Moving to a field with lots of grass for a month...

I

Irishbabygirl

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...to rest my paddocks and have them rolled, harrowed etc. Lovely hacking too so very excited! :)

Now, the field I am moving to is full of grass and a very decent size. Must be around 6 acres! :eek:

I obviously wouldn't turn them out in the whole thing, as this would be too much for them and I doubt I'll ever catch them again (:D) but wondering how much to start them off on? Maybe around an acre and then move the fence out gradually or is this still too much?

I'll be moving them mid July so am I right in thinking the goodness in the grass isn't quite as good at that time of year?

They are both average/good do-er's. Currently on a balancer and a hay net at night still but when they go to the new field they wont need anything. One is a retired 16.2 21 year old WB and the other is a 6 year old 15.2 Irish CobxTB type thing. Neither has had lami but aware there is a first time for everything!

Am I over worrying about the amount of grass or should I just let them enjoy and go for it?
 
I did this with my horse. We sectioned about an acre off initially. She still got really fat really quickly! Now if they go in the big field with lush grass we use grazing muzzles.
 
I sectioned about a thrid / a wuarter of my field off as when I moved into it it hadnt been grazed for a few months and is knee high in grass.
My mare still colicked once that Im aware of just not being used to that much grass.
Now I have that area still that they are in all the time, and when I let the oldie out for some nice grass she either stays in the paddock with me or goes out with him with a muzzle on.
Id be very wary of just letting them onto the whole 6 acres especially if theyre not used to so much grass :)
 
Thanks for replying - no, they would definitely not be going onto the whole lot....think I'll start with a small area and strip graze - then if they get too round I can move the fence back to the grazed area they would have created :-)
 
If you can, make a 'track' round the log or at least 2 or 3 sides ..... or at the minimum long and thin strips.

If you go onto the WHW (world horse welfare) website and search around, you will find a site which shows that if you do this the horse has to move at least twice as much and that helps to negate some of that lovely lush grass.
 
Thanks, I did consider a track system but haven't really got enough stakes, and don't really want to invest in any more as I'm only there for a month and don't need them at my usual yard. Could do one long thin strip the entire length as that would require more movement than just a square...
 
Make the area small. I have four horses in an area about the same size as a standard menage (:D) and it's still growing enough grass for them, although they aren't on it all the time.
 
Depends on the quality of the grass- mine are on an acre each and are actually running out of grass, just out for 12 hours during the day, with ad lib hay at night. If it is weedy and stalky grass then they won't eat as much and will have to move round more, but if its thick and lush and green then be very careful how much you let them eat! Do you know if its been fertilised? as this will affect how rich it is.
 
To be honest I would start them off in an area 20m x 40 metres - 60 MAXIMUM! then extend as required. I can assure you there will me more than enough to keep them busy in there for a long while!

Please don't underestimate the risk of lami either - this year has been a bad one for it due to all the late warm wet weather... horses large and small have been suffering... I would be inclined to Muzzle during the day if possible.
 
Normally I'd start very small or top first (not immediately before moving). We have herds out on areas smaller than an acre currently, on short grass and it's still growing faster than they can eat it :rolleyes: Hit our limit of restricting size with numbers though.

However we also have two that get sent away over summer and are very lucky that they regulate themselves, the only horses I know that can be turned out in knee high lush grass and not gorge, far too sensible! Couldn't with any of our others though.

Pan
 
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