Think I’m being very thick!

[pistolpete]

Horse in same field as last year but weather dramatically different this year. Last year there was masses of grass. Had to fence some off!
This year they have the whole field four horses in seven acres and it’s all short and getting burned off. The horses are so much fatter this year. Is it the sugar in the short stuff doing the damage?

 

[Lois Lame]

No, it's the concentrated everything in the dry grass. And I wouldn't call it damage if it's not doing the horses any harm.

 

[ponynutz]

As above but assume you're saying they're getting a bit more than chunky?

We have a small field and so this happens for us every year and what I've found is that if I put hay out the horses much rather having an easier snack than picking at minimal grass. I'd suggest doing that if you're worried about their sugar intake.

 

[TPO]

There may be other factors ar play too but generally speaking yes the sugar is higher in "stressed" grass. Ideally you want longer stuff that's finished growing

 

[Lois Lame]

There may be other factors ar play too but generally speaking yes the sugar is higher in "stressed" grass. Ideally you want longer stuff that's finished growing

Yes, I agree. I posted too soon. (Brain not in gear.) I was picturing what sort of stuff we have in the paddock after good rain - tall mature grass that has dried off. But that's not what you are talking about, OP. Some people look at long dry grass as being nothing much, but it's good feed.

 

[pistolpete]

Thank you. Yes I agre I’d be feeding hay if it was up to me. I do bring mine in for a small hay feed everyday now but we don’t have stables so he gets about a kg a day. Might have to start doing that more often.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’ve been musing the same lines. My riding horse is getting fatter.
However I’ve taken pony muzzles off, mainly due to the weather. Who wants a plastic cover over your face in this heat. I did it very cautiously but they have been absolutely fine. If there was any not dead looking grass I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the one being pottery coming back in.
So that’s confused me slightly!
Im giving hay but not huge quantities.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Totally agree! Our field is like a ten acre bowling green, but the horses have never put on as much weight as they have this summer! The grass is too short to muzzle, and the stables are too hot to bring them in. Never thought I would be glad to see winter!

 

[rextherobber]

I've pulled the horses off the fields,they are in a trash paddock with hay at night and in during the day. We've had so little rain, the grass simply hasn't grown, its stressed and will never recover if I leave them on it. Fields rested since March have pathetically little growth and crunch when you walk across them. My horses also have never been fatter...

 

[Horseysheepy]

Our summer grazing is a really burnt off and sad looking bowling green. I'm haying twice daily. My large mare isn't losing weight but she looks more slab sided as she hadn't got her usual summer grass belly.

 

[SEL]

What grass types do you have? My roasted field is minimal rye and they're doing fine (but I have to hay because it isn't filling them up). In fact I'm sure I can feel the Appy's ribs but that might be wishful thinking

Going to need to rest and reseed in sept otherwise it won't be minimal rye for long ?

 

[vmac66]

The grass is our field is sparse and short, actually crunched underfoot the other day.
Mare comes in at night to 6k soaked hay, she's losing weight but so slowly
Despite the bare looking paddock 2 horses are doing about 16 poos a day between them do must be getting something g

 

[pistolpete]

What grass types do you have? My roasted field is minimal rye and they're doing fine (but I have to hay because it isn't filling them up). In fact I'm sure I can feel the Appy's ribs but that might be wishful thinking

Going to need to rest and reseed in sept otherwise it won't be minimal rye for long ?

It’s not rye. It’s old pasture mixed varieties but has been over grazed now.

 

[pistolpete]

Anyones dropped any weight yet?

 

[Lois Lame]

Are you worried about them dropping weight? Not dropping weight? If they are curvaceous, why are you feeding the hay? Sorry, I'm just a bit perplexed.

 

[FinkleyAlex]

I’m going to go against the grain - my welsh part bred is prone to porking out over the summer and is usually on soaked hay by now. Whilst he did initially get a little rounder after spring, he’s definitely lost it again and looks slimmer than he’d usually be at this time of the year, which I can only put down to the lack of grass out there. He’s out overnight but comes into hay (unsoaked currently as his weight is ok) during the day and is worked lightly 3/4 times a week.

I do wonder how resilient the grass will be, my back garden is akin to straw.

 

[Lois Lame]

When the rain comes, it will spring up again with no worries. It's the lack of rain that is the problem, not the behaviour of the grass IYKWIM. Rain is everything.

 

[atropa]

My warmblood has never looked so slim at this time of year, I can just about see ribs now. Very, very little growth on our field and I'm bringing in most days for some hay. In contrast, my ISH is definitely slowly gaining her summer lbs although not anywhere near as quickly as normal.

 

[SantaVera]

Also it's so hot they don't need to use calories to keep warm all of mine have put weight on this last few weeks.

 

[criso]

Weight taped today and my tb has gained a bit in a week, he's prone to dropping weight. Grass is pretty short and dry/yellow but there must be something in it. He's not eating any more hay when he comes in.