Scared of laminitis - please help

[Pfhalo]

Hiya. I feel a bit silly to ask this question, but I am unsure if I am doing the right thing. My father in law has put the fear of life into me and I have been researching laminitis prevention all night and now I feel even more unsure! Argh !
Our story is as follows - we live on a farm - my father in law owns it and is not very horse friendly. So I have only been allowed to rent about half an acre of a lovely meadow. My mare (6) shares the meadow with a bunch of rams- they are fenced off for mine and her security. I have taken a 10 year break from horse ownership (had 3children etc etc) and recently (6weeks ago) rescued this lovely Arab mare and brought her home.
The grass where we live is very fat - Hampshire meadow grass. So my approach has been to strip graze her to slowly get used to the change in grass and new home. After 6 weeks we have now completed the first circle around my half an acre paddock.
About half of it has regrown and is green again.
My big question is - do I continue to strip graze her? Which in my opinion intesifies grazing on the new growth only - or do I let her loose to achieve a mixture of both stem and leaf?
She is a mower - greedy when I strip her. So I am really torn. I want to minimise the risks at all costs but also want her to be happy.
She is in light work only as been turned away for a long time and I am starting from the beginning with her ground work.
Please if someone has any suggestions i would really appreciate it. Oh - the farrier was just out and she has "pretty little feet" in great condition, so I want to keep them that way. Cheers

 

[touchstone]

Although overgrazed grass is higher in fructans and risky for laminitics, I find it far better for mine than allowing access to longer, 'safer' grass. I daresay that it is the quantities that are the issue, so I keep mine on a track system so that there is never much to go at, I find that the growth slows down after a while of intensive grazing, but you do have to watch for new green shoots coming through and restrict where necessary.

One solution could be to make a track around the perimeter of your field so it is kept down and turn on to the longer grass in the middle overnight when sugars are lower? Or you could allow access to the longer grass with a grazing muzzle so that intake is restricted.

 

[HaffiesRock]

What is her weight like? You sound very sensible and I am sure what ever decision you make will be correct. I keep my two ponies on about half an acre and I split it in half. I swap the half over they graze every couple of weeks, but it isn't very rich grass.

How are you strip grazing it? Now you have completed a circuit, could you strip it across what you have already stripped so your horse is getting a mix? Does that make sense?

 

[Pfhalo]

Hiya, thanks for your replies. I much appreciate the input.
I have thought about track grazing but am worried that with only half an acre my middle bit would be depleted to quickly and the paddock would end up a labyrinth of fencing should I then try to cut the middle in half?
I currently split in three - so that she has a mix of grazed and new whilst one area is recovering. I move my fence everyday to allow about 1meter (10m) across of fresh grass.
Her weight is ok. My vet - who did a stage 2 with her, when she arrived told me she is in good condition to go into the winter but I need to be careful with the fat grass and restrict her. My question after your replies:
New growth needs to be restricted then? New growth in between grazed? At which point does grass get considered mature ? I can't find any detailed info on this anywhere. I know I am fretting a bit I just want to get it right. She has had such a hard time over the last year - I don't want to add any more troubles xx

 

[thatsmygirl]

It sounds like your doing the right thing already tbh. Try not to worry to much about the grass, I have 2 ponies who's had lami in the past but not with me as I keep exercise up, weight down and don't over do hard feed. Stand back every week look at her and be honest about what you see, weight wise. If she hasn't a history of lami I wouldn't overly worry yourself. Yes it's always good to have it in the back of your head as any horse could get it but if they haven't a under lieing medical problem u should be fine with what you are doing. I do also check the pulses on mine most days so I know stright away if anything is wrong.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Half an acre is not a lot, I would swop over with rams twice per annum, but maybe get some cattle in to share the paddock, not separate. The rams are only alone till October. Provide a peck of hay from now onwards, and add salt and minerals to chaff based feed [non molassed]
He is letting you have some grazing in exchange for [taxable] cash! Don't be helping out for free when he asks! Is he from Yorkshire?

 

[Pinkvboots]

I have just under 4 acres for two horses and I like to rest parts through the year, I do sort of an L shape with the tape so the long bit is at the back and I let that bit out and then bring the other side in, then when they have eaten it down I then reverse the L and do it on the other side so each side gets rested while the other side is eaten down it kind of works out ok, do you have any pictures of your Arab mare how is she coming on? Just interested as I have a purebred gelding and always love hearing about other people and their Arabs his picture is on my profile page if your interested.

 

[Pfhalo]

Swapping with the rams is a great idea! From November - when the rams are going out to be with the sheep - she will be sharing with Alfie the Llama hope they will make friends.
Thank you all for your reassurance!!!
Really much appreciated.
If I can figure out how - I will add some pictures for you to see. I love my Arabs too.