IN or OUT Is there any feed value in grass this time of year

[Charmel]

For the first year ever I have my own yard instead of being on livery yards. I am finally in control of whether my horses are in or out. And I don't know what to do! Instead of being confined to one hour turnout a day, mine have 20 acres to play with. I have 5 horses (2tbs 2warmbloods and a cob) and 3 ponies (arab x welsh and 2 welsh) They all have a stable on the yard but I want to keep them out as much as possible. At the mo they have just come off the 14acre field and are using the 3x 2 acre fields which haven't been grazed since last winter. It is good grazing (no weeds/nettles just meadow grass) and fields are well draining, not muddy at all. They come in every day all get ridden and then fed (sugarbeet alfafa and conditioning cubes for tbs and wbs and happy hoof for natives) They are all well rugged and look healthy, but people are telling me I should be putting hay/haylage in the field and bring them in at night. What do you think?

 

[YasandCrystal]

It really does depend how well your horses do, but I shouldn't let anyone dictate to you what you should and shouldn't be feeding. The grass at this time of the year is still good forage - it will not be rich, but it will be all important to keep the horses digestive systems going. I would just keep an eye on their weight - you will soon see if they are waiting for you at feed time and maybe need some extra forage then. I prefer to see horses out with grass than stabled for 14+ hours with just 1 haynet, thereby enforcing hours with no food.

 

[AmyMay]

Once they've grazed the field down - yes you'll need to start supplying hay in the field if you intend to keep them out.

 

[MrsNorris]

I wouldn't be concerned about what anyone else says as they are happy and healthy. I imagine that they would all live out quite happily with the right rugs etc so just do whatever is good for them and your land, and dont pay any attention to what others say.
You're so lucky to be able to make that descision, you know your animals best, do what you like, thats the pleasure of owning your own place!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

While there is grass they will probably leave any hay you put out, so save your hay for when the fields are grazed down. It's entirely up to you to decide if the horses and fields are doing fine, or if the horses should come in at night. I personally leave mine out 24/7 as much as possible.

 

[Charmel]

Before I had this land in Feb this year it had only been used to cut hay off for the past 8 years, it had been really well looked after and at the moment there seems to be more grass than they can eat. I put a few piles of hay out just in case but they are still there. My horses just dont seem interested. They are never by the gate waiting to come in. I will be happy to put a bale of haylage in the round feeder when grass is gone, but I am being told its cruel to leave the TBs out!

 

[Cocorules]

I do not understand how it can be cruel to keep the TBs out provided they have sufficient shelter and are rugged when needed. They stay warmer being able to move about and it is healthier being out in the fresh air than in even the best ventilated stable.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I am being told its cruel to leave the TBs out!

Well that's just stupid. Of course a healthy, well cared for TB can live out and flourish. I had one who couldn't abide being stabled, in fact she wasn't even rugged until she got old and grew a really thick, fluffy winter coat.

 

[Meandtheboys]

Well I am in the same position and they will live out - maybe depending on weather I may bring them in to save the land and give them somewhere to shelter if rain is persistent...........I will be taking day by day decisions.

You know your horses best!!

 

[YasandCrystal]

Before I had this land in Feb this year it had only been used to cut hay off for the past 8 years, it had been really well looked after and at the moment there seems to be more grass than they can eat. I put a few piles of hay out just in case but they are still there. My horses just dont seem interested. They are never by the gate waiting to come in. I will be happy to put a bale of haylage in the round feeder when grass is gone, but I am being told its cruel to leave the TBs out!

My WB wintered out rugless the winter before last and he only has a fine coat. He is a very fine build and with plenty of forage and good shelter he hardly dropped any weight from his summer weight. He wintered out rugged last winter and is out now maybe for the whole winter or the plan is for him to come in at night from Christmas if the weather get bad. His paddock is a bog as he likes to pace, but he is healthy and as happy as anything. TBs are hardy enough - if you go to Newmarket all the youngsters are living out unrugged.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'm in a similar situation to OP; own land and plenty of it. My two have got about 8 acres to play in, good grass (a bit TOO good actually!). Their "routine" is simply that they don't have a routine as such, mare decides when she wants a hard feed/to come in, and is at the gate waiting if she feels she wants anything (with traddie boy, who isn't allowed an opinion on the matter!).

When they come in, perhaps to stand in for the day if I'm riding them, they'll have hard feed & hay. Otherwise nothing, they don't need it, simples.

The thing I find really helpful is to have a local farmer bung some sheep in the field to graze it down a bit; there's nothing like sheep for improving the pasture and it will save a helluva lot of work and hassle if you can graze with sheep occasionally as they'll clean up the pasture beautifully for you.

Think your horses should thrive OP. I personally wouldn't feed any hay at all; if they're rugged up for the worst of the weather and are looking OK then why worry.

 

[Gloi]

We strip graze the winter field moving the tape every couple of days . It is cut for hay in summer and whatever regrows after that is left for winter. Depending on the weather the ponies (all good doers) don't get any hay until all the grass has gone which is usually January- February time.

 

[Honey08]

I would keep them out as much as you can. While there is a decent amount of grass for them to eat, it is not getting too poached, and they are not losing weight get the grass in them. There is not as much value in autumn/winter grass as in summer, but I personally think it gives them as much as haylage/hay. Plus your horses will prefer being out and eating the grass. Obviously as they eat it down you need to add hay.

Ignore those with their silly advice. Enjoy your own place and your own rules. You're there to get away from the constant unwanted advice you usually get on livery yards!

 

[Charmel]

Ignore those with their silly advice. Enjoy your own place and your own rules. You're there to get away from the constant unwanted advice you usually get on livery yards![/QUOTE]

Thank you All, I will leave them out untill they tell me they want to be in.....and monitor grass and add haylage when required....

