WWYD - finding new grazing

[Dopeydapple]

Hi all, need some perspective on this. Last September I had to move my mare as the place she was had been sold to property developers. She had been on individual turnout with horses on each side but happily the new place did herd turnout and she's loving having proper friends. The issue is there is too much grass and she's huge, she's a Welsh x and pretty much doubles in size when she so much as sees a blade of green grass ?, having her on individual turnout meant I could keep her on very limited rations and although she was still a bit porky in the summer she lost it in the winter and went into spring a little underweight so never got TOO bad. This hasn't happened in a heard and as said she's very very fat. Decision made that she needs to move somewhere that can manage her weight better but 24/7 turnout 365 days is limited. I found a place where she could pair up with a new forest which would be perfect as they sound so similar but unfortunately that pony still goes out for light hack 2-3 times per week and mine gets very bonded and will be a nightmare if left so that doesn't work. Other option is to join a laminitic Andalusian x Arab, issue here is that he is on a perfect bare paddock but as he doesn't keep weight on as well as a native is supplemented with soaked hay and obviously will need more in the winter, she doesn't need extra food but soaked hay might not add too much weight?? In the winter I think it would be too much for the amount of weight she needs to lose but there is another paddock next to some ponies there that she could have as her individual paddock if needed. Other problem with haying them in a bare paddock is that she may get very bossy / nasty when food is added if she is hungry as her grub is very important to her. I've been looking for a new place for over a month and don't know whether to keep looking or give one of these a go?

 

[AmyMay]

Can you not stable her during the day? I used to have a Welsh mare, so feel your pain. She was stabled during the day with limited hay double netted and soaked.

 

[HeyMich]

Have you thought about muzzling her? If that works, you could keep her where she is in the herd.

 

[ihatework]

I’d probably invest in a muzzle first.
If you have found nice 24/7 herd turnout that might be a solution. Quite a lot of new designs that look more horse friendly coming onto the market

 

[Dopeydapple]

Sorry should have put that we tried a flexible filly muzzle on her but she snapped the headcollar to get it off, wouldn't like to try again with a non breakaway headcollar as don't want her getting injured trying to get the headcollar / muzzle off. I did consider moving back to stables so she less time out but she is retired due to a stifle injury which is best when kept out and moving and also the extra costs and time involved in a stabled horse are very tricky at the moment whilst my income is still reduced from covid.

 

[Parrotperson]

muzzle first. think about moving second! its a fairly cheap way of limiting her diet and may work very well.

 

[FourWhiteSocks]

Hello. Could you use electric fencing to keep your mare away from the soaked hay fed to the Arab x? That way she would have close and constant company but no access to extra food? Could you potentially do this at your current place? I see a few ponies near me sectioned off into smaller paddocks within larger fields containing a herd. Good luck with this whatever you do.

 

[I'm Dun]

Could you look for retirement track livery? Works well for horses like this and saves a lot of stress!

 

[Dopeydapple]

The amount of grass where she is if I fenced some off to get the weight off she would be on a postage stamp and not moving as much as I would like, she's also prone to going through it to get to grass, the place with the Arab x could easily do that but in a bigger already well grazed paddock but it means stopping her being "in" with friends which I wanted to avoid. There is a track livery nearby but it's over £300 per month!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would try a few different muzzles to see which was most effective.

 

[Leam_Carrie]

I muzzle my Shetland so he can be kept with my horse. There are lots of types to try. Recommended on Shetland forums (and comes in horse sizes) are dinky muzzles.

If you search threads on here there’s a recent one about keeping a muzzle on. From memory I think you can plait the mane to hold the headcollar in place.

 

[Dopeydapple]

I agree that muzzling would be the simplest solution, I'm just really worried that now she knows she can get it off she will injur herself trying to get it off if I've made it really secure.

 

[daydreamer]

I've been battling with muzzling for the first time this year. I was only really willing to use the flexible filly muzzle as mine is out 24/7. It took him a while to get used to it and initially he got it off quite a lot. I made the original hole into a rectangle and actually have put another rectangle above and below it. He also initially ate out of the side. I figured initially I just wanted to get him used to wearing it and not spending time madly trying to get it off. Now I have stopped him eating out of the side so that is reducing the intake a bit. He is now an absolute pro at eating at it and I doubt it is slowing him down that much but i figure even 10 or 20% is a win. I have also bought a second one and have only done the central rectangle on that - tried it today and he didn't seem that impressed but he did keep it on! I discovered a fly mask done up quite tightly under the shin seems to be the key to keeping it on. It has been a faff trying to get it right - and I'm still experimenting but I do think it is just about keeping him from being really really overweight and next year I an put it on earlier in the year to try and stop the weight going on in the first place.