How do you manage your summer grazing?

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tye_bo

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We have our own individual paddocks and I'm just debating how to manage the grazing. I am currently having her on it in the day and at night she is back in her winter field. It's partly to keep her weight down and partly to make the grass last.

How do you manage your summer grazing to make it last as long as poss?
 
Mine is split in 2 at the moment. there is enough grass on the back strip which also has the trough in and as he is only out during the day that should last him for a while. the front has been rested since January as I use it in the summer for putting up the dressage areas and showjumps so want good grass cover. He will be turned out there on the odd day to keep it down but will mainly stay in the half with shorter grass as I don't want him to get too much of a grass belly. Total is about 1.5 acres.
 
We strip graze too, just keeping an eye on how much they are eating and how green their poo is(we pick it up everyday). Another tip is to put the horse on the lushest grass during the night as they are likely to eat less of it.
 
I am managing mine by keeping 5 horses in a 10 acre field, 4 in another 10 acre field, 6 in a 3 acre field and all my yearlings and 5 mares in a large corral. All still have ad-lib hay and my big pasture fields will not be opened for about another 2 weeks. The grass is about 6 inches long right now but I want the ground to be a tiny bit firmer before they are all turned out into them.

I wonder if you might be better putting your horse out in the summer paddock over night and keeping her in the winter one through the day though?
 
It might be a good idea to put her in the winter in the day and summer at night or I think I may put her grazing muzzle on her in the day time.
 
Our fields are rotated. So as soon as they are grazed down horses are moved on to fresh pasture, with the cows following behind.
 
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