Turning youngsters out onto rich grazing

[madhector]

As some of you know I have recently bought two yearling welsh A colts. They are both full of worms and quite skinny, but are currently in a pen with shelter being wormed, vaccinated etc.. I plan to turn them out on Tuesday once the five day wormer has finished. I have a field ready for them which has loads of shelter and really good quality grass, where they will spend the winter.

I am worried that there is too much grass. Having had a laminitic, I am now paranoid! Is it OK do you think to turn them out on rich grass? They need to put on weight and condition. Being growing babies are they less prone to lami than older ponies, and surely now even though the grass looks good it wont be that rich?

Advice please, thankyou

 

[moneypit1]

As with any change in diet (and basically thats what it will be) I would introduce slowly. Let them out for a couple of hours to start with and gradually increase over the period of 7 days or so. I let mine into our top field which has been rested for 3 mths and looks lush and even after a couple of hours of stuffing their face they had the runs but within a week they were fine.

 

[madhector]

Yep, that sounds good

 

[lilym]

dr green is just what they need, let them out for a few hours to start with and then give them free run, i think you will be pleasantly surprised! just keep an eye on them come spring that they dont get too fat, but it is honestly the best thing for them, good luck!

 

[amandaco2]

section it off and gradually move the fence.let them on it for short periods at first too so they get used to the change
then you wont have to feed as much hay as they will hav a bit of grass
my yearling was at aplace with rich grass and her digita pulse went up!she had to be muzzled(werent allowed to strip graze) until i found somewhere new!