Livery yard advice - ample grazing

[ha903070]

So I'm after a bit of advice on what is considered ample grazing at a livery yard. The contract states that the livery yard will provide Livery in respect of the Horse to comprise:
Grazing and Turn-out, to include:
Between May and September (inclusive), provide ample grazing for the Horse and provide additional forage, if necessary.

If yard owner acknowledges verbally there isn't ample grazing (which of course is expected with the weather we have had) should they provide hay / haylage in the field as per the above wording?

For context, 6 horses in this field on 24/7 summer turnout, none of which are overweight or on restricted grazing.
Pic of grazing for info.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would say hay should be supplied but it could be argued by them them that the weather is outwith their control.

 

[mini-eventer]

Its sparse, technically yes based on what you have said.

If you are paying through the nose I wouldn't be impressed. If it was relatively cheep and good in other ways. I would buy my own hay in rather than stir things up.

 

[Auslander]

I hay all year round, and my grazing is better than that (just!). I don't think that is acceptable for 24/7 turnout without extra forage

 

[Pinkvboots]

I wouldn't have my horses on that 24 -7 all year without hay its not enough grass, maybe sort out a cheaper rate and say you will provide your own hay, I wouldn't want to be restricted by someone else's opinion on when my horse should get hay or not.

 

[ha903070]

Thanks all, my thoughts are the same but hay has been refused unfortunately. I've one with arthritis and I have to bring them in if I am to give hay, which I did, with one only doing 1 poop in 16 hours, whilst eating 2 full nets. Had to leave them in 36 hours to get her gut going.
Time to move on :-(

 

[PurBee]

I’d move yards. That ‘grazing’ is abysmal for a healthy horse. I use patches of ground like that as a dry lot (no food) and give hay/haylage.

 

[holeymoley]

Yes I would definitely expect added forage on top of that. In fact I wouldn't even say that's enough as it is, if horses on this land are out 24/7 their main diet should be of hay. There's nothing there!

 

[Flyermc]

The horses should 100% be getting more, however it could be read that 'provide' may not mean included in livery costs or provided in the field? Only that the yard 'provides' forage?

 

[nagblagger]

How big is that field?
It would be a great starvation paddock! Def need hay.

 

[ycbm]

I'd be wanting to feed some psyllium husk, if you haven't already. That's asking for sand colic.
.

 

[Nicnac]

That certainly isn't ample grazing! Fine for a lami prone with hay but definitely bordering on abusive for 6 horses without weight issues and no additional forage.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I've got 3 on just over 3 acres and my fields look better than that and they get hay all year round.

 

[maya2008]

We have green, growing grass. Has it not rained where you are? How big is the paddock?

 

[Birker2020]

So I'm after a bit of advice on what is considered ample grazing at a livery yard. The contract states that the livery yard will provide Livery in respect of the Horse to comprise:
Grazing and Turn-out, to include:
Between May and September (inclusive), provide ample grazing for the Horse and provide additional forage, if necessary.

If yard owner acknowledges verbally there isn't ample grazing (which of course is expected with the weather we have had) should they provide hay / haylage in the field as per the above wording?

For context, 6 horses in this field on 24/7 summer turnout, none of which are overweight or on restricted grazing.
Pic of grazing for info.

This is part of my paddock, we have individual grazing, mines a WB and I'm strip grazing and leaving hay out. He's out about 15 hrs overnight.

Some people on here have said I'm cruel for having my horse in 'a small paddock' - it's actually very big. But managing a horse in this way can prevent obesity, laminitis and colic so don't give a stuff. L