Short or long grass for pony who is prone to laminitis?

[laura7981]

Question in the title really! There's so much conflicting advice about what grass is 'safer' for ponies who are prone to getting laminitis, I was curious to find out what you guys think! Obviously I know that the grass has less fructens in over night and very short grass contains lots, but as the pony would be able to eat more of the long grass, wouldn't it be getting the same amount of sugar etc as it would do on the short grass?? I hope this makes sense lol. Hobnobs and coffee for all who get what I mean

 

[wellsat]

What you've written is my understanding on the topic as well. Short grass contains more per g but they can obviously eat alot more of the long grass.

 

[kittykatcat]

Ditto you comments really. No one actually knows. It also depends on the temperature, time of year and the species of grass!! Best advise for a laminitic - keep it off the grass, in a dry lot, fed hay!!!

 

[laura7981]

Thanks for replying. I wish someone had the magic answer lol. She's in a tiny dry lot now and has been for a while, I do have a stretch of field (fat camp) with barely any grass that she could go in or she could go in the other field with not rich grass, but medium to long in length. She'd be muzzled regardless. I hate seeing her stuck in that tiny pen by herself and I think if she could play with her mates for even just half an hour it would brighten her up. I'd be interested to know if anyone's vet has given advise on what would be best re short or long.

 

[stencilface]

I think it depends on the type of grass and the ground really. Most modern horse paddocks are a nightmare for lami prone horses and ponies, they are too uniform, rich and too small. You could prob turn her out on a big hilly field (moorland), with lots of nutrient poor long grass and she would be fine - it is difficult with modern management.

 

[Bigginge]

Could she not go out on the long grass with a muzzle on? That way she can be sociable but the muzzle will significantly slow down her grass intake.

 

[laura7981]

Thanks .
Yes she could go on the long with a muzzle, she can still manage to get quite a bit of grass through that hole though. She can only get snippets in fat camp! I think I'm just going to have to test both while the insurance will still cover her for laminitis. It's either that or she can spend her life being locked in a pen by herself being miserable which I'm not really prepared to do, it wouldn't be fair on her because she's such a sociable little thing.

 

[Nudibranch]

Is there any way of having some kind of track system? I know they're not always easy to set up and maintain, especially if you have a pony with no respect for electricity, but they do work well for exercise purposes.