Turning horses out on stubble - is it ok???

[Hels_Bells]

Someone I know is turning their brood mares (some in foal) out on stubble for several hours a day with no extra hay etc to munch. Seems a bit harsh to me as they're all rooting around in the mud trying to graze and nibbling the stubble stalks.

Does anyone else turn out on stubble without hay etc? Am I being oversensitive in thinking it's a bit harsh turning them out with no option but to eat stubble stalks?

 

[Toffee44]

Well sheep eat anything and the field near me grazes sheep out on stubble and they still have access to hay and sheep food. Also if you think that wheat straw can induce colic impaction? I wouldnt be happy.

 

[Orangehorse]

I turned my two out on a stubble field one winter as everywhere else was a swamp. There was quite a lot of grass growing as a weed and plenty of grass underneath the hedges. It was a 10 acre field and I thought they would go all over it but they never seemed to go further than half-way down the field. They were only out for a few hours during the day, but I didn;t give them any extra hay and they didn;t come to any harm.

It depends on whether the horses are just out for a bit of a nibble and leg stretch, or they are expected to live off it, in which case it doesn't sound so good, especially for the little ones.

 

[miss_bird]

I see nothing wrong with it, if you think there is prob a bit of grass around the headlands and inbetween the stubble, also some horses are turned out in complete mud paddocks at this time of year.
It is also only for a few hours so it is a leg stretch and a nibble