When it does rain- colic/laminitis

[Spottyappy]

Down the south, where we haven’t had rain in months.
how is everyone going to manage their horses when it does finally rain, as the grass shooting through is likely to cause mine colic and/or laminitis Due to the sugar rush.
One is prone to gassy colic linked to the grass(so, this year has been perfect and none of that yet, touch wood!), and the other 2 are welsh D And Dx. Neither has had laminitis, or touching wood colic, but obviously I would rather avoid both.
My current plan is to drastically reduce the area they are on, and give hay in the field. I would rather avoid bringing in, but will if I have to. However, the change from out 24/7 to in,coupled with the lush grass, is more likely to be an issue for at least one of them, with colic potential, than staying out.
All 3 graze happily together in the day, with the 2 cobs coming off onto a reduced area at night, as they are needing weight watchers even without grass, so the prospect of grass is quite worrying.
Has anyone a more fool proof plan?

 

[rextherobber]

I'm also in the south, we've got no grass at all, the horses have been on hay for months. They are in during the day for a bit because of the flies, and I've already drastically reduced their access to the fields, otherwise they'll all be trashed. I'm not worried about colic from a grass flush, I'm worried about sand colic, it's so dusty. If we get any rain, I don't think it'll be enough to get my grass growing again to any degree, and I will keep them in a reduced area in the hope that the parched fields will recover a bit before winter. I'm more concerned about laminitis now, when they're down to the base if the grass plants, as that's where the most sugar is stored, not at the growing tips. My fields are so bad, I think it will take weeks of cool, wet weather to show any improvement, I'm also surrounded by mature beech and oak which take a lot of water, and on a hill which goes down to a river, lots of competition for any rain we do get. The only rain on the forecast is for 3 hours next Wednesday, when there's a 17% chance, I'm not counting on it, and it won't be enough to make any difference anyway.

 

[AntiPuck]

I'm also more concerned about the grass right now, as the short root-ends are the most sugary part (as I understand it), and the ground is too hard for much work, so my horse has put weight on again over the past few weeks, even muzzled 24/7.

 

[SEL]

I've just done a course of psyllium because I'm worried about sand colic from the dust too. I track my fields but because there's absolutely nothing to even nibble on they've had access to an acre of winter field. If we get any decent rain they'll be pulled of that so it can recover and back on the track.

I'm getting through winter hay portions because they're hungry but without the cold and decent movement no one is shifting weight. All hacking now at a walk because even some of the bridlepaths are beginning to have dangerous ruts.

I'm hoping for gentle rain overnight for about a month to gradually soak the field or it will all run off. I'm less worried about laminitis - the track helps with that - than colic from any sudden weather changes.

 

[meleeka]

I admire your optimism OP. I think my fields have gone too far to have any growth this year. I think it’s going to start raining in September and just keep going until it’s a mud bath, then winter will be upon us.

 

[Birker2020]

I already have my field roped off by about a quarter so I'm going to leave the fencing there I think and when the rain comes my horse should be okay with what is left without too many issues. But we are going to need days of rain not just a few hours to make any difference to the growth.

 

[dorsetladette]

Mine will be restricted to about an acre and then strip grazed. My 2yr old has had a few bouts of mild colic this year which I think are linked to going in to fresh fields/on to new grass.

We're doing a course of sandX for the same reason @SEL we're on sandy soils so literally have nothing left its just a sand/dust bath.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Ours are on a Track system so it will be a simple matter of reducing the size of the Track so they don't have as much.

 

[Annagain]

Our fields look terrible but the boys haven't lost any weight despite being out 24/7 with no hay so they're getting something. The ones in work get a haynet when they come in but it's for no more than 1/2 an hour a day either side of riding. My friend was bringing her cob in to keep his weight down but with it being so hot, the others were standing under the trees all day sleeping so he wouldn't be eating if he was out anyway and it's cooler in the field. I imagine he'll have to come in when it rains or he'll balloon.

Wiggy has always lived out 24/7 so I'm guessing he'll be ok but I'll keep a close eye on him. All these 'firsts' with a new horse and not knowing how they'll respond to certain things is a trying time. He's got a bit of a tum that I wouldn't want to be getting much bigger.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I've just done a course of psyllium because I'm worried about sand colic from the dust too. I track my fields but because there's absolutely nothing to even nibble on they've had access to an acre of winter field. If we get any decent rain they'll be pulled of that so it can recover and back on the track.

I'm getting through winter hay portions because they're hungry but without the cold and decent movement no one is shifting weight. All hacking now at a walk because even some of the bridlepaths are beginning to have dangerous ruts.

I'm hoping for gentle rain overnight for about a month to gradually soak the field or it will all run off. I'm less worried about laminitis - the track helps with that - than colic from any sudden weather changes.

I do psyllium husk too, twice or three times a year, but while he is on it he isnt getting other supps so annoys his ulcers, hence the naughty behaviour for a few days till he starts feeling better!
psyllium is a great thing to do especially if you have sandy soil

 

[SEL]

I admire your optimism OP. I think my fields have gone too far to have any growth this year. I think it’s going to start raining in September and just keep going until it’s a mud bath, then winter will be upon us.

I'm worried about that ?

 

[PoniesRock]

This is also my concern. Mine spend their lives on restricted grazing. And I have one lami prone and one who had grass/sugar related colic back in March. They are currently in by day and out at night with hay as their paddock is dust and they have even resorted to eating the grass in their poo patch….

 

[Spottyappy]

I admire your optimism OP. I think my fields have gone too far to have any growth this year. I think it’s going to start raining in September and just keep going until it’s a mud bath, then winter will be upon us.

I love being optimistic!
I am fairly old in the tooth, and recall the periods of long, hot, dry summers of the past, and rain did come, and grass did grow again!
climate change does mean this maybe less certain, but I’m fairly sure we will see rain while the weather remains warm enough for the green stuff to grow. Although a mud bath and no grass, would maybe be more beneficial to the horses, but not my sanity as I dont want to Deal with 3 in early in the winter! Which is what happened in 2020, as it rained non stop from early October!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Mine are also on a track and its just dust now so I opened the middle up which I was saving for autumn. They are also eating the poo area grass and all that is standing are the thistles minus the heads as they've eaten them. No docks, no weeds, no new ragwort coming up anywhere, even the nettles have died and been eaten. They are nibbling on the hedgerow for greenery and I’m spreading out two sections of hay a night so they have to walk to eat it but I’m clearing a barrow of poo a day so not hungry but I do worry about the sugar content in the frazzled grass.