How do you manage your good doers?

I think this is a problem with yards these days to be honest - I think they put so much effort into caring for their paddocks (not a bad thing) but actually horses do not need this well treated, fertilised grass. We have 12 acres, split into two fields and, wlthough we do still section it with electric fence in the summer, the grazing itself is not especially lush. There is a mix of grasses, some thistles, nettles etc. I think sometimes fields should be left to get a bit rougher - as someone said, let long grasses grow. I don't think horses should be put on this bright green, manicured paddocks. They should have to work harder for their food.
 
My lad will be sectioned off onto about half to three quarters of an acre of grass that he has grazed down in winter and will be out in the day and in every night on year old hay that is carefully measured out each day. He nibbles at what grows through during the spring summer and autumn and in the winter months I strip graze him each day onto a set amount. Keeping him in at night seems to help with his weight management alot...but exercise is the key!
 
Had my saddle refitted on Thursday,so the fitness regime has started today! I've started using Manage my Horse to log my riding, that keeps me a bit more inspired. My lad lives out 24/7, and is miserable as sin with a muzzle on. I trialled keeping him in an earth yard with a section of hay by day last summer, and out at night with the muzzle on - he gained weight, and his field companion took up fence walking! So it has to be lots of exercise instead - he's only had a 40g rug on all winter, and tomorrow I'm clipping him so I can get him working a bit more!
 
Have been reading this thread with interest as I have a fatty who has only just recovered from a bout of lami which she came down with on New Years Day. Sadly she is a bit of a pain to deal with as she regularly jumps/run through fencing (electric & rail) to get to better grass, & if kept in by herself will rear continuously at the door :( So a starvation paddock is a no go.
Atm she is wearing her muzzle during the day (out for 10hrs) & on soaked hay overnight double netted. Sadly we still have plenty of good grazing, 11acres for 5horses. I'm hoping to keep her out 24/7 in the summer with the others, keeping her muzzled for around 18-20hrs & plenty of exercise. Luckily they are kept at home so I can keep a close eye on her as the youngsters seem to love the game of pulling off her muzzle!
Will be using your calculation later lilaclomax as I'm very interested as to whether I'm getting her rations right!
 
taz is stabled over night in the summer, muzzled during the day if there is alot of grass, and ridde for 2-3 hours each day when up to full fitness mostly at trot and canter work, so by mid summer he can go out without a muzzle, hoping that this summer he can have a few nights out a week :)
 
Slave2Magic said:
It's coming round to summer grazing time again and I would like to hear how you manage your good doers. My mare has to be kept in a sectioned off part of the main field as the grass is too rich. She can see the other horses but I still worry that it isn't the same as being with them. She seemed fine with it last year. If I could find a livery yard with poor grazing I would but there isn't any around. She is out during the day and in at night with hay. I don't want to muzzle her. How do you guys control the grass intake?
Click to expand...

Just like this. Restricted grazing, restricted turnout, restricted hay. I weigh their hay every night, they get 4 kg (1% bodyweight) to last them overnight. Non edible bedding in their stables too. My mare will jump out if she wants more grass. Her and me have reached an acceptable compromise where I muzzle her, so if she gets out it's not too bad. My gelding hates being muzzled, he is quite happy to accept being on very restricted grazing instead. It works for us at any rate.
 
I am really hard. Fany is a draft so is a really well build good doer. We turned her out all winter with no rugs, even in the snow. She has her lick and haylage with straw and no bucket.Mean aren't we? Seriously it is hard work keeping her weight down. I have thought of a muzzle but they don't make them in her size, so it is keeping a very close eye on what she eats and what exercise she gets.Luckily she is not prone to lami.
FDC
 
loz9 said:
Will be using your calculation later lilaclomax as I'm very interested as to whether I'm getting her rations right!
Click to expand...

If anyone else wants the calorie calculator I can email it out! It was published online a few years ago and thankfully someone kept I copy that she email me a few weeks ago... I just changed the lbs to kg and it works well as an eye opener... just don't start doing what I did and translating all the digestible energy mg/kg into calories on your feeds :D
 
My fatties are fed mostly barley straw(straw has a DE of 5.8 MJ/Kg ) till Christmas, then live out unrugged unless its continously wet. They get hay after Christmas,if the weather really bad they may get a bit more, but mostly its straw. By March they have hopefully lost some weight ready for the spring then they go into restricted grazing.
 
Luckily we have quite a few fatties that all need restricted grazing so friends aren't a problem.

They get a restricted paddock during the summer, moved as needs be.

Over winter they're on adlib hayledge and out 24/7. They all do ok on it: they get bored of eating after a while and none stand and gorge. Pips is getting a bit fat so he'd been clipped out and lightweight rug to use up more energy. He also still growing so next year will be a different matter: he'll prob go onto morn and night nets with fellow fatties.

I've found that once they're slim it's easier to keep them slim.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top