How to introduce horses to good grass?

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KINDMARE

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Our horses are due to move to their summer fields very soon. Very lush long green grass and huge fields!
Any ideas on how to do this safely to avoid colic/laminitis please?
 
My horses aren’t prone to colic or laminitis, but I’m still cautious when they start going out on good spring grass. It might be overkill but I start with 15mins for first two days, then 30mins on third day, 45mins on fourth day - I then increase by 30minutes everyday until I get to 4 hours - after which I feel happy that it’s safe to be out the whole night. As said, probably overkill, but I’ve been doing it this way for years and never (touch wood) had a problem.
 
I would strip graze for the ones that can take some grass. I wold try to keep the good doers or those prone to laminitis off it until the others have grazed it down a bit.
 
do the same, small doses building up

a lot depends on the horse as to how long the eventual grazing period will be, and if they get loose droppings or need and special care. ie can graze but needs limiting ,for weight control
 
Strip graze & or just give an hour or so & back to usual field. I do this every time I move my horses to a new field with fresh grass.
 
I just moved my two yesterday to a field with a bit of growth on it. The field they were in has nothing but mud and needs to rest. They were very pleased to get some grass but I have used miles of electric fence tape to split up the field so that they can only have a bit at a time. They are both arthritic so keeping them in is not an option, they need to keep moving, although they do have a shelter they can go in if they want to.
There isn't a lot of grass, I certainly wouldn't describe it as lush but it's greener than they've been eating for a while now so I'm trying to be careful.
 
KINDMARE said:
Our horses are due to move to their summer fields very soon. Very lush long green grass and huge fields!
Any ideas on how to do this safely to avoid colic/laminitis please?
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My vet said the only things that worked for Bailey was strip grazing or reduction in turnout hours.

In the end I made sure she was always strip grazed, introducing about a foot and a half across the paddock (40m) every evening when she got turned out in the Summer. I always made sure she had a sloppy feed and his water container was scrubbed out and refilled at least every third day, no point just topping up with fresh water, its still dirty and dirty water can cause colic.

Reduction in turnout hours wasn't really a sensible option and muzzling only worked when the muzzle stayed on, if it was pulled off then the horse would gorge and eat the grass too.
 
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