Moving from little grazing and hard feed to better grazing transition

[T_K]

I could do with some advice on feeding my girls. At the moment my grazing is quite poor and I'm rotating between 3 fields every other day.

The 2 bigger (14.1hh and 14.2hh) girls are on 2 scoops of healthy hooves, 1 scoop of alfa-a and 1/3 scoop (dry weight) of alfa-beet.

The Shetland gets 1 scoop of Healthy Hooves, 1/3 scoop alfa-a and a tiny bit of alfa-beet just to wet the feed.

They share 2 slices of High Fibre Horsehage between them.

I am temporarily moving them to better grazing on Saturday to let mine rest and reseed some of it. The new grazing isn't lush by any means but is more than they have ATM and the owner of the field has said it's very 'sweet'.

I'm wondering what transition I need to make hard feed wise when moving them. At first they will all be on a small patch for half a day or so so that it can be eaten down and then the shetland will have this patch (I may even keep her off it until the big girls have eaten it down).

I should add that they are all slightly underweight at the moment - I haven't weight taped them but you can just see ribs on all three I've only ever seen my shettie's ribs twice in 17 years! And the Shetland has had lami in the past.

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Black_Horse_White]

I moved my horse to better grazing, he was not what i would say over weight. He had only been on it for just over a week and came down with his first bout of Laminitis. In hindsight i should have introduced him to it over short periods but as i'd had him 4 years and no problems, and his weight was ok i thought he would be ok. Thankfully he is recovering well, but i've learn't a very hard lesson and won't be making the same mistake. Just be careful x

 

[T_K]

I moved my horse to better grazing, he was not what i would say over weight. He had only been on it for just over a week and came down with his first bout of Laminitis. In hindsight i should have introduced him to it over short periods but as i'd had him 4 years and no problems, and his weight was ok i thought he would be ok. Thankfully he is recovering well, but i've learn't a very hard lesson and won't be making the same mistake. Just be careful x

Thanks I will do, I know how horrible Lami can be. I've got plenty of electric fence at the ready so will probably strip graze the big girls.

 

[fatpiggy]

Yes, I would say strip graze them. They are likely to be impressed by the extra rations and have a really good gobble of the green stuff.The recent rain will have really perked up the grass and even a fit, underweight horse or pony can get laminitis.

 

[T_K]

Thanks for the advice guys, but how should I transition the hard feed?