Turnout on frosty grass

tankgirl1

tankgirl1

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Boyo has had lami in the past, rising 12yo, looking great atm, but I am worried about turning him out when the grass is still frosty as have read it can increase the sugars. Today we waited until the sun had defrosted it all, so he was in till perhaps 11-11.30am. He doesn't mind being in though, he loves his stable! Even better if he gets a groom and a fuss! :p

Just musing really, interested to know what other people thought :)
 
Basically if you've got a laminitic, or something with Cushings/EMS, be VERY careful of turning out on a bright sunny morning when there's frost on the grass.

My old boy was laminitic, and the vet I had at the time said not to do it; can't explain the "science" exactly (no doubt someone on here can and will) but its something to do with the action of the frost & the sunshine together causing increased fructan levels in the grass; which isn't good for laminitics/Cushings.
 
twiggy2 said:
it is the sun on the frosty grass that increases the sugars and they stay raised for a few hrs after but not sure exactly how long
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Oooh that's both interesting and worrying :/ Field was frosty when I arrived at yard, 2-3hrs later it was 'defrosted' so we turned out. I hope we left it long enough!

Sidney said:
Mine aren't lami prone, but always give them a small net before turning out on frosty grass (not that we have much grass!).
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Boyo has just moved fields as he was in need of a herd, and the grass is much better in his new field - I'd rather it was worse tbh!

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Basically if you've got a laminitic, or something with Cushings/EMS, be VERY careful of turning out on a bright sunny morning when there's frost on the grass.

My old boy was laminitic, and the vet I had at the time said not to do it; can't explain the "science" exactly (no doubt someone on here can and will) but its something to do with the action of the frost & the sunshine together causing increased fructan levels in the grass; which isn't good for laminitics/Cushings.
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Crikey, he came back borderline on standard Cushings test, so we are awaiting results of the definitive test. I thought I was being an over protective mum worrying about frost, but it would seem not! I will deffo be asking vets advice when she calls with results. Seems like a few duvet days may be in order if the frost stays :/
 
It is an issue, if you have to put him out make sure he has a feed of hay to digest beforehand, and in the field if you can.
 
I also have a pony that had borderline lami last year, I have to do him in the dark before work. gave him a good trug of hay and opened gate from yard to field then went off to work, sun came up as I drove in to work to reveal heavy frost everywhere that I hadnt even noticed while half asleep in the dark (pony at home and fall out of bed into wellies to do him ) had a right panic till I got home last night !!
 
Mine live out so I don't have a choice but I put piles/nets of hay out and hope that keeps them busy for a while, seems to be ok so far and I do have a welsh A who gets foot sensitive at just about anything!
 
I'm fortunate that I don't have to start work until mid/late morning so when I go down I feed both plenty of hay while mucking out & then when I've finished & they've had a belly full the frost has gone & they go out. :)
 
I have been told that, theoretically, you should delay turnout after a frost until the temperature has risen to +5c. This allows the fructan levels to fall back to an acceptable level.

In practice, I do as other posters do, and put out extra hay that will keep them occupied for hours or all day. I have got away with this work around so far!
 
Hmm not sure how hay in field will work as he is in a new 'herd' and they are still working out their pecking order! He will deffo be staying in until the grass is thawed though, preferably a bit longer!! I am lucky as I'm self employed, so can bob up later to turn out if need be.
 
My boy got lamin from.snow/frosty grass, yes he came back as ems but as he was coming back into.work.after having four weeks off due to jo riding because of snow it just tipped him.over the edge as two weeks before the snow hit he had done a 25 mile.distance ride.

do t let him.near frosty grass now, he is under rugged so he is constantly using his body weight to kepp warm and hay is weighed and double netted.
 
Don't have a choice as mine go out by 7am as we work and horses are at home so no way of turning out late (except at weekends). They don't get breakfast so just chuck out with some hay in the field which keeps them busy until the sun's up. If forecast is really cold which I guess will happen at some point this winter; then I just put more hay out.
 
