When does grass lose its goodness?

[meleeka]

My field is a mudbath . I’ve been strip grazing so far, but the weather has just meant the whole field is a swamp, rather than just the gateways. I’m reluctant to keep at it, as the other half of the field is currently much dryer and still looking lovely. I’m wondering whether to just let them have that, if the ground dries up a bit. I could just let them have an hour out, but then I fear lots of running around every day instead of just once. . Obviously I’d have to do it a bit gradually because of over eating, but even if they could have more than they do now it would be less muddy I think.

 

[Sprogladite01]

I'm facing the same issue, not helped by the fact approx 70% of what is currently available is flooded. I just don't want to open the whole thing up and have that be trashed too with how wet it is. Either way, fully expecting to need to harrow and re-seed in the spring. The joys!

 

[Highmileagecob]

The grass seems to lose it's vigour and sweetness around the time the temperature starts to drop to around 7C, and if that doesn't happen at the end of the summer, then the shortening daylight hours appears to coincide. We notice our lot coming down to the yard paddock around the end of September, even though the summer gate is still open. Agree with you about the charging around though - is strip grazing an option?

 

[SEL]

I've had to put all mine on the rested field. 2.5 acres of meadow grass foggage.

Just to prove it isn't as low in sugar as I hoped my PSSM mare came in with a huge crest and rock solid bottom muscles this morning. I've just walked round the other field to see if I could change plans but I have lakes in them.

Over this winter already

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister's two are being strip grazed into long old foggage and we are being generous to avoid too much poaching. They are both putting on weight so grass must have some goodness still.

 

[Dam1]

Meleeka you must be me lol. The strip grazing is impossible now due to the mud (plus one horse just getting over an abcess so trying to keep foot as dry/clean as possible. My next plan is to let them have the whole of the field which has a lot of grass but only for a limited time - say an hour to start and perhaps building up. This is ok as they're kept at home but just a bit of a faff and I do have other stuff to do as well. Will have to recruit OH - am sure he'll be delighted (not) x

 

[meleeka]

Meleeka you must be me lol. The strip grazing is impossible now due to the mud (plus one horse just getting over an abcess so trying to keep foot as dry/clean as possible. My next plan is to let them have the whole of the field which has a lot of grass but only for a limited time - say an hour to start and perhaps building up. This is ok as they're kept at home but just a bit of a faff and I do have other stuff to do as well. Will have to recruit OH - am sure he'll be delighted (not) x

One of them (not even mine ) thinks everything is exciting, so I’m worried about him churning up the good bit every time I let them out. I might have to be cruel to be kind and leave him in the swamp and let the others out. The trouble is, he is by far the best lawnmower out of the four

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I wait until Christmas week to put mine on foggage I haven't got much so literally 3 or 4 days and it's gone anyway so not enough for them to get really fat.

 

[whirlwind]

Mine are still barely eating any hay (last big 6 string Heston did 3 weeks between 8!) in favour of their quite stingy strip of grass each day and are all looking well on it so must still be some goodness there. They have 10 nets in and around their shelter area between them so it’s totally ad-lib and I’m only refilling 2 or 3 a day max.

 

[Cortez]

What's "goodness" exactly? If you mean sugars, then old, stalky grass (i.e. foggage) is usually OK for fatties after the temperature consistently drops below about 4 degrees for a fortnight or more, which is also when it will stop growing. Even what looks like bare ground will often still have grass growth if the temperature is above that, you won't see it because the horses are scoffing it all as it comes up.

 

[meleeka]

What's "goodness" exactly? If you mean sugars, then old, stalky grass (i.e. foggage) is usually OK for fatties after the temperature consistently drops below about 4 degrees for a fortnight or more, which is also when it will stop growing. Even what looks like bare ground will often still have grass growth if the temperature is above that, you won't see it because the horses are scoffing it all as it comes up.

 

[jsprince]

If its any help, I'm Dorset/Hants border and have had three out 24/7 on 7 acre winter field without hay since beginning November and they are all looking well possibly even put weight on, luckily its gravel so doesn't get muddy.
I have found the bigger space they have the less they trash.

