Turning horses out onto winter grazing

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MrsMurs

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Hi there,
We've had sheep on our 3 fields over summer to keep on top of everything. The grass became very grazed down, and so the sheep were removed about 3 weeks ago, after which the grass has steadily grown back in the mild weather. Now, my friend is looking to turn her horse out on one of the empty fields in the coming weeks, so my question is, as the grass in the paddock has replenished itself and is looking rather green and lush, when is it considered the right time to turn a horse out onto winter grazing? I've also heard people speak of foggage, and would be keen to understand the theory behind this - in simple terms as I'm a simple soul!
Thanks in advance
 
Foggage is long grass that hasn't been mown or grazed for most of the summer. Unlike short freshly grown grass it usually doesn't contain a high percentage of sugar. I've just had to turn mine onto a well grown area which is still growing but at least it isn't the short sweet stuff, that is the risky stuff. Lots of info on here http://www.safergrass.org/
 
I've started to turn my two out onto their winter grazing during the day (they are fat so stay on grazed down paddock overnight) and I will strip graze it bare. As I know it foggage is basically long grass left standing through winter and grazed during the colder months when its nutritional value and sugar content are low. Someone will come along with better knowledge I'm sure but just be careful about turning straight out onto it. I might be over cautious but I always build up grazing on a new paddock by half days and then full days and then 24/7 over a good week or two!
 
I've had a little read and the grass in the paddock to be grazed definitely isn't foggage. It's grass that has regrown for 3 weeks after being grazed bare by sheep! So would the best thing to do be to section the field and strip graze it? It's an acre in size with some areas of grass up to 5/6 cm's and some areas only about 2 cm's. It's very rich and green looking! I find this so confusing as I've also read that too short grass is rich on sugars!

Can anyone give me a good rule to go by when it comes to suitable grazing?

The horse in question is an ID X/ 17HH/ Never had lami

I'd be really grateful for any advice/experience
 
It can lead to poaching round the outside at this time of year but how about a track around the perimeter with electric fencing? Then strip graze towards the centre, that's what I do with mine but it can look a bit of a mess while he is still on the narrow strip.
 
It might look lush but it's still quite short and as it's just an acre I'd be tempted to leave the field as a whole, a horse that size could do a lot of damage in a small space. Ideally I'd want a good four inches all over before I'd turn out on it.
Mine have moved on to winter grazing but I have more acres that has been rested for a couple of months.
 
Although green, it won't be as rich as grass in high summer. Reducing amount of sunlight and heat slows the growth and the sugar content. I would wean them onto it.
Foggage doesn't work where my horses are, it only stays upright until the first bout of wet and windy weather. The horses trample it, eat around the clumps and the grass underneath sours. Waste of time.
 
I'm attempting that this year, JillA. Not quite strips, but they only get a new section every couple of weeks. Unfortunately, my YO dislikes electric fencing and is keen to get them down for the winter. I'm on a charm offensive!
 
Regandal said:
Although green, it won't be as rich as grass in high summer. Reducing amount of sunlight and heat slows the growth and the sugar content. I would wean them onto it.
Foggage doesn't work where my horses are, it only stays upright until the first bout of wet and windy weather. The horses trample it, eat around the clumps and the grass underneath sours. Waste of time.
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Regandal said:
I'm attempting that this year, JillA. Not quite strips, but they only get a new section every couple of weeks. Unfortunately, my YO dislikes electric fencing and is keen to get them down for the winter. I'm on a charm offensive!
Click to expand...

Good plan. I'm strip grazing for the first time and also its strip grazing of a 'fashion' in a roundabout kinda way. Mainly to stop them trashing it but mine are coming off it overnight. That reminds me i need new batteries.
 
mine went into their winter field about 4 weeks ago. they are fat as pigs now. grass is still growing strongly. if the field in question is only an acre then i'd turn the horse onto it as a whole its too small to do anything else with at this time of year.
 
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Thanks everyone for all your really helpful advice.

I'm going to suggest turning the horse out on the whole acre, rather than strip grazing it - I suppose there is always going to be the unavoidable scenario of weight gain when turning out onto a new field where there is slightly too much grass than you'd really like, but then in a matter of weeks once it's eaten down any weight increases cease.
When the acre paddock is well eaten down, I will then suggest opening the gate into the adjoining field and strip grazing this alongside the original paddock - the new paddock is 2 acres in size and has more grass as this will have been rested the longest.

Does anyone else find this complicated, just trying to get it right?

There seems to be so many variables with horses and grazing, and I've heard people say that grass is one of the biggest culprits to health/metabolic issues in horses and they just aren't designed to be grazing on it 24/7/365. Yet here I was thinking 24/7 turnout was the most natural way to keep horses!
 
MrsMurs said:
Thanks everyone for all your really helpful advice.

I'm going to suggest turning the horse out on the whole acre, rather than strip grazing it - I suppose there is always going to be the unavoidable scenario of weight gain when turning out onto a new field where there is slightly too much grass than you'd really like, but then in a matter of weeks once it's eaten down any weight increases cease.
When the acre paddock is well eaten down, I will then suggest opening the gate into the adjoining field and strip grazing this alongside the original paddock - the new paddock is 2 acres in size and has more grass as this will have been rested the longest.

Does anyone else find this complicated, just trying to get it right?

There seems to be so many variables with horses and grazing, and I've heard people say that grass is one of the biggest culprits to health/metabolic issues in horses and they just aren't designed to be grazing on it 24/7/365. Yet here I was thinking 24/7 turnout was the most natural way to keep horses!
Click to expand...

I think it is more due to people keeping horses on a small area and the grass being fertilised to keep it growing than grazing 24/7 that causes issues, being turned out on a decent area of ground that gives them room to move and not too much rich grass should be fine, mine are now mainly natives and are out 24/7 as much of the year as possible, the land gets rested/ harrowed/ topped and they move onto it with no problems but I do keep a careful eye on their weight ready to restrict or increase as required, working them regularly also helps with weight management, many just don't get enough work to have an influence on their weight.

Mine have just moved onto fresh ground and put on a bit of extra weight but at this time of year I am not really too concerned as it will drop off as the weather gets colder.
 
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