WWYD: field management for a lami

[Equi]

So my little old mare was diagnosed cushings/ems last year after a bout of footiness. Medicated and she bounced back well. Over winter she’s been in great form. With the better weather she again got ever so slightly footy so I have done lami protocol and she’s been only turned out for a few hours a day and in the rest of the time with hay and what not. She loves to be pampered so she doesn’t mind this routine. Last year she worked well with muzzling and coming in daily.

The winter paddock is fairly trashed so not much on it, so I can’t currently muzzle. So thinking ahead to summer turnout cause they will move soon I have 3 options. (Home yard, can do whatever I wish)

1) move her with the rest of the herd, muzzle and continue to bring in. Summer paddock has winter rested grass, not too long, will be gone in a few weeks and be short the remainder of summer.

2) make a track in the winter field so she never gets to the good grass, but will be unable to be muzzled. Dependant on if she stays in fence

3) make track in summer field and muzzle but knowing the youngsters will wreck fence daily for kicks

Additional option is to make a zero grass turnout but she would be miserable with this and at 25 I want at least some semblance of a normal life for however long she has left.

 

[meleeka]

I’m in a similar position. I’m hoping to make a narrow track round the outside of my field, strip grazing as I go until it’s complete. The one who can have grass will have the middle, while my 3 have the outside. They will obviously still need hay, but will get plenty of movement.

Can you muzzle some of the time and make a grass free area/track for the rest of the time?

Eta- She’s beautiful! I’m guessing not a recent photo, as mine are currently sporting very muddy bellies.

 

[ihatework]

I'd be inclined to see if you can make use of an area of trashed winter paddock that isn't allowed to regenerate

 

[Tiddlypom]

As ihw. I wouldn’t be putting a lami prone pony on any rested grazing, muzzle or not. I keep all mine on a base area of all year round grass turnout which is leccie fenced in to become an equicentral track in late spring to autumn, then is gradually strip grazed back out over the course of the winter.

It might be good for grass to get rested, but it’s not good for any horse to then gorge on the rested grass.