Not lami, but we had two very frosty mornings and the shetland pony colicked both times. They get hay put out twice a day, but the first hay of the day hadn't yet been put out, so she had been eating the frosty hay
 
Tiddlypom said:
I have been told that, theoretically, you should delay turnout after a frost until the temperature has risen to +5c. This allows the fructan levels to fall back to an acceptable level.

In practice, I do as other posters do, and put out extra hay that will keep them occupied for hours or all day. I have got away with this work around so far!
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I have read advice that says that if night time temperatures fall below 40F (so that's to 4C or below?) then fructan levels are too high, be it day or night.
Back in reality though, I've only been putting my very sugar sensitive mare out for the afternoon (so after 11:30) when the temperature has reached +5c and so far, all OK (not sure I even dare type that...). However, not on absolutely every day as there have been interruptions due to work/rain. And so I bumble on with good intentions - which may not be the best way, but hey.
 
This thread has now got me worried, we have had frosty mornings and my four are now out 24/7, despite having a big bale of hay in the field, I have seen them eating the frosty grass, no problems so far thank god, except a minor choke event (all fine).
What should I be looking for? I have 2 x 20yr olds, a rising 4yr old and a 10yr old
 
This is all very well- but I am confused....
At the moment there are ponies which are lami prone (native breeds) such as Fells, Welsh mountains, Exmoor, Dartmoors. Highlands etc living out all year round in areas where it regularly freezes! How come wild ponies are not affected by this? Dumb question maybe, but surely they eat frosty grass, as there is nothing else?
 
dominobrown said:
This is all very well- but I am confused....
At the moment there are ponies which are lami prone (native breeds) such as Fells, Welsh mountains, Exmoor, Dartmoors. Highlands etc living out all year round in areas where it regularly freezes! How come wild ponies are not affected by this? Dumb question maybe, but surely they eat frosty grass, as there is nothing else?
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Presumeably its becaue they are livingfar more naturally, so forage is lower in ugar to start with, they won't be carrying any excess weight, any they have got will be used to keep warm(No rugs) and of coure they get more excercise because they are free ranging. This is my understanding anyway, though I'm open to correction.
 
I always believed (maybe incorrectly) that the chances of a problem was higher with a stabled horse just turned out on to frosty grass - so many will have finished their nights hay and go out hungry and gorge on the grass. I always make sure my stabled pony goes out with hay and a feed in his tummy because of this belief. I take no special action with my out 24/7 pony - after all the frost is on the grass long before most of us can get to our horses to put out hay to stop them eating frosty grass at all (unless they have a big round bale in the field constantly of course)
 
Mine live out 24/7 all year around, so they eat whatever grass is there. My old mare is laminitis prone and she lives just the same as the others. Winter frosts are the least of my worries.
 
Just another thought for those of you who have colic issues - do you check your water troughs? If they are frozen over, then no water, and no water will lead to colic especially if they are getting hay as well.
 
Ive got two ponies with cushings, one lives out 24/7 and the grass is frosty most days in the winter as its gets pretty cold up here - (touch wood) he's never had any problems. The shetland is far more lami-prone, the slightest thing triggers it with her. We're lucky we have a big hardcored yard so she just stays in there on days when I want to limit her grass. If you give them lots of hay at this time of year, would your horse not go for that rather than grazing anyway especially first thing?

Otherwise, with my non-lami ones Ive never even thought about it with them - they go out on frosty grass problem.
 
I've been strip grazing right up to a week ago (normally I let them on to all the long grass by November). I've had much more grass than usual this winter, so I didn't dare to let them loose on it all.

My concession to frosty grass is to not move the fence on frosty days, but to give extra hay. I reckon that nibbling at the little bits of grass they can find in my grazed down winter field should be ok, but stuffing a bellyful of lush, tall frozen grass is a bad idea.
 
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