Strip grazing..do you think it could be harmful

[rema]

As title..I have two horses in an acre and a half paddock and a one acre paddock next to it,they have eaten down their current paddock and i want to put them into the one acre but it is long grass..I thought about strip grazing them into it but wondered if giving them say 10 foot of new grass everyday will harm them.I do not want to just let them in there to get on with it.My concern is that they will eat it down and then have nothing for a few hours then i come along and give them another 10 foot of long lush grass again.What do you think?

 

[happyhacking:)]

We strip graze ours. After a few days you will be able to judge exactly how much to give them. I dont think it's any worse personally than giving them a haynet and it being empty by the early hours of the morning and having nothing for a couple of hours plus if out are anything to go by they tend to eat the long bits then go back and crop it shorter later.

 

[Natch]

Lots of people do it very successfully you could leave hay if you are really concerned?

 

[rema]

Thank you Happyhacking and Naturally..I am just worried about colic or Lami.Keeping their weight down is also another reason for just giving them a strip at a time..

 

[Natch]

Rema there is a difference between having nothing to eat and nibbling at the sward. If you watch horses who are strip grazed they eat the fresh stuff first, then go nibble on old stuff, and go back to the fresh stuff later on again. Unless its very extreme they find plenty to nibble at all day. Don't forget that wild horses would constantly be nibbling on bits and bobs, rather than grazing long sward every day.

 

[Sprout]

I strip graze mine, and it works really well for them.

 

[Peachescream]

My mare had laminitis 4 years ago before i bought her. she gets strip grazed for whole of spring and summer months along with my mini. I definately think its better for them than being left to munch the whole field. As to leaving hay in, I personally wouldnt the idea is watching what they are eating and spring grass is high in sugars. I agree with the above comment that there is always bits to nibble on even if it looks bare. My mare is a really easy keeper and i move the electric fencing back once a week by one outer fence post, sounds strict but she has always maintained a healthy weight.

 

[rema]

Thanks again Naturally,sprout and Peaches..Strip grazing it is then...It is not often i have had to strip graze due to too much grass.lol