Restricted grazing - which way is best?

Most Accomplished member (i.e who has reached or gone beyond goals set for them and horses)

  • Total voters
    0
Pikachu

Pikachu

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 February 2003
Messages
149
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
Hi Guys

As today is supposed to be the first day of spring i've been thinking of the grass coming through etc and as im having to move yards due to current one being sold, we will be going to a place where the farmer fertilizes. So will be going from not much to good fields right in the growing time.

Murph has had lami before and at moment is a little round as not done anything for 9 months (although just been given ok for him to start coming back into work, yay) and the new boy is rather overweight and does nothing but eat!

Normally i would strip graze but after murph did his tendons last June in an area of about 20x30m im now worried about doing so as im hoping a bit of grass on the ground will help with the hardness during summer (i know, not a lot!). So was thinking of maybe muzzling them, but would i get a muzzle to fit his head
confused.gif


Just after peeps opinions really.

So....
 
I would use a muzzle- that way they still get the freedom/ exercise turnout provides. I think the greenguard muzzle is one size fits all and attaches to a headcollar so it shouldnt be a problem fitting
smile.gif
 
Any of them options are a good idea, you could also restrict it by fencing of an area at least 1 acre or somethink like that.
 
I have tried restricted grazing but my horse did not lose that much weight - just kept barging through the electric tape and gorging. Also tried a grazing muzzle - my horse hated it and I could not catch him for a week after using it and he would not eat through it at all. The only thing that seemed to work for my horse was, after being on box rest I wintered him out till he was able to be ridden again. Vet said I had to get him to 500kg so he had to lose 80kg. Last summer I bought him in everyday and gave him hay and turned him out overnight. Hard work but worth it. He is now 490kg which is brill but costly as I have had to have his saddle altered!!!!!
 
I put other purely because strip grazing has to be done sensibly or its a waste of time. Definitely put the muzzle on but if you are going to strip graze make sure you have him on the grass for a short period each day until he has eaten down the strip, then put him on the same strip for longer periods.

I see so many strip grazers where the owner thinks theres not much grass left so I will move the tape up and give him some new stuff. Totally defeats the object as the horse is restricted to a small area of lush grazing every few days and is, as a consequence, not even required to walk very far to stuff his face! A horse on good grazing will get through the same in an hour as he would in the whole day if on poorer pasture.

If you can follow on after other horses have eaten grazing right down this will make the strip unnecessary.
 
Beware of strip grazing- Very short grass is the richest and your horse is likely to eat it as fast as it grows, so though it may look like there's no grass he'll still be eating very rich food.

Does he live out all the time? If so will be difficult to stop weight gain and your only option would be to ride him loads to try and work off all the extra energy he's eating! You wont need to feed him much, if any hard food now as he'll get all the nutrients he needs out of grass. If he's in at night just give him some low energy hay, you could soak it for over half an hour to leach any energy out of it. This will satisfy his appetite over night and stop him getting bored.

Sounds like a difficult one, good luck!
 
I voted muzzle, but I also stable part time if necessary.

Agree totally with Spaniel - once a strip is grazed down, don't feel sorry for them!

As for the grazed grass being richer - there is evidence that it does contain more fructans, BUT because they will still be eating overall less on a very short grazed patch, it is still better than the "putting them on long grass as it has less fructans in it", because whilst the long grass may have less in it, the horses can eat far more quantity wise, so will end up getting more of the bad stuff.
 
Is there a nearby farmer you could borrow some sheep from? A couple of days with a field full of sheep and there will be very little grass left. Thats what we do - but it's easier for us coz we own the sheep!
 
I wouldnt tend to use a muzzle personally. But in this case where he'll be straight onto nice grass - I would fence off a smallish paddock, muzzle him and then once he's eaten it down enough Id take off the muzzle and stip graze.
 
Thanks, are the greenguard headcollars field safe as i know the other feildsafe ones only go up to a full and i don't trust Murph with anything that doesn't give, as knowing Murph, he'll get himself in to trouble somewhere.

Would prefer the rubber bucket type ones, but again, not sure if they are field safe or big enough
confused.gif
 
Thanks Spaniel. I would probabaly be guilty of doing exactly that! Im just worried that by creating an area that is well eaten down, the ground will become rock hard and Murph will do his tendons again...hence me thinking of other routes. Although both aren't obese, just a little bit bigger than they should be.

New boy should be ok with either strip grazing or a muzzle.
 
He is usually out 24/7 in summer (he's now in overnight in winter) as he really doesn't like being in. Unfortunately i can't ride him loads as he has only just (last week) been given the ok to come back into work after doing tendons in both front legs so its going to a long time before we can be doing lots of work, if they stay ok that is.

As i said, they aren't obese just a little bigger (which for Murph is understandable) and im just playing it safe. Once i've got a saddle sorted then the new boy will get plenty of work.
 
I loved grazing muzzles for a while, and in theory still think they are kindest, but.... beware if your horse is down the pecking order, some horses do suss that the teeth end is safer than it used to be... Also if your horse is big, I found that the Greenguard just aren't big enough. My 17.1 ID who actually doesn't have a huge nose for his size (x full bridle, but noseband goes on very tightest hole) just ate round it - no matter how many adjustments and stern talking too's he had!!
grin.gif
The bucket ones do come in huge sizes if that is any help. Do you know what kind of grass he will be out on - just a tip I have learnt in last few years, too much ryegrass is bad - it doesn't give the horses a 'full' feeling and they just eat and eat. Since moving from ryegrass to mainly fescue based grass, they spend far more time having a doze, 'cos they are stuffed on much less. Might be worth checking.
confused.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top