Frosted grass??

[packwood]

I always thought that it was a risk to put stabled horses (and especially ponies) out on frosted grass. Laminitis and colic being the main risks apart from galloping about and injuring themselves. Now I see othe people's ideas have changed and lots of people do put them out when the grass is white with frost. Am I being over cautious?

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I give mine hay before so its not a shock to the system....tho the lami doesn't go out on frosted grass at all.

 

[joeanne]

Its lami ponies on frosted grass thats in full sunlight that are the ones most at risk.

 

[056775]

I'm pretty old school at keeping horses and will happily put mine out (be it only for a few hours) on frost, snow, frozen etc...

The only thing I'm precious about is very sloppy wet ground on persistent rain

I can say in nearly 30 years I have never ever considered not putting them on frozen grass.

I know the scientific reasons for Lami's / Colicy horses to be discouraged but for a horse without these problems - out they go!!

 

[packwood]

How interested that replies are so divided. Mine stayed inwith a hay net until the forst had gone off the grass thismorning and have now gone out. After a quick gallop around, two have begged to come in, so are back in - and the others are hovering near the gate!!

 

[honey-bees]

Mine just get chucked out, whatever the weather.

Although if I did have a laminitic or colic prone horse they would stay in with a hay net until the frost had passed.

 

[CBFan]

My lami prone boy goes out in all weathers and ground conditions and I never notice a difference in him. The grass isn't long enough to cause a problem really (i.e he doesn't consume huge amounts), plus he gets a small breakie before turnout and in snow he goes out with a belly full of hay too, which just takes the edge off the cold hitting his belly.

Never in all my years of horsiness had a problem with it...

If I were to have to avoid turning him out on Frosty grass, he'd never get out! There are days when hard frosts barely lift and most days they don't lift till after I have to leave for work, which is 9am, so he'd have to stay in - poor lad!