fattie/lami/cushings is put onto the roughest corner behind an electric fence in summer, with old hay and a feed of hi-fi.
 
The trouble with short grass is that the fructans become more concentrated in this sort of grass, which makes it so much worse. Dust is good!

From the sounds of your description of your paddock, I don't think I would allow them to graze freely on it if it was to grow long because it will be far richer than rough grass I am talking of. You need hills to grow rough grass really.

Having a paddock trashed is not nice to watch either.....you're really in a tricky position because you want the pony to have plenty of exercise at the same time as not gorging itself.

I think if I was you, in the situation you are in (as I understand it), I would leave the grass to grow long and use a muzzle 24 hours a day for the little shettie.
 
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The trouble with short grass is that the fructans become more concentrated in this sort of grass, which makes it so much worse. Dust is good!

From the sounds of your description of your paddock, I don't think I would allow them to graze freely on it if it was to grow long because it will be far richer than rough grass I am talking of. You need hills to grow rough grass really.

Having a paddock trashed is not nice to watch either.....you're really in a tricky position because you want the pony to have plenty of exercise at the same time as not gorging itself.

I think if I was you, in the situation you are in (as I understand it), I would leave the grass to grow long and use a muzzle 24 hours a day for the little shettie.

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Fructans! You know words like fructans!
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ours is okish at the moment, but we are lucky in that we are on a hill and grass is not rich to to speak, so far not trashed as bigger ones are banned from weenies field! - plenty of bits n pieces in there and they get haylage too, however, they also run around a lot so exercise themselves well....
 
this is our starvation paddock in September this year:

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The shettie, and a pony live in there.

when the grass was practically gone they got a haynet during the day and one on a night between them. It worked fine and they are both currently nice and slim.

They also got a tiny feed of hi fi lite.
 
I hate that word... fructans... the vain of my life!!!!!!

Well this is how the grass looks when left to grow. ( please note they were not left on this field. This was the moment i introduced them, so i let them have a run around in the larger fenced off part of my field which i have unused, to try to avoid accidents! )

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And this is the used part of my field now, which i was hoping once it had been grazed on over winter, dried and rolled would be ok for them...might have to rethink that one now!!

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Oh and just to hijack my own thread lol!!! does anyone know what these are???? They are popping up all over the edge of my field and really annoying me. Are they moles??
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they are moles!

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Well, I hate to be picky...but they are actually mole HILLS. The moles themselves are furry small things...with big hands. If you catch 124 of them...you could make yourself some moleskin trousers.
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PS Forgot to say - you have to skin the moles first...otherwise your trousers will be lumpy and smelly.
 
[ QUOTE ]
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they are moles!

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Well, I hate to be picky...but they are actually mole HILLS. The moles themselves are furry small things...with big hands. If you catch 124 of them...you could make yourself some moleskin trousers.
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PS Forgot to say - you have to skin the moles first...otherwise your trousers will be lumpy and smelly.

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Yes that is true they are Hills,

so you are skinny as well then if you only need 124 moles
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[ QUOTE ]
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[ QUOTE ]
they are moles!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I hate to be picky...but they are actually mole HILLS. The moles themselves are furry small things...with big hands. If you catch 124 of them...you could make yourself some moleskin trousers.
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S
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PS Forgot to say - you have to skin the moles first...otherwise your trousers will be lumpy and smelly.

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Yes that is true they are Hills,

so you are skinny as well then if you only need 124 moles
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Fat moles....and cropped trousers...
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LOL!! Yes they are mole hills and they are a REAL pain! You want to get someone in to get rid of them otherwise you won't have to worry about having grass in your paddock......because you won't have any!!

Actually looking at your paddock, I'd leave it to grow long - what do others think? And I would put the shettie in a muzzle 24 hours a day from the Spring right through to October. I know it sounds cruel, but it could save his life.
 
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LOL!! Yes they are mole hills and they are a REAL pain! You want to get someone in to get rid of them otherwise you won't have to worry about having grass in your paddock......because you won't have any!!


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A tip - I'd concentrate on removing the moles...not the hills.
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My three natives have about 1 acre paddock from April to November. It is strip grazed, with electric fencing,starting off with a paddock the size of a tennis court. The fencing is moved about a foot a day ( early morning) The rest is left to grow very long and rough, so they have plenty to eat, but not as nutritious as short grass. It works very well, and two of my lamis have been free of the dreaded thing for over three years! No hard feed!
 
I've allowed my paddock at home to get trashed and allowed the weeds in. Its ideal for my natives...
beginning of summer
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end of summer
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eta:
mine don't get hard feed in summer just hay if required (not usually). I usually have between 3 and 5 ponies on 3/4 of an acre.
 
What condition is your paddock in for the summer ( pics if poss please! )
quite bald and strip grazed or they get bigger chunks and the laminitic wears a muzzle.

and what do you feed your ponies/horses whilst they are out?
they get hay and a chaff with balancer.

If you dont keep them out 24/7 whats your routine/feed with them in summer???
out 24/7 asap!!!
 
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