Opinions please-vet advice.

[ozpoz]

Friends have been advised by a vet that there is no reason why their elderly cobby native, in very light/occassional work, shouldn't graze in a paddock following cattle grazing there. He also disagrees that the bare and sparse paddock I suggested, is the right place , but feels that a large field divided in two so the pony can keep moving onto decent grazing would be better.
I would be concerned about the flush of rich grass - it is very hard to keep weight off him.
They are confident in their vet and can't understand why I am questioning his opinion...I'm beginning to wonder if I'm mad!
I have been keeping their pony at here for them over the winter, and hope to send him home soon!
What would you advise?

 

[Queenbee]

Friends have been advised by a vet that there is no reason why their elderly cobby native, in very light/occassional work, shouldn't graze in a paddock following cattle grazing there. He also disagrees that the bare and sparse paddock I suggested, is the right place , but feels that a large field divided in two so the pony can keep moving onto decent grazing would be better.
I would be concerned about the flush of rich grass - it is very hard to keep weight off him.
They are confident in their vet and can't understand why I am questioning his opinion...I'm beginning to wonder if I'm mad!
I have been keeping their pony at here for them over the winter, and hope to send him home soon!
What would you advise?

Short over grazed pasture is awful for lami prone/ overweight horses, it concentrates the sugars in the tips and the tips are all they can eat. Far better to have longer grass and yes to promote as much walking as possible. I cant abide the practice of fencing off a small area and seriously restricting the ability to move freely and exercise combined with the excessive grazing of pasture.

I would be more inclined to promote a paddock paradise system but with longer grass. So yes in my opinion the vet is right... short forced grass is the devil and more exercise is better for weight and joints.

 

[ozpoz]

Ah, I should have described better - the sparse paddock is much larger than the two small cattle rotated paddocks. : )
I was thinking a paddock paradise system idea would be good - they aren't so sure about putting down gravel areas though.

 

[Queenbee]

Ah, I should have described better - the sparse paddock is much larger than the two small cattle rotated paddocks. : )
I was thinking a paddock paradise system idea would be good - they aren't so sure about putting down gravel areas though.

Just suggest they set up a basic track, I didn't bother with the gravel, I just sectioned off a track around the perimiter of the field, making the corners nice and large. salt/mineral lick in one area, shade in another, hay in another and water somewhere else. Worked a treat... no gravel involved.

 

[AmyMay]

I wouldn't interfere.

 

[Quantock-cob]

OP- how many years at vet school did you do? Why do you feel the need to undermine the vet and interfere?

 

[ozpoz]

I wouldn't interfere either - the owners (who have no equine knowledge) have asked me to oversee his care.
And, my own vet advises differently.... which is why I asked for opinions!
I Thought I could point them in the direction of this thread.

 

[luckyoldme]

Let them get on with it!
Imagine if they took your advice and the pony got laminitis...I would never put myself up against a qualified vet... to scared it all went wrong and I got the blame!

 

[amage]

This year there is no flush of lush short grass yet so for the time being it shouldn't cause a problem. If there was a rest period for the field between cattle and horse there would be more risk but we often allow horses follow the cows grazing to help tidy up paddocks a bit before they are topped. Where I would be cautious is if the fields are fertilised post cattle and we got a sudden bout of warm mild weather with some dampness. You could then get a flush of very rich lush nitrates grass. Certainly with the cold there at the moment lush grass is a bit like hens teeth so for the moment there should be no problem