from bare field to lush grass

[cob&onion]

There is around 1 acre of very thick lush grass that i have been offered for my horses. Now the welsh D who is poor at the moment and is still being fed ad-lib hay could do with Dr Green - he basically had surgery a few months back and lost alot of condition. The other cob won't be going as she is ideal weight wise.

I was thinking of putting the D on it from 9am - 4pm daily, then taking him back home of an evening with the other cob. (its literally a 2 min walk away)
May sound like a silly question but would he be okay to go straight on the lush grass from going from a bare field with minimal grass?

Sorry for sounding dim - am sure he would be okay but thought i would discuss here with some of the more experienced horsey experts

 

[3Beasties]

I recently had the same dilemma, my horses moved from a completely bare field (looked like an all weather surface!) to a rather green field.

If you can I would start with him on it for an hour and maybe build him up during the week to the maximum you want him out on it. Alternatively you could muzzle him for a few days just so he can't completely gorge on it.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

There is around 1 acre of very thick lush grass that i have been offered for my horses. Now the welsh D who is poor at the moment and is still being fed ad-lib hay could do with Dr Green - he basically had surgery a few months back and lost alot of condition. The other cob won't be going as she is ideal weight wise.

I was thinking of putting the D on it from 9am - 4pm daily, then taking him back home of an evening with the other cob. (its literally a 2 min walk away)
May sound like a silly question but would he be okay to go straight on the lush grass from going from a bare field with minimal grass?

Sorry for sounding dim - am sure he would be okay but thought i would discuss here with some of the more experienced horsey experts

No I would not put straight out, they are likely to gorge and get colic- lami- etc. I would either put muzzles on the one which is ideal weight so the other has company and maybe put muzzles on the other or make small areas for them to graze, maybe cut into 4 sections give them maybe 1/2 hr to start with working up wards slowly.

You want to be careful so as not to cause sudden change to them, as normally they would gradually get use to grass as it grows. Here they are going from nothing to loads instantly.

No need to rush

 

[Polos Mum]

I'd build up slowly for a week or so, a couple of hours the first day then up to the full day, might be a risk of colic from stuffing tonnes of lovely rich grass for a whole day or choke from scoffing long grass
Dr Green is the absolute best but no harm in starting slowly IMHO

 

[Casey76]

I probably wouldn't. You could risk grass induced colic, especially if your horse is quite greedy.

Could you strip graze, or top the paddock first?

 

[xloopylozzax]

If you put him straight onto it best case is it will just go straight through him and scour.

Worst- colic, lami.

Change in diet should be done gradually.

 

[cob&onion]

I'd build up slowly for a week or so, a couple of hours the first day then up to the full day, might be a risk of colic from stuffing tonnes of lovely rich grass for a whole day or choke from scoffing long grass
Dr Green is the absolute best but no harm in starting slowly IMHO

If you put him straight onto it best case is it will just go straight through him and scour.

Worst- colic, lami.

Change in diet should be done gradually.

Thanks guys, thought there maybe a risk of gorging on it!
Will put him out for an hour a day for the first few days and build it up from there

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I recently had the same dilemma, my horses moved from a completely bare field (looked like an all weather surface!) to a rather green field.

If you can I would start with him on it for an hour and maybe build him up during the week to the maximum you want him out on it. Alternatively you could muzzle him for a few days just so he can't completely gorge on it.

snap you wrote yours as I wrote mine, gr8 minds think alike