[SaddleHappy]

OK one last question on this topic. How do you keep a horse that is strictly at pasture with a run-in shed from eating too much lush pasture? No problem now, we have more stalls than horses, but eventually we'll have more horses than stalls. Could I rotate them through the stalls for part of the day in spring? And how many hours should they have in the pasture when it's "lush"? Thanks

[MissBandit]

Ok, exactly how large is this pasture? Because it really is totally depending on the size since a smaller pasture will be grazed down rapidly and won't have that much chance to come back "lush" if there is a horse living on it 24/7.

[SaddleHappy]

The biggest pasture is 8 acres approximately. And actually I wouldn't call it lush right now anyway. It's pretty good grass, but it's sort of splotchy, if that makes sense. There are bare patches here and there. It just doesn't look like a golf course or anything. Then there are a couple of smaller pastures or paddocks.

[SaddleHappy]

Oh and right now there's only one horse living on it. But in three weeks at least two more are coming, and hopefully we'll have 2 by then as well. So within a month, 5 horses.

[MissBandit]

It's pretty hard for me to answer this question without actually seeing the pasture. I know the fear of Laminitis and have seen it's devestating effects, so I think it's great that you are really paying close attention to your pasture. However, there are sooo many variables in this situation that there really isn't any hard and fast answer to your question.

If the pasture were thick and knee deep, then that would deffinitely be dangerous to throw a horse in there day and night. But if it's just coming back from winter and is fairly sparse, and this horse has been living on this pasture for a few weeks already... then I don't really see a danger. Obviously, with more horses, the pasture will have a harder time coming back, thus less worry about lush pasture. Keeping 5 horses on 8 acres is ample room. Generally speaking, it is one horse per acre for comfortable living, but that is the bare minimum.

When the new horses arrive, find out where they lived. In field or in paddocks. If they lived in paddocks with limited pasture turn-out, then you would have to gradually work up to all day turn out.

So I guess I'm saying that if you have 5 horses living on this pasture 24/7, then chances are you won't have to worry too much about limiting pasture turn-out. But you do want to keep an eye on the grass to make sure it isn't growing in much faster than it's been grazed.

Sorry if this doesn't help. It's one of those things that are really difficult to answer sight-unseen.

[SaddleHappy]

That's exactly what makes me nervous... everything is so vague. "Lush" and "too much" aren't exactly measureable terms. And it's not easy to just say I'll have to learn from experience when experience might mean a lame or dead horse. From your description though, I think we'll be ok.

[belle4]

We have 4 horses on 8 acres and a pony on 2 acres. Bright green shoots are popping up right now, but far from lush. There is still snow in spots. Our horse have been out all winter and are eating the sparce shoots as they appear. When the grass comes in, the horses will have slowly become accoustomed to the grass. If the horses are used to being on pasture simliar to yours it won't be a problem. However, your pasture has been ungrazed and probablly in better shape than most. You can always be on the safe side and limit grazing. You can rotate stalls by keeping some in and some out.

It really depends on the rescue horses current living conditions and your pasture conditions. Ask the people at the rescue what they would recommend. They would be your best resource.

[Scooter]

We have 5 acres and 3 horses, I cross fence about 4 acres into 2 pastures and rotate before the grass gets to high seems to work well through out the season.

[cowgirl2ky]

If you are really worried I would recommend putting a couple up at night and then morning comes switch out. My horses are out mostly year around but they have always been on free pasture. I was told that if you mowed it for a new horse that is better so they are not getting the seeds off the top. I don't know how true that is but we do bush-hog ours every spring and fall to keep any area they don't eat nice and neat.

[CANDYGIRL]

First lets define lush pasture

1. Rested pasture through the winter - rain and sunshine in the Spring, makes the grass grow(flush)

2. Any pasture that has been fertilised will make the grazing richer.

3. Sunshine after rain, will bring a new flush of grass no matter how short it is.

4. Even short pasture can flush. The Fructans(natural sugars) are more prominant in the bulb of the grass.

An hours grazing for you horse on lush grass(green, rich and long) will give as much Fructans as 8 hours grazing on a partially balled paddock that is flushing during Spring, Autumn and any time there is sunshine after rain. The end of grass contain the least amount of Fructans, but they can eat more than nipping at short grass.

If you are going to rotate grazing with stalling, it is best to put the horse(s) that are well doers, or might be suscesptibe to laminitis out during the NIGHT.

At NIGHT, or after 6pm the Fructan levels begin to drop. They are at their peak during the hours of 11am and 4pm(Just like sunbathing).

The way I manage my Lami Sus pony:

He is on a quarter acre bald paddock(when I say bald, the grass is only just visable) with a walk in shelter. He spends all his day in here, two small horseage nets of hay, and two bucket feeds of a handful of Dengie Hi-Fi Lite (bagged feed, approved by laminitis clinic, consisting of good quality straw and alfalfa - unmollassed)

He has another quarter acre elec(hot wired) off, that he is allowed to go in during the night. It is also bald, but he can Pick while the Fructans are at their lowest.

He is allowed 20 mins on the large field, to stretch his legs and graze in the morning(around 9am UK time)

If this will help this is my set up

This is his bald paddock(this was taken back in January, wet day) this is looking from his shelter.
This one shows him having his 20 Mins on the unfertilised grass, you can see that the grass is brown, winter, but at the moment it is starting to grow, it is much greener now.


This is his extra bit(elec was sagging, windy day, put it right after took photo)



We have two more paddocks, that have been rested all winter, which are really green and loads of grass. Pic is not allowed on there at all, it is just for the old guy Tony.

Tomorrow I will take photos for you, so you get a good idea of lush green pasture.

Jane

<small>[ March 29, 2004, 02:23 AM: Message edited by: CANDYGIRL ]</small>