Green sloppy poo's :(

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katymay

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I have started to introduce the boys via a track system to a paddock that has been rested part summer, grass is long and green and didn't get chance to seed so not standing foggage (they have eaten that field!)
they are having a bit via extending track daily and still have access to part of the grazed paddock to keep them moving.
since being on this new grass their droppings are very dark green and sometimes cow pat sloppy.
I was hoping that it wasn't because the grass if full of sugar and that maybe its just old and full of water as they aren't really drinking very much, out 24/7 still and get some hay in the morning to attempt to put some fibre in their guts.
I did feed hay in the top paddock and shut them off the new grass during the day and only let them on it at night but Jester decided to jump the 4ft partition bars last night from a standstill as he claimed he was starving and couldn't wait, he caught the top rail and the twine broke and having to leave them with access to both paddocks 24/7 until I can fix it again!
should I be concerned about the droppings? they still both act starving despite being well fed which makes me think there isn't much goodness in the grass?
I was hoping to let them slowly eat this field until at least the end of October - mid November before moving them onto the winter foggage grazing.
should I feed more hay and keep them off the grass?
thanks in advance,
a nice chocolate doughnut on offer :)
 
They are on fresh grazing full of long green grass plus it's autumn and pasture holding plenty of water = sloppy poos.
Entirely normal.
Mine are in the same boat. Recently moved onto 10 acre grass field. Grass is actually of poor quality (a lot of twitch in it) but plenty of it. Lots of sloppy poos! Mid green rather than dark green (reflecting poor quality I suspect). They are not drinking any water at all.
I won't be feeding mine any hay for some weeks. They get some hard feed because they are autumn hunting now.
 
Whenever mine move onto new fields I have to bring one of them in overnight for a week or so as if he's on there 24/7 his poos are so loose, sloppy, frequent and (I assume) acidic, they burn the skin on his bottom. It doesn't matter what time of year they move or the quality of the grass, it's just that it's new grass and having been rotated / rested is obviously more plentiful than a grazed down field. It settles down after a week / 10 days. Unless their skin is suffering I wouldn't worry. Some poor quality hay could help to reduce the sloppiness if it really bothers you or their skin is getting burned but they probably won't eat it if you put it in the field, you'll need to bring them in and get them away from the grass to do that.
 
My horses droppings are very dark green and a bit loose and they are on the bit they have chewed down all summer, the grass is really coming up again as it's so warm and wet, I dare not put them on the rested bit yet and looking at it I think I am going to have to strip graze it to start with its so long and green.
 
I would take them off the grass that is causing this personally, leave until later in the year and continue to feed hay if they need a boost
 
Green sloppy poo is normal if they are on grass, even the wild ponies on the mountain have sloppy poo at the moment as the grass is coming through because of the
 
My big lad is the same, he has been on the winter grazing the last few days. I am still keeping fatty pony off it for the time being though as it will still be very rich especially with this wet warm weather
 
Thanks all, they seem quite happy, no sign of tummy ache or sore bums but will keep an eye on them, it is quite weedy so ideal pasture for them as they have to search and pick at the grass! Finding tonnes of annoying deadly nightshade growing in clumps as the ground is quite poor so having to search and remove by root seems to have thrived this year! I am actually looking forward to moving pastures and putting them in overnight as ground is getting muddy already :(
 
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