Long grass - to top or not?

[hairycob]

When the monsoon came we had to take the horses off the summer fields as they were completely water logged. The grass has grown like crazy & now we are now trying to decide what to do before we put them back in again.
YO borrowed some sheep but there are only 8 & the grass is growing faster than they can eat it in just 1 field. It's going to be muzzles all round - 4 out of 6 on the yard are good doing cobs - but should we top the grass before they go over? In places it's nearly knee length. The paddocks aren't large & all have 1 or 2 horses in them. If they are muzzles will they be able to nibble really long grass or will it just bend over so they can't get it. I've never had to cope with such long grass in spring before.

 

[Irishbabygirl]

Send some my way! I'm still having to feed haylage!
Would strip grazing be an option? Or maybe an advert for some more grass liveries for a month or so, so they can graze yours and rest theirs? That's what I've been considering doing...

 

[zaminda]

I find if you top it, it grows quicker, and the richer grass is usually the shorter grass. Once its long it doesn't seem to be so good

 

[horsemadelsie]

I've put horses on knee height grass before (in summer but not spring) and tbh they didn't think it was that tasty. They trampled more than they ate I think- poo picking was a nightmare though in the long grass!

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

can you not double the horses up in one paddock, leave the rest and cut some hay/haylage in june/july?