Standing hay

[molly1873]

Looking for some advice pls, I have a paddock around 2 acres on a slight slope , it’s not been grazed on since last year and is looking green and lush .
Is this what they mean by “standing hay” . I have 3 ponies that I would like to graze on it over the winter but ...... when is it safe i.e not much nutrition to turn them on to it . They will be out 24/7 on it but one pony I do struggle with his weight and don’t want him going into next year carrying too much.
It seems silly not to use it as would help the other paddock to recover over winter

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Not really..standing hay is tall dry yellow looking grasses..there will be green underneath but not a lush green sward.

 

[Gift Horse]

I have my two horses on a similar paddock, it’s been rested since April, there is loads of grass on it and with the mild weather it’s still growing. I strip graze into the long grass moving the fence a little each day.
My horses are in light work and one of them would ballon turned out on the whole paddock. The strip grazing also stops them trampling the grass so it lasts most of the winter.

 

[Polos Mum]

Standing hay is grass means different things to different people. I don't believe there is a formal definition.
To me it means grass long enough you could make hay from, but you choose not to (probably because it never stops B$%&dy raining) and so they graze it where it stands.

I love it, it saves me a tonne of work. It isn't pretty but on my land if sheep follow the horses they tidy it up and by mid summer the winter fields look wonderful again.

 

[meleeka]

Yes that’s standing hay, but I consider standing hay to be when it’s long enough to start to fall over. That’s when I start to strip graze it through the winter and by next summer it looks lovely again.

 

[southerncomfort]

Yes, as above. Mine is tall yellow brown thin stalks at the top with greener grass underneath. The green grass has thick stems and is what I would call 'old grass'.

The whole lot is beginning to topple with a few areas that are quite flat.

Very tempting to pop them in there as it's much drier land but I'm going to wait until we've had a couple of good hard frosts and then I'll strip graze it.

 

[molly1873]

Thanks everyone, its not long as such just thick and very green.
I’m hoping that they can use this in winter and I won’t need to feed much hay but just not sure when it’s “safe” to stick them on it .

 

[MotherOfChickens]

but just not sure when it’s “safe” to stick them on it .

a lot depends on where you are, your horses, what soil you are on and weather/temps. I know mine is ok generally come November, its unimproved pasture and about 1200ft up though.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

We have standing hay due to the fantastic growing conditions this year. My sister's ponies put on weight just looking at grass so will be strip grazed until the ground gets too wet. If given ad lib access at the moment they would balloon.

 

[Berpisc]

Otherwise known as foggage or fog. When the weather gets colder my little gang eat off grass that has been rested since spring. The system seems to work well, those that need boosting nutritionally get a hard feed.

 

[L&M]

Ours winter out on standing hay - as other have said it looks 'hay' like and leggy, so not green and lush as yours is. I would be a bit wary of your paddocks and strip graze, as sound like it could be very rich.

We don't bother strip grazing our standing hay - it is nutritionally poor and quite fibrous - great for filling bellies, but they don't usually gain much weight on it. It also protects the fields as the sward is so thick they do not churn it up at all, except where the troughs are.