Need some advice on turning my horse out in summer fields?

[KatenCoco]

Hi I own a 15hh welshxthoroughbred mare. Coco

Our summer fields have just opened for 24/7 turnout and I'm so happy! Coco really isn't a big fan of her stable and is made to live out.. However her new summer field is massive and the lush green grass is up to her knees and she's only sharing it with one other horse.. she has been out every day for a few hours in a much less lush field so she has been eating but I'm worried about her gorging herself??

I have a grazing muzzle though I feel like she literally eats nothing when that's on and she gets really wound up and is really hungry the next day. And bringing her in for time periods really isn't an option because she hates it so much and all the other horses on the yard are out so she wont be alone on the yard..

Is it really risky to just leave her without a muzzle? What are the risks? What do people suggest?

 

[Chunkie]

Can you fence part of the field off and let them eat that first, then gradually move the fence so that as they eat the field off they get a bit more?

I think you should definitely bring her in either during the daytime or at night too- at least for a few weeks until they have eaten some of the grass down.

Are you on a farm? If so would it be possible for you to borrow a fiew cows to eat the top of the field off?

 

[CBFan]

personally I would only turn her out for the same length of time that you have been to begin with and gradually build it up....

The idea of fencing off a section and moving it back as and when is also a very good idea...

 

[Daisy2]

Maybe you could try a different muzzle, check out the dinky rugs muzzles, my guys have these and so far all is good. They are all nicly padded, big air holes for the nostrils and a reasonable sized hole at the bottom. They were originally made for shetlands but proved to be popular so now they make larger sizes. I think if you can make her happy with the muzzle then you can relax a little. My guys wear the muzzle when out in the big field and strip grazed with it off a it night. Good Luck, I know its hard!

 

[kal40]

I have my two fenced off in paddocks. They have their own area each and it works really well. I use a car battery though as the smaller fence type things weren't strong enough.

One of our has had lami in the past and it really is not worth it. Its lovely to see horses relaxing and eating grass but the long term implications are horredous.

Start small and like someone said, you can always move the fence outwards.