Moving to summer paddock?

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katymay

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I need some good HHO advice please!

I wasnt planning on moving the ponies to their summer paddock until mid march, but the paddock hasnt been touched since October last year and the grass is looking lush,
currently they are on a mud patch at home and looking pretty miserable, I wondered whether I could introduce the summer paddock for weekend turn out, they really need to produce a bare area before the spring grass comes through, one will have to be muzzled anyway as he is still too fat, and the other is very lami prone so both will need very little grass, should I start off with just a couple of hours a day to see how they get on? I cant do it every day due to work and the paddock is a trek from the stables so cant move them in the dark, so thought weekend would be ideal?

what is everyones thoughts? ive just spent a fortune on xrays for the lami one and with careful trimming we are hoping he will come good, so dont want to undo all the hardwork I have done over the winter with him for him to go down with an attack!

really appreciate your thoughts, and big boxes of Thorntons choccies on offer as we seem to have loads left over from christmas!

kate
 
I moved mine recently as I was fed up with seeing them fetlock deep in mud

They seem miles happier, have nice clean legs and have been playing a lot which is nice

I am keeping a very close eye on their weight though

after they have eaten the bulk of the grass I'm going to split the area so they have access to less new grass when it starts growing properly
 
I moved mine in the new yr after Alfie cut his legs and needed to dry out. The big boys were soooo made up with it, even if there isn't much grass in there. Both were rolling like they'd found a horsenip pasture and doing the rodeo trick. I've never seen Ollie buck before but he was doing handstands lol
 
Hi,

Boyo had mild mud fever so I moved him onto the grass paddock - the grass isn't lush but he's more than happy - especially since he's been promoted to head-horsey and mud fever cleared up.
 
Just for weekend? I'd probably introduce them and keep a close eye with strip grazing and muzzled... Wouldn't yo-yo between the two paddocks though, would do a consistant turn out.
 
I would be a bit careful, I know it is January but the grass in my rested paddock is perking along and bright green :o Looks like spring grass :o

Obviously hard to say without seeing the field, but I might start them off with 30 mins to an hour for a couple of weekends or if you can section off a suitable small place move them over permanently. If your rested grass is 'spent grass' as it were then shouldn't be a problem, but if it is new grass I would treat it very carefully with your lami one.
 
This is my major concern, the paddock looks like a well maintained lawn the grass is not too long but very green and lush, will just section them off a small bit anyway and they will probably stay in that little bit all summer.
most of the paddock didnt get used last year as the two ponies on there really didnt need the grass.
think its probably safer to do a few hours at a time as their tummies wont be used to having so much grass again!
thanks for help x
 
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