Query on lush grass at this time of year?

[ecrozier]

Taking our boys on a 'mini-break' to my parents house tomorrow! Just had a thought though when I was up there checking the electric fencing this afternoon - there is quite a bit of grass - its not been grazed for about a year. Hay crop was taken in July and its now probably mostly between 4-6 inches long, thick and fairly lush. Not worried about my lad as he lived there for 4 years and I've (touch wood) never had any issues with him on lush grass (colic, lami etc) but new youngster I don't feel so 100% confident about! Since we have had him (4 months) he's been on fairly sparse grazing, and prior to that the girl that owned him didn't have much land....so he may never have grazed grass that thick before. His weight is pretty much ideal, could do with a little more condition going in to winter, so not worried about that or the lami aspect, more the worry of him gorging himself! Is that a risk at this time of year do you think? I can restrict the area the have (have made it about 75m x 50m, and can drag them off the grass for an hour am and an hour pm, plus ride them of course - would that be enough to reduce risk of colic do you think? Or is the grass 'over' enough by this time of year?

 

[Fii]

I am parranoid about lush grass so would'nt tell you that it would be fine, also september is the worst time (or best ) for a flush of new growth , but saying that if you strip graze you should be able to limit the intake .

 

[ecrozier]

We're only there for 4 days....and also have had very little rain for the last month or so...know at yard, nothing is growing, but the stuff at my parents is just what has grown since the hay crop....so I guess just like turning them out onto winter grazing that has been rested all summer.
Fairly confident he wouldn't be a lami risk (in work, sports horse, not even slightly overweight) but am slightly concerned about his stomach being able to cope!

 

[hadfos]

Due to the fact we havnt had the rain it is pretty stable at the moment,but temps are up and rain is forecast so grass will have a mad growth spurt!!(and yes it is very rich,especially dangerous to lamis)Yes he can very well gorge himself this time of yr,due to how he has been kept previous i would stick to that with him being ideal weight,as you now own him things can change nxt yr

 

[Fii]

I think in the case of him not being used to a lot of grass i would want to introduce it slowly, just me being over cautious i expect. I know in this instance this isnt very helpful.

 

[ecrozier]

Think we might have to spend a couple of hours raking up the grass cuttings on the old starvation paddock then tomorrow afternoon - fun! Then they could go on there overnight and on strip of big paddock during day, that should keep his stomach happy
Is rain forecast hadofs? I hope so, our winter grazing at the yard is looking rather sparse at the moment!

 

[hadfos]

[ QUOTE ]
Think we might have to spend a couple of hours raking up the grass cuttings on the old starvation paddock then tomorrow afternoon - fun! Then they could go on there overnight and on strip of big paddock during day, that should keep his stomach happy
Is rain forecast hadofs? I hope so, our winter grazing at the yard is looking rather sparse at the moment!

[/ QUOTE ]
we have rain forecast on tuesday

,we have 14 and down south has 21

Have just watched forecast and

we now dont have rain and it gonna be bloody warm

we having the summer we shuld have had now

 

[ecrozier]

It pains me to say it but we could do with a fortnight of warm and really wet weather for our grazing at the yard - parents place has grass beyond even the fattest ponies wildest dreams but no good to us as its an hour's drive from home!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

After my horse had a scary episode of gassy colic due to being turned straight onto lush grass after bare winter nibbles, I was given an invaluable piece of common sense advice. You have to treat grass as you would any other dietary change and introduce it very slowly. Autumn flush grass is as potentially dangerous as spring grass. Ideally you should put your ned on it just an hour or two on day 1 and gradually increase it. I'd watch him very carefully.

 

[f_s_]

^^^^^

what BOF says, plus, don't think just because it's an Irish sports Horse who is an ideal weight that he can't get laminitis!!!