What grass to seed for lami?

[Vicki1986]

We will be seeding my ponies a paddock later in the year once the crop is off it.

What grass would be best for lami/fat prone ponies?

I've been advised to seed it, then hay it next summer before i put them out on it. is this right or does anyone have different opinions on this? I know its ideal to leave it as long as possible, and ideally I would but i need to use it asap as they are on a practically bare field until then, so im hoping to use it next winter.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Timothy / meadow fescue is the traditional seed mix for horse hay, if you are going to manage the field to become "old meadow", and not ever plough it again, you would add herbs, and some other grass species including a bit of wild white clover and other fescues.
The management of a field will encourage some species and reduce others, if we look at old hay meadows with wild flowers as are still found in the Yorkshire Dales this is because the fields are only lightly grazed by sheep and or cattle in spring, or not at all, the field is fertilised with FYM from the cowsheds, then left till end of June when they are cut for hay, the "aftermath is then grazed though to autumn.
It is best to speak to a specialist seed company, and they should advise on seed mix and management.
Sheep are good grazers in that they will eat almost everything bare, and the poop is easily taken down in to the soil.
http://www.meadowmania.co.uk/pasture-grass-seed.htm

 

[horserugsnot4u]

I would avoid ryegrass. Many people use it as it's meant to be hardwearing but I used a paddock mix with it in on a small area and I found it hasn't spread, thickened up or 'knitted' together very well. I have since learned it can be very bad for laminitics/fat ponies and now this is more well known, more seed mixes are available without it. I'm not an expert in the subject but I wouldn't expect a paddock to be ready for use by this winter as it won't be strong enough. You can reseed without ploughing by a method which slits the ground and seeds at the same time so it can be used more quickly and is cheaper than ploughing and starting from scratch. Having said that if current grass is so bad you might have to go down that route.