Is it better to graze once or twice a day - laminitic question

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scoobydoo

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Hi, our pony is not laminitic but a very good doer / over eater grasswise and i am sure left to own devices would become one!

He has been out in the day with a best friends grazing muzzle although i dont feel he is getting very much grass at all and since wearing this it must have made his face itchy as he has managed to rub his face and forelock off in the stable!

He has got eating with a muzle to a fine art and trying a dinky ponies one hasnt slowed his eating down much.

In an attempt to get him a forelock and a non marked face i was thinking of trying him out in the field less time without a muzzle .

Would i be better to split his field time into two sessions? ie 40 mins morning then 40 mins after noon or is it better to put out once only or on a laminitic point of view does it make any difference
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Fructans go from the grass overnight. So if you don't want to get up to turn out in the early hours the next best thing is to put him out as early as possible for a few hours. Avoid turning out afternoon and evening.

Do you have a yard or a school you can put him in so he gets more exercise than being shut in a stable?
 
I'd be tempted to take the muzzle off and leave him out overnight.

Our lami pony goes out in the 'normal' field for a day and a night and is stabled for a day and a night. Seems to be working
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Plus he's exercised five days out of seven.
 
Just to point out that a horse/pony can eat just as much overnight as they can during the day. Although the grass is not as potent as during the day, it is still calorific and turning them out overnight, unmuzzled will likely have the same result as during the day...
 
Hi, not an easy one as grass still too rich for him so it ppears to be a choice of 4 - 6 hours with best friends muzzle and not worry about not having a forelock and he rubs his face when it is taken off or long periods in stable but freedom of an hour or so munching unrestricted .
 
I also have a pony that is an over eater, he will stuff himself until he is ill. He wears a green guard for 8-10 hours a day, it is the only one that has'nt irritated him or rubbed. He is such a pig that he is'nt allowed in with our other two in the winter as they have a round bale out.
At the moment he is in a small paddock with a good surface on it, ridden 5 days a week, gets a mug of safe and sound with one fence post moved a foot a day. I know it sounds like very little, but he poos normally and is looking really good.

Sorry to waffle, but I do sometimes feel that I am the only
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one with a compulsive eater for a pony.
 
OK - might have a look at green guard as he has managed to get his best friends muzzle off twice in last 3 days although fitted normally and with a head collar on the top for extra security! dont know how he is managing it as head collar still on
 
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