How much grass are yours on? Living out 24/7?

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almrc

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So then, for all of you that have their horses living out, how much grass do they currently have? I have moved mine from summer to winter field about a month ago as the grass ran out!

They have since got nice grass bellies but not too massive of course.

The bottom field is about 4 acres. I started off giving them 1/5 of the field. Once they ate that down a bit I am gradually moving the fence and giving them more of the field. They are probably now in about 2/5 of the field.

The trouble I have is I want them to not have lots of grass, but I don't want the grass getting *too* low else when it rains (forward thinking!) in winter it will turn into a mud bath....but then they will eventually eat it down anyway?

They have been on restricted grazing all summer in the track system so only now really putting on some weight. I'm a bit worried but I do generally worry a lot so they are probably fine! Their droppings were a bit loose at the start but now they are ok.

How much is the grass still growing, lots or not? Has the Autumn flush been? Is there much in the grass at the mo?

Sorry rambling a bit as well as all of my other questions, what are yours on now living out 24/7?
 
Well as the owner of a laminitic I would say that there is still plenty of growth and goodness in the grass. I always feel that autumn can go on into Nov nowadays with warm days, wet etc.
My lad is in at night all year but has been on the same sparse paddock all year since last winter. He is surviving very well nibbling grass as it appears and is maintaining his weight. I always judge him by whether his weigth remains stable and how many poos he does in the day...if he does 6 or more then he is getting plenty enough to keep him going.
I have the opposite problem to most...too much grass that never gets used! He is fenced off in his area and the rest of the field left...about 2 acres! I may strip graze him a bit onto some of it over the worst winter months but will barely touch it to be honest...far too good for a good doer that has had laminitis.
 
I have 13 acres for 2 and they have been strip grazed all spring and summer. Now the strip which has been gradually moved is now suffering due to the rain so to rest it I have put muzzles on them so they go in the big field during the day and the strip at night. Eventually when it gets cold they will have all the field unrestricted, unmuzzled and unrugged. I worry too but I think I have cracked this time,, each season brings different challenges. Good Luck x
 
5 acres of knee high grass, and 3 acres of waist high foggage untouched, waiting for the snow to cover it then they can go dig.
3 acres of fresh grass on another section in the forest which is totally wasted (frustrating) as it isn't fenced yet.
5 acres of set aside and still growing grass around the track.
Currently the mares are strip grazing and back in their summer field at night, all the others (bar the arab) are as fat as pigs on nothing, you have to love these natives, but it is incredibly frustrating not being able to let them out on the grass properly.

Too much grass, not enough mouths to eat the stuff, next year (watch it be dry now) I am borrowing some 'skinnies' from my friends rescue/rehab centre to eat it.
 
3 yearlings and a 2 year old on 13ish acres of undulating old parkland. Theres loads of grass growing at the minute due to the warmth and rain. I'm hopeful the land will sustain them for most of the winter without and hay being fed. Next year we will have the 4 youngsters and 2 bigger mares out there 24/7 and hopefully it should sustain them too
 
pottamus said:
Well as the owner of a laminitic I would say that there is still plenty of growth and goodness in the grass. I always feel that autumn can go on into Nov nowadays with warm days, wet etc.
Click to expand...

Totally second that. My girl is on a very small paddock as always, and seems to be looking very well on it, I think there is still a fair amount of goodness in it. As pottamus said, only come November would I trust to give just a bit more grass if needed...
 
Right - thank you :) I am halfing what they have so far tomorrow, this thread has made my mind up as well as the enormous amount of poo they are doing and their grass bellies that have recently appeared.....
 
My mum's two are on barely anything! She has about three acres split into three paddocks. Middle one has been over-run by leatherjackets and is half bare, half being treated and re-seeded. Front one in a similar state although not bare yet. Back one is fairly green as they've only just gone on it.

We're in the lucky position of not having to worry too much about laminitis, so we don't strip-graze or anything. They've just stopped having hay whilst they're on the new grass, but give it a week and they'll be hungry again.

They're both (15.3hh greedy IDx and 14hh-ish TB pony) in good condition - not overweight. And both out 24/7 :)
 
Ours has a portion of field sectioned off for her, as she's prone to laminitis. Was out in the big (10+ acre) field with the cows, but kept taking her grazing muzzle off so she got kicked out. She's not impressed, but it's for her own good. It's pretty sparse grass where she's at now, so she does get topped up with some (soaked) hay. She lives out 24/7 for now.
 
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