Grazing time
- Thread starter suz
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Right now we are in the midst of biting fly season so they aren't out much. They are hating those flies. Those bites hurt! I'm all chewed up myself from fencing!
They are out from about 7:30 am till noon. That seems to be the time the flys show up really badily. By noon they are having a terrible bout with flies out in the fields and are chooseing to come in at will. I leave the gates open and they stand there in the islway. So I give them a sloppy beet pulp and they all nap.
Soon it will be really HOT so no need to keep them out of the barn when it's nice and cool and fly free in there. That's what it's for: a using barn.
They are out from about 7:30 am till noon. That seems to be the time the flys show up really badily. By noon they are having a terrible bout with flies out in the fields and are chooseing to come in at will. I leave the gates open and they stand there in the islway. So I give them a sloppy beet pulp and they all nap.
Soon it will be really HOT so no need to keep them out of the barn when it's nice and cool and fly free in there. That's what it's for: a using barn.
ChrystalPaths
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Mine go out at 6 am and are in at 9 pm.
Songcatcher
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My horses are on pasture with access to run in sheds 24/7. So far, I have never had a horse colic and have never had a horse founder. In my opinion, nature never intended for them to be put in a box.
Of course, I did keep a couple of mares in for a couple of days right after foaling when the weather was awful. And I'm talking awful by Oklahoma standards, not Northern standards.
Of course, I did keep a couple of mares in for a couple of days right after foaling when the weather was awful. And I'm talking awful by Oklahoma standards, not Northern standards.
rabbitsfizz
Well-Known Member
All day, all night, no colic.
Of course I've only been doing it for forty five years so I may be wrong
Just turned all the show horses out, as the temperatures are rising.
The way to manage eating is to limit it by fencing, rather than time.
If you truly think your horse is in danger then put up an electric fence and limit the amount of grass to which they have access, not the time they have access to it.
A lot of people do stall at night due to flies etc and also, of course, marauders.
I have nothing larger than foxes to contend with and a long long hawthorn hedge with a tunnel inside it that flies do not get into.
You know your facilities better than we do but turning a horse out on good grass for a couple of hours is going to cause colic far quicker than turning it out all the time on acceptable grass- bolting lush grass will cause colic, grazing shorter grass will not
:
Of course I've only been doing it for forty five years so I may be wrong
Just turned all the show horses out, as the temperatures are rising.
The way to manage eating is to limit it by fencing, rather than time.
If you truly think your horse is in danger then put up an electric fence and limit the amount of grass to which they have access, not the time they have access to it.
A lot of people do stall at night due to flies etc and also, of course, marauders.
I have nothing larger than foxes to contend with and a long long hawthorn hedge with a tunnel inside it that flies do not get into.
You know your facilities better than we do but turning a horse out on good grass for a couple of hours is going to cause colic far quicker than turning it out all the time on acceptable grass- bolting lush grass will cause colic, grazing shorter grass will not
Voodoo
Well-Known Member
I agree with rabbit, sadly I don't have the luxury of grass here, but before we moved they were out 24/7. I never had a problem at all.
OhHorsePee
Well-Known Member
I don't know how your guy's horses stay out so long and don't founder. Mine get a grassy bloat in just two hours after they go out. Must be the different grasses??
Fran
Fran
