lush grass

[fizzer]

how do you all keep on top of your horses regarding weight and worry of too much grass, was chatting to a friend and we were discussing muzzles, minimum turnout etc, just wondered what peoples views were and what regime they have

 

[TiaPony]

tia is out bout 8 hours a day with lovely grass and is fed 1 scoop of pasture mix and 1 scoop of alfalfa twice a day. simple as pie, my horsey! she looks and works very well on it. i dont think she runs a risk of gettin fat, she spends most of her time chasing other horses around rather then eating!
x

 

[K_T]

I section the field off in the summer so stop my mare gorging herself!!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

It's a nightmare lol.
I tried using a grazing muzzle but he gallops about shouting.
He's on box rest atm as he's a bit poorly so we're on in-hand grazing, lots of walks and ad lib soaked hay.
Piggy paddock is my preferable choice, but not everyone has the option, so either stable part of the day or use a muzzle.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

[ QUOTE ]
It's a nightmare lol.
I tried using a grazing muzzle but he gallops about shouting.
He's on box rest atm as he's a bit poorly so we're on in-hand grazing, lots of walks and ad lib soaked hay.
Piggy paddock is my preferable choice, but not everyone has the option, so either stable part of the day or use a muzzle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ohno!Hope it's nothing serious hun

SWUO is in the strip paddock for fatties

...and she still looks well on it!!

xx

 

[maddielove]

LAst summer was awful for maddie's weight. THe stupid yard owner insister her elcrtic fence worked...that explained how the whole feild got to th other side of it...

I eneded up haveing maddie in for about 8 hours a day and getting ridden twice for almost 2 months..and only just got her back to a nice weight.

This year when the grass is good i plan to muzzle and ride lots but supplement the grazing she doesn't get with low calorie feed.

This winter i've managed to slim her down a bit to [hopefully!] soften the blow of the spring grass.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It's a nightmare lol.
I tried using a grazing muzzle but he gallops about shouting.
He's on box rest atm as he's a bit poorly so we're on in-hand grazing, lots of walks and ad lib soaked hay.
Piggy paddock is my preferable choice, but not everyone has the option, so either stable part of the day or use a muzzle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ohno!Hope it's nothing serious hun

SWUO is in the strip paddock for fatties

...and she still looks well on it!!

xx

[/ QUOTE ]
I wormed him for the second time and used pramox under the advice of my vet.
I don't think his little body is used to being wormed, poor mite. Cue alot of groaning (vet said mild colic, quite normal), runny poos. Actually, pure liquid.
And a huge pile of worms on the stable floor this morning.

ughhhh. So he's not allowed on the field till his worm count is back. He's enjoying a diet of carrots and ad lib hay, and looks like a mini draught horse with his big bottom and plaited tail (to keep it clean atm).

never again will i use guard lol. It can't have done much if this was what came out 3 weeks later.....

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Oh poor little love

Really hope he's back in tip top form very soon.


Bethxx

 

[Christmas_Kate]

nach, he's eating polos and still biting me so he's not too bad. Is Jelly moulting atm? Since he's been in G has lost most of his winter coat....... It literally comes out in handfuls.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Is she moulting?

I came away today looking like a yeti having been used as a scratching post!So yes, she's definitely moulting

xxx

 

[Christmas_Kate]

lol, I was told G hangs onto his coat until july incase of a freak snowstorm. I still havent got him clipped (he sweats in the stable) for various reasons, but maybe I should leave it now he's getting rid himslef. lol.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

[ QUOTE ]
LAst summer was awful for maddie's weight. THe stupid yard owner insister her elcrtic fence worked...that explained how the whole feild got to th other side of it...

I eneded up haveing maddie in for about 8 hours a day and getting ridden twice for almost 2 months..and only just got her back to a nice weight.

This year when the grass is good i plan to muzzle and ride lots but supplement the grazing she doesn't get with low calorie feed.

This winter i've managed to slim her down a bit to [hopefully!] soften the blow of the spring grass.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've found that if I fill up with hay and Hi fi lite he doesnt eat so much grass.
I've also found if I turn him out alone because the others are in he gallops about like a maddun and doesnt eat, so in essence exercises himself....

. I do end up fetching him in after an hour, as he doesnt appreciate the finer art of talking to cows.

Don't try it at home. lol.

. You may well end up with YO on your back lol.

 

[pottamus]

I make sure my good doer cob has slimmed down as much as possible going into spring and keep an eye on how much grass he has and strip graze if necessary. The rest is down to weigh taping every week to monitor changes and loads of work in trot out hacking every day and an endurance ride every week of up to 20 miles.

 

[AmyMay]

Well I have always done limited turnout in the past, but last year opted for a grazing muzzle instead.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My paddock is split in two with electric fence so we can manage the grazing. My lad had a bit of a belly on him one year so I decided on a Greenguard muzzel last year. What a difference, he had no grass bloat when he came in. We worked him & got him well toned & really fit. He got used to the muzzel within a couple of days & has looked great ever since. I believe thet they're an essential piece of kit. I'd much rather him be in a muzzel & turned out all day that limit his time out

 

[sojeph]

I'm lucky enough to have my own fields so with the use of electric I fence off small paddocks in the spring and use them. I've never fancied the idea of a muzzle and am sure my shettie would just get it off anyway. If theres too much grass for the ponies I just put my cobbies in with them to munch it all down.

 

[Chex]

Chex got so fat last year, and it will NOT be happening again this year! I can't keep him in because of his arthritis, so its either got to be a small paddock or a muzzle. I can't bring myself to buy a muzzle, just feel so cruel! But then I can't bare the thought of him stuck in a tiny paddock all summer

Juts got to be cruel to be kind I guess

 

[Kitchingman]

I have a starvation paddock which is not fertilised and another field which I haylage. When I turn them out into the starvation paddock in the spring I do it gradually eg, 1-2hrs a day for a week, half a day for a couple of weeks and so on so they don't gorge themselves. I leave them in the starvation paddock until it is bare which is around the same time that my other field is haylaged and then i will gradually move them into that field like before. And then I am able to let my pony (whos at risk from lami) out into the bare starvation paddock for a couple of hours a day (after 4pm). Luckly because I have my own yard i am in complete control and my little system works well!! Thank god!!