 

[Copperpot]

Mine live out and I'm not putting hay out yet. They are still only getting a handful of happy hoof too as we had a bit too much grass this summer. Their winter field currently has sheep in it and they will move into it next week.

If they start to drop weight or if it snows I will put hay out.

When I kept them on livery yards they would have been on limited turnout by now, stuffed full of conditioning mix and rugged to the eye balls. I'm sure they are so much happier out and muddy

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Main reason people stable is to keep the field from getting poached and ruined, If they are fine I would have beds made up for them and bring them in for a rest if it has been very stormy.
Also give them a good check over, and so on.
They will only eat the hay if they need it, else it will be left.

 

[JillA]

Mine live out, and like you I am not overstocked. As an indication - mine are turning their noses up at hay and even not cleaning up their feeds, they are so full. And my own horse had a couple of days of it and went footy - so, yes, there is enough food value in it to keep them going and going well. We never used to feed forage until well into winter, probably Christmas time and one friend has grass all year round, so very rarely feeds her lot. Depends on your horses of course but don't get sucked in to "This is how you must keep your horses" - evaluate what you can do and whether it fulfils the horses' needs.

 

[JLD]

mine is up on a concrete yard overnight with access to stable, he has a smallish haynet ( he is a smallish pony ) and a treatball with a handful of hay replacement cubes in to play with. this is only coz I have limited grazing on heavy clay and need to protect it for part of the day, during the day I am strip grazing him, by moving the fence about 6' every 3 days or so, as he got v fat in the summer and we had to resrict him on a track so we have reasonable grass in the middle that I am gradually releasing to him, once this has gone I will give him morning hay as well, it is interesting that the bit he has grazed is not growing back much at all now. he has however stubbornly clung onto his fat pads behind his shoulders and is managing 10-12 poos/day which are still greenish so I think he has enough !

 

[smellsofhorse]

Just go by how thr horses look and feel.
They will tell you if they want to come in!

They are your horses, its no one else's business.

 

[s4sugar]

My two are out on five acres with good shelter hedges. I have just opened a bale of haylage to start giving a medium net between them, not that I think they really need it and yesterday's lasted several hours. Today's, put up at lunchtime, is only half eaten BUT by starting them on it now it won't be a shock to their systems if we get snow or a hard, persistent, frost and they have to come in or be fed more. Today they both pootled over, grabbed a mouthful & went back to grazing. Not hungry yet.

 

[MadBlackLab]

As long as horses warm, not loosing weight and have forage either grass or hay then there is no harm leaving them out. Re TB's should be in, at most studs have yearlings out over winter and resting mares too so no harm.
Its what suits owner and their horses not what other thinks. What works for one horse doesn't always work for others.

 

[Kikke]

Well my mare just changes fields and gained enough belly for a while.
There seems to be enough in it because she is madam greedy chops and will only leave her hay if she is full and at the moment she is only eating her hard feet in her stable.

 

[3OldPonies]

Just go with whatever feels and looks OK for your horses. I can only echo what most other people have said, they'll be fine out 24/7 if you keep an eye on their condition and alter grazing, hay, workload and feed to keep good, but not obese, condition. If they're ignoring hay you've put out, stop putting it out, they're obviously getting enough roughage and are happily full. If they start hanging around the gate and the grass is looking a bit sparse, then try them back with some hay, if they eat it carry on giving it. The only time I think you'll need to be really careful with hard feed is as the winter becomes spring, grazing that has had a bit of a time of it over the winter tends to go a bit mad when spring and the sunshine arrives and you may need to act quickly in restricting access for the natives amongst your 'herd' especially if they have come through the winter really well.

 

[hnmisty]

I do not understand how it can be cruel to keep the TBs out provided they have sufficient shelter and are rugged when needed. They stay warmer being able to move about and it is healthier being out in the fresh air than in even the best ventilated stable.

Barry is still living out (tb) and he's not on any extra feed. We opened our back field recently, which has been rested all summer, and it's old cattle pasture so very fertile. He's being ridden about twice a week atm. Should I be arrested for animal abuse?

He is certainly happier out, especially as he's turned out sotg his BFFEEEEEEEEEEEE (best friend for ever and ever and ever etc)

 

[marmalade76]

I would say yes. Last winter the two fatties (on about 6 acres of ground with a good covering of grass) failed to lose weight despite only having token feeds and hay only when snowy or frosty. They came into spring fatter than I would have liked.

 

[Laafet]

Well that's just stupid. Of course a healthy, well cared for TB can live out and flourish. I had one who couldn't abide being stabled, in fact she wasn't even rugged until she got old and grew a really thick, fluffy winter coat.

Most of the very expensive highly bred TB broodmares live out until Christmas, and a lot of those are never rugged!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yes, the TB stud opposite my former livery yard had mares and foals out unrugged in all weather.

 

[RoyalGreyGlory]

As others have said, just do what feels right at the time. Once the grass has been eaten off then you'll have to provide them with some hay/hayledge.

RE; tbs must be kept in: I got given my lad off a family friend and prior to coming to me (he is now 5) he has spent his life living out 24/7 with no rugs in all weathers no extra hard feed with 5 other tbs, the farmer only provided them with a big round bale of hay as and when needed .. they were all very content and wild :lol:

 

[Kadastorm]

Im not putting hay in the field at the moment but then there is grass out there at the moment and he is stabled overnight. As long as they are well rugged, got something to munch on to keep a healthy digestive system and are not losing weight, then carry on with what you are doing. you know your horses better than anyone.