Well, That's the Grazing Gone!

[JAK]

Our grazing is fairly pants anyway but due also to earlier drought type weather, there really is no grass at all in our fields - am having to feed the ponies at night now........in August!

It's going to be a long, hard, expensive winter, I fear!

I am now dreading it - what's the point in turning them out to just stand there with nothing to eat all day - they're looking somewhat p*ssed off now!

 

[henryhorn]

We've been feeding our lot for several weeks now, and are hoping after the recent rain the grass will grow again, the ground is warm so just a little rain should make all the difference.
I've been racking my brains trying to think of other feedstuffs such as types of straw as feeding this many horses on haylage at £20 a bale isn't funny..

 

[JAK]

Poor you hh - we just have the four ponies & that's bad enough!

Is a worry though, as am now in the unfavourable position of having to feed Little Miss Fatty Pants SWUO, as although like a little barrel on legs, she can't live on nothing!

Ditto Fat Orange One & the others of course & if the grass does briefly re-appear, their feeding regime will be all mucked up & the ponies will be wondering what the hell is going on if 'breakfast' disappears back off the menu again! Grrrrr!

I hate it when things don't 'go to plan'!

 

[allijudd]

Hi HH
I dont know if it works with horses, but we used to feed straw to cattle, barley or oats, but by putting this black treacle stuff (like molasses but not) gave the straw the same nutrition value of hay. Might be worth looking into if you have a lot of horses to feed. Is it not cheaper too feed hay rather than haylage?

 

[Ginn]

This is wear I get to stick my tongue out!

Tilly has 4 acres which hasn't been grazed since March and 1 1/2 acres which hasn't been grazed since Christmas. She's been getting a little more opened up every few days and plan is to have it cut and baled soon (its taken this long though for it to grow enough to make hay from it!). Only downside is that its going to her legs not her waist and she's now very much over the 16hh mark!!! Just hope that the only growing she has over the next year is her withers catching up (as they're only about 15.3) and outwards filling!

 

[Oaksflight]

Fields are a state here, can no longer ride in them, first they were too hard due to heat, now they're just all torn up, friend's horse fell over with her riding y'day out there. There's not a major amount of grass left. Hal is dealing, but is getting fed still. Think he's going to have to start coming in through-out September for some haylage.

 

[JAK]

*blows a raspberry*

We haven't got a spare 4 acres, all fields bar one are now in use, as YO's mare & foal are in the smaller 'spare one' & the only other one was in use until recently & is totally empty & bare! (The field they were moved into wasn't a great deal better!)

 

[PapaFrita]

Grazing, what's grazing?

Actually... what's rain?

 

[Ginn]

See thats where Im very lucky - my neighbour has 2 stables, a tackroom and about 12 acres and at the moment Tilly is the only horse there! Its lovely, and yes, I know, I am very lucky! (And all for only £15/week!

)

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
Grazing, what's grazing?

Actually... what's rain?

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah yes, very true!
How do you manage? How do the horses manage - don't they get bored stupid with no natural 'grazing behaviour' all day? I guess not, as PF always looks really happy & at least they don't have to spend all winter standing up to their hocks in mud, as ours do, with their lovely 'year round turnout'! Yay!

 

[JAK]

It's quite depressing isn't it?

Yes, we've had to start upping the hay too - like Hal, ours are coping but they're not enjoying being turned out as much as they should be for this time of year, simply because there's nothing to eat, so nothing to do, except stand around looking bored half the time!

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
See thats where Im very lucky - my neighbour has 2 stables, a tackroom and about 12 acres and at the moment Tilly is the only horse there! Its lovely, and yes, I know, I am very lucky! (And all for only £15/week!

)

[/ QUOTE ]
Lovely......cheers......thanks for sharing.......!!!

Nah, good for Tilly - isn't she lonely though, being on her own? Maybe Mickey will be joining her soon, with a bit of luck?

 

[PapaFrita]

Well, I was very surprised actually that PF has taken to it so well. She has her little paddock at least, and horses to chat to; most of the other horses spend the day tied up which is particularly horrible as very few of them are ridden more than once or twice a week.
I think this is one of the things that made Antifaz a bit doolally; he can't be trusted in a paddock because he's become a very accomplished escapologist. Before he became his sweeter, kinder version, he used to wriggle out of his headcollar at least one a day and feck off with grooms swearing and shaking fists...

 

[Oaksflight]

[ QUOTE ]
It's quite depressing isn't it?

Yes, we've had to start upping the hay too - like Hal, ours are coping but they're not enjoying being turned out as much as they should be for this time of year, simply because there's nothing to eat, so nothing to do, except stand around looking bored half the time!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, Hal is actually letting me catch him! We haven't had a running away episode for at least a month now.