They break fenceposts and gates instead playing.

 

[Polos Mum]

I think each group of horses is different and certainly everyone's land is different, so it's really difficult. Often a case of trial and plenty of error.

Can you split what is left in half - to protect some? Just in case they all bomb about and trash it all in days. If you trash the whole lot now there is nothing left. At least if you section off half - you can resort to that later in the winter if needed.

I too am someone that bends over backwards not to use the 'winter fodder' field until after Christmas.

I have been putting hay out in the autumn field - rather than use the winter one too early.

 

[meleeka]

I think each group of horses is different and certainly everyone's land is different, so it's really difficult. Often a case of trial and plenty of error.

Can you split what is left in half - to protect some? Just in case they all bomb about and trash it all in days. If you trash the whole lot now there is nothing left. At least if you section off half - you can resort to that later in the winter if needed.

I too am someone that bends over backwards not to use the 'winter fodder' field until after Christmas.

I have been putting hay out in the autumn field - rather than use the winter one too early.

I could split it in half, but I’m still worried about the laminitis risk. For the first year in a long time I’ve ended up with more grass than I need for this time of year, so I’ve ended up with them on less space than I’d want. I do have another small field but that’s pretty flooded. That’s the one they usually get at Christmas, our it’s got huge puddles so that’s doubtful too

 

[Nudibranch]

There must be something left in it. The field mine are in at the moment has grass but it's going yellowish and shared with a flock of sheep and some goats. The goats come in every night to hay because they're wimps, and 2 are pregnant. I hadn't given the horses any yet but put a couple of slices out today. My big mare ate about half a slice and then wandered off to graze again. (The Welsh is no gauge of grass goodness as he's a pig and eats anything you put in front of him.)

 

[AutumnDays]

I've given up trying to save my fields. They are on the driest, most sheltered one, with the sheep. I've gone with the theory more space = less poaching, and apart from the gateway and a bit by the pond in there, it's looking ok. Not giving them hay or any feed, and they are nekked and hairy, but they still look a little plump. The grass was topped in June after being reseeded with a meadow grass and herb mix, so it's a bit more of a browsing field than a lush grass field. If they were offered feed though, the whole lot of them would act like they'd been left with nothing at all for weeks!

 

[2 Dragons]

My field is 1/3 mud, 1/3 still fenced off long green grass and 1/3 eaten and dryish. I strip-graze moving the fence twice a day, I'm supplementing this with hay as I feel I need to restrict my 2 ponies grass intake. They are consistently eating the grass before the hay. I do think the combination of frost, rain and warm and cold days must be affecting the sugar levels in the grass.
I have found this whole year has been difficult to manage and I have spent many hours moving fences.

 

[Polos Mum]

I could split it in half, but I’m still worried about the laminitis risk. For the first year in a long time I’ve ended up with more grass than I need for this time of year, so I’ve ended up with them on less space than I’d want. I do have another small field but that’s pretty flooded. That’s the one they usually get at Christmas, our it’s got huge puddles so that’s doubtful too

It's really impossible with this weather - we've another 3 solid days of rain and flood warnings too.
Sadly that comes with mild temps and as was said earlier - above 5-6 degrees and the grass grows, almost no matter what the time of year.

My autumn field I take them off at Christmas (some years it's really bare and ploughed in places) and nearly every year by the end of Feb it's covered in a green layer of new grass. We're high up on a north facing hill in Yorkshire so not the best of the UK weather at all !

Would it be mad to let them onto some of the longer grass but still muzzle the lami risk one?

There is no solution to keeping them in a small area and not having them make it muddy - unless you win the lottery and can lay a surface !!

 

[meleeka]

Would it be mad to let them onto some of the longer grass but still muzzle the lami risk one?

They are all lami risk. One is a Welsh Chestnut mare who thinks she’s a princess and would definitely not be muzzled. Two others are Shetlands who’d see it as a challenge

I think I’m going to just go for an hour a day and see how that goes.