New field, WWYD?

C1airey

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Just wondering what other people would suggest... I have two horses: one short, plump, and greedy; one tall, lanky and needy.

Tall-lanky-needy horse is still new (4wks since he arrived). He’s also young, v. athletic and needs space to let off a bit of steam. Short-plump-greedy horse is older and slower.

I have to move fields by Sunday. New field is full of grass and hasn’t been grazed since autumn. Field has never been fertilised, but the grass is plentiful - too long for grazing muzzles to be of use. My concern is that both horses will gorge and end up with colic, laminitis or both. Short-plump-greedy horse can get footy on too much greenery. Tall-lanky-needy horse can pebbledash a barn if he’s over-indulged on the salad.

So HHO, WWYD? Strip graze them separately so that T-L-N doesn’t annoy S-P-G? Limit turnout to a couple of hours initially and gradually extend? Try convince farmer to top all/part?
 

LaurenBay

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I'd strip graze. Start in a small area so it gets eaten down. Put Fattie in there and other Horse in the other bit and then move fattie along once grass is shorter. Also if it has enough land could you borrow some more Horses or sheep and let them eat the bulk of it?
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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I'd strip-graze too. Make sure you've got a new battery in your portable unit (my old boy would damn well KNOW if the battery was a bit jaded and the blighter would just walk through leccy fencing).

Or you could consider setting up a track-grazing system?? I went to the Donkey Sanctuary here in Devon yesterday (with work!!) and they've got track-grazing set up there for the donkeys, which I found very interesting. Perhaps there's someone near you that's got a track system, and wouldn't mind letting you pick their brains on it??
 

C1airey

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My only concern with strip grazing is that I don’t want my older horse hassled by The Youth. It’s not a problem in a big field, I’m worried it might be in a smaller section. I suppose I could give them individual strips? Or just pen the middle of the field so they have to graze the edges in a giant loop?

I haven’t actually seen the field, so no idea on size until tonight (it’s at the far end of the yard, down a big I never have cause to visit).

No votes for topping half and leaving half as standing hay for the winter?
 

LaurenBay

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You could possibly use for hay, BUT if you don't have the equipment it is a ball ache to do manually and back breaking. Unless you want to pay someone to do it for you. I strip grazed my field and it worked perfectly.
 

Leo Walker

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pen off the middle and leave that for winter, stick both on a track round the outside. Make the corners rounded and make it wide enough that theres room to get away. Inside the track make a pen for fatty and allow the young horse the rest of the track to eat down, putting in the pen as necessary.

Once its eaten off allow both onto the track. If the youngster needs more pen him off for hay or allow him access to the middle depending how much you want it for standing hay in the winter.
 
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