Spring Grass??

[CharlotteK]

is anyone else experiencing a change in behaviour?? The only thing i can put it down to is the new grass, although he does not have masses!!

What can i do to get my slightly less crazy pony back!!?? We had dancing histeria tonight alternating from frount to back legs, and whilst it's nice to see him feeling so 'well' frankly it's getting a little dangerous now.......

Experiences/advice much apprecated - this is my first spring with him!!

 

[WhiteHorseWendy]

Hairy Cob is also feeling the spring... friend hacked him out today and was a little surprised that the 'safe one' bounced, jogged, passage-d and bucked all the way :-D

 

[CharlotteK]

oh, i'm glad i'm not the only one!! He's always been a little sharp but when unloading him today he cleared the ramp in a squeling leap whilst turning himself inside out......... very athletic, but sensible head says v naughty!

 

[samstar]

we had to loose school our horse today in his paddock so we could just catch him, took us an hour but we won in the end.
Def blame it on the spring grass

 

[charlie55]

Yes!! I spent half an hour chasing my friends pony down the main road today!! Bloody horrible pony at that!!

Just locks his head and hes gone!

 

[pocket]

Horses, thats why we love em

 

[Tnavas]

They are all suffering from Magnesium deficiency.

When the grass grows fast as it does in Spring the level of Magnesium drops. Without enough magnesium they get the jitters!

Feed a tablespoon of Epsom salts twice daily while the grass is growing fast - it takes only a couple of days to take effect.

An elderly saddler told me about this and my vet confirmed it when two of the riding school ponies became untouchable - it's often called Grass Tetany as it has so many symptoms similar to Tetenus.

 

[f_s_]

Agree with this, we feed our ponies Epsom salts when the grass is coming through.

I think it is a old remedy but gives them some magnesium and has the added benefit that lack of magnesium can be a factor in laminitis

 

[samstar]

ok so you say lack of magnesium, so with what I have said further up, how do you work that out when he is fed Equine Americas Magnitude every day in his feed

 

[f_s_]

Don't know Samstar!

Just saying that it can be a lack of magnesium when the grass starts to flush

and that a lack of this can make horses/ponies more difficult/spooky/bouncy etc. Also, that as magnesium has said to be a factor in the onset of laminitis, Epsom salts are a cheap way of providing some of this.

As with all things related to horses!!!! Not all remedies work with every horse!

You just have a special naughty pony that didn't want to be caught!!

 

[samstar]

At this moment I'd call him a a bloody nightmare

 

[charlottenicol]

We had corkscrew bucks and cat leaps over ditches the other day, but it always happens with the onset of the spring grass, I have fed Naff Magic for a while now as he had a hypa tendancy, but last night he was super in the school and did lovely things on the right rein which we always struggle at.

 

[f_s_]

I'd say all mine are bloody nightmares!!!

My mare decided she'd take all the ponies for a little walk the other night, straight through the fence...to that lovely fresh grass Grrrr!!

You'd think butter wouldn't melt...but Oh no! I am convinced she's a dustbin in disguise!!

 

[kellyeaton]

TRY STRIP GRAZING THE GRASS SO HE CAN NOT EAT SO MUCH AT ONE TIME SEE IF THAT HELPS!

 

[f_s_]

PLEASE DON'T SHOUT!!!

I am aware of strip grazing, and it is a mare not a gelding.
Furthermore, the ponies are strip grazed but she went through an electric fence which, for your information, was powerful and put on correctly