 

[Ginn]

[ QUOTE ]

Tilly - isn't she lonely though, being on her own? Maybe Mickey will be joining her soon, with a bit of luck?

[/ QUOTE ]

Surprisingly not, no. She's too busy munching. My neighbour(YO) will be getting another one over the next few months too and in the meantime she has horses on 2 sides of her fields, over the hedge so she can still see and hear other horses. The first day or so she was very unsettled but now she's as happy as larry. Sadly Mickey won't be joining her for many reasons but the main 2 being I don't want X anywhere near my horse and X and my YO have had a huge falling out and aren't allowed on each others land, let alone near each others horses!

Oh well! To be honest its done Tilly good as she was getting very bad separation anxiety and my instructor suggested that now would be the ideal time to knock it on the head.

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
Yup, Hal is actually letting me catch him! We haven't had a running away episode for at least a month now.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's what makes me suspicious that my lot are less than enamoured with the grazing too!

Normally, we'd be chasing LBO round & round the field at this time time of year but as soon as the girls appear, they are all more than happy to come in!
Just a few weeks ago, they were out 'til half past 9 or 10 o'clock at night (ridden & turned out again, quite often!) but this last week, they've been more than ready to come in & stay in by 7.30pm! OK, I know it's got darker but even so.......!

 

[JAK]

Thank goodness you've managed to hang on to PF's little paddock, eh? Was looking a bit 'touch & go' at one point, wasn't it?

 

[JAK]

It does sound a lovely set-up though, so you are lucky really!

 

[PapaFrita]

It's still looking a bit touch and go unfortunately, sad w@nkers!!
On a more positive note, went to see Other Instructors new club which is being built and it looks most promising as a future alternative for PF if things get worse where I am. They've assured me they will have (some) turnout, and the facilities will be fabbo. OI (being insanely competitive with BOF) is quite keen to prise me away from him

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
OI (being insanely competitive with BOF) is quite keen to prise me away from him

[/ QUOTE ]
Ooh, being 'head hunted' as a livery........I am insanely jealous!

 

[PapaFrita]

Well, OI knows I'm skint so I'd have to negotiate something like exercising his horses for a cheaper livery.
BOF would probably never speak to me again!!

 

[JAK]

Poor BOF - you wouldn't really 'abandon' him, would you? LOL

And how would you manage without the highly capable, quick-witted & extremely amusing Fabian? You might get stuck with another, what was his name, Choco or something, wasn't it? Eek!

 

[PapaFrita]

No, I couldn't abandon BOF, but if I get kicked off yard, I get kicked off yard....
Hmmmmm, I wonder if I could head-hunt Fabian!? don't think he would leave his current job as he's probably the only groom in Cordoba- or country! who actually gets a proper salary (benefits, pension etc)
OMG! You remember the unspeakable Choco!!

I still get cross thinking about him!

 

[JAK]

Well, when you are super famous & have expanded your little empire to having your own yard, where you take in horses for re-schooling, selling on etc., then Fabian can come & work for you! LOL
Would be nice, wouldn't it?

Choco......brrrrr......*shudders*!

 

[PapaFrita]

Would be perfect!!

Choco.... a painful death is too good for him IMO

(before anyone has a go at me for being so uncaring and insensitive, I would like to say that if you'd met him or, worse still, had your horse in his care, you'd agree with me!!!)

 

[Fairynuff]

From June till September my fields are barren like the sahara. Mine are all stabled but go out for 3 to 4 hours every day in the very early hours of the am=6 till 10. While out they always seem to find something to graze and are happy enough till the clegs kick in. All get hay 4 times a day in their box during the summer and up to 7 times in the winter. I pay 12 euros for 100 kilos and have a queue outside the door to sell me their hay. I shouldnt moan. Mairi.

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
All get hay 4 times a day in their box during the summer and up to 7 times in the winter.

[/ QUOTE ]
Eek! Shut up M, you make me feel like a 'poo' owner!

Got me thinking though - maybe I should start planning how to enhance their lives a bit in winter now - there must be something I could do to make it a bit more bearable, if not actually enjoyable for them all!

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
Choco.... a painful death is too good for him IMO

(before anyone has a go at me for being so uncaring and insensitive, I would like to say that if you'd met him or, worse still, had your horse in his care, you'd agree with me!!!)

[/ QUOTE ]
.....evil personified!

The old adage of 'there are no bad horses/dogs, only bad owners' may or may not be true but the same does not apply to grooms unfortunately - think Choco was born nasty!

 

[PapaFrita]

[ QUOTE ]

The old adage of 'there are no bad horses/dogs, only bad owners' may or may not be true but the same does not apply to grooms unfortunately - think Choco was born nasty!

[/ QUOTE ]

... and lazy and ignorant!

 

[Fairynuff]

hay, hay, hay in lots of little doses! I know, its hard if your on livery. Im just a jammy bugger

M.