Realistically, how much grass is "enough"?

ShadowFlame

ShadowFlame

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General question, really. How much grass is reasonable to keep a horse "going"? I ask because I've recently moved to a new yard and the field looks rather bare. It's a large enough field, still green, but there's not an awful lot of grass and there's a good 12 or so horses in there. Technically, pone is a good-doer of a cob who has a couple of lbs to spare, but his gas/grass belly disappeared in a matter of days. The field isn't being hayed at present, but I'm told they do when there's nothing left. He's living out 24/7, for the record.

Would you be concerned, or can they genuinely "live off fresh air"? Would like to hear some opinions :)
 
Yes i'd be concerned, even if there is a little bit of grass theres not much goodness in it at this time of year so he won't be getting all his vits.

....and 12 horses?! How many acres?

I'd definitely be wanting hay out in the field now & mineral licks.
 
Hmmm i'd agree with the above post i'd probably be slightly concernced. My lads in a field on his own at the moment of about 2 acres, also a poor doer and i'll leave him out for no longer than 5 / 6 hours else he starts to look ill after a few weeks! He's also on 2 feeds a day and 2 large haynets a night and you wouldn't believe the trouble I have with keeping the weight on him.

I'd be enquiring as to when they're going to put hay in the fields :) Can't be too healthy being on hardly any grass for 24 hours :(

SS x
 
To give an idea, this is how much grass we're talking:

Grass.jpg


Not sure exactly how many acres it is, but it's a large field. Going to confirm with YO when I next see him when hay is going out. He's having time to chew on a haynet while I'm there, as well as a salt lick, but I'm still feeling a little worried.
 
That doesn't look good enough imho. We have 3 out on a 6 acre field, grass going/gone around gateway but still a good covering in other places. They also get a hard feed morning and evening and hayed at the same time (get more hay at lunch if I'm haying mine in his restricted paddock - its their little faces, not sure my mum is so generous though, she's a hay nazi :D ) Live out 24/7.
 
I agree with the others, even if your horse is a good doer they still have to eat. As hay isn't being given in the field is there not a stable you could bring him in to for a few hours for some hay?
 
I think if there wasn't enough grass there they would probalbly start fighting, plus is there plenty of poo's? For good doers it looks ok to me, but would be giving a good high fibre feed twice a day.

Must admit my two ponies are on about 3 acres 24/7, lots of grass, but they are unrugged and run around a lot so don't put any weight on.
 
I have two ponies out on three acres which still has a fair amount of grass (not bare but not loads) and I am giving a little bucket feed each day plus a small slice of hay each, which they are clearing up most days. I find that if the grass is enough, they leave they hay so the fact that they are eating it means they need it.

If you cannot hay him the field yet, I would give him a bucket feed, some unmolassed beet / Fast Fibre / HiFi and/or some high fibre cubes. Unless he's really porky, you don't really want them losing too much weight this early in the winter.
 
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I would not be happy with that ..especially at this time of year! my miniature horses have more grass and they get hard feed and hay ! if it was summer grazing I wouldnt be too concerned because short fast growing grass in spring and summer would be full of goodness but this time of year there is nothing left in it and now the weather is cooler he will need more fibre to keep him warm at night and help him hold his weight ,
 
in winter I graze 1 horse to 2 acres and they have hay when they come in for a few hours during the day. In summer its 1 horse per acre.
 
ShadowFlame said:
To give an idea, this is how much grass we're talking:

Grass.jpg


Not sure exactly how many acres it is, but it's a large field. Going to confirm with YO when I next see him when hay is going out. He's having time to chew on a haynet while I'm there, as well as a salt lick, but I'm still feeling a little worried.
Click to expand...

If this is it then they need additional hay or haylage too.
 
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