Grass Turnout Question

[Matt73]

Hey All

Throughout the summer I've been turning my fillies out first thing in the morning for an hour of grass turnout; I do their stalls and other barn stuff while they're out. They come in and have their grain etc. etc. Well now that fall is here and there is a bit of frost on the grass in the morning I'm not turning them out first thing -I forgot to mention that, for now, I only have one grass paddock...no dry lot-. Should I just switch the routine and turn them out for an hour at lunch? I'm so paranoid about laminitis; the main reason they went out first thing in the summer is because the sugars and carbs in the grass were at their minimum levels and it was "safer" for them. At this time of the year is it better to turn them out when the sun has burned off the frost a bit. Opinions?

 

[Warpony]

Hey All

Throughout the summer I've been turning my fillies out first thing in the morning for an hour of grass turnout; I do their stalls and other barn stuff while they're out. They come in and have their grain etc. etc. Well now that fall is here and there is a bit of frost on the grass in the morning I'm not turning them out first thing -I forgot to mention that, for now, I only have one grass paddock...no dry lot-. Should I just switch the routine and turn them out for an hour at lunch? I'm so paranoid about laminitis; the main reason they went out first thing in the summer is because the sugars and carbs in the grass were at their minimum levels and it was "safer" for them. At this time of the year is it better to turn them out when the sun has burned off the frost a bit. Opinions?

I turn out first thing in the AM during the summer and after lunch in the fall. They don't get any turn out in the spring until the pasture has been mowed at least twice. This was recommended by an old vet that I used to use back when I first got my pony who was a chronic founderer.

 

[Matt73]

Thanks so much...that's what I'll do!

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

I don't think it matters... the sugar content doesn't change that fast I don't think. The problem is in the fall when the frost comes it changes the type and quantity of sugars, but not from hour to hour I don't think. Its more a long term change.

 

[anoki]

YES!!! Better to wait until the frost is gone....but not due to laminitis worries.....COLIC!!!!!!!

Cold grass on an empty tummy can bring on colic fast, so it doesn't matter how long you wait, as long as the white stuff is off the grass!! Both frosts seasons are when the emerg clinics see the most cases of colic (usually fall more than spring as people get too into their summer routine and forget about the frost).

~kathryn

 

[Katie12]

I was always told by my Vet years ago not to let them eat grass until the morning dew was gone. Mostly because of colic. In 14 years or so I have NEVER had a horse colic , thank heavens!

 

[Lauralee]

GRASS????? :new_shocked: What's that????? :lol:

I also heard about this thing called rain. Haven't seen it since I can remember......

 

[kimie28]

GRASS????? :new_shocked: What's that????? :lol:

I also heard about this thing called rain. Haven't seen it since I can remember......

You poor thing! All you guys over there, I feel so bad I wish I could send you some of our Florida grass to you.

 

[Marty]

Matt, my schedule for fall and winter is to leave them in the barn after breakfast and give them a little hay. That gives it time for it to warm up outside and the frost to burn off. Then, I'll turn them out around 11:00 am in their assigned fields or dry lot for some, for a few hours of playtime. I like to start getting them back in the barn by around 4:00 for grooming etc. especially since the days will become shorter now.

We've still got plenty of grass out there. Just mowed it again this week too and it's still growing.

 

[MiniforFaith]

GRASS????? :new_shocked: What's that????? :lol:

I also heard about this thing called rain. Haven't seen it since I can remember......

We've had to much rain here. I'd love to be able to send it your way. My dry lot for my two is not dry at all.

: A muddy mess.. And I'd love to send you some grass too..

:

 

[Magic]

GRASS????? :new_shocked: What's that????? :lol:

I also heard about this thing called rain. Haven't seen it since I can remember......

Rain is that water from the sky, that someone here forgot to TURN OFF. We've been getting record amounts for the last several days. I guess I'd better not complain though-- it's better than a drought.

I hope the rain heads your way, Lauralee!! Then you can see what grass looks like again too!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

I do just like Marty does. If there is frost or the morning temps are below 40 they get breakfast in bed (so to speak), then go out to play from about 11am til dark. I never ever ever want to experience the heartbreak of founder.

 

[Matt73]

Thanks so much, guys!

 

[chandab]

Here's a website with pretty good information on grass and hay. http://www.safergrass.org/

 

[~Julie~]

Well I am confused!

:

I asked a question a few weeks ago about keeping horses in a field with only a run-in shed and not putting them away in a barn at night. Many people said they do this.

So, wouldn't they be able to eat the grass in the morning, with frost on it, if they are just outside on their own??

~Julie~

 

[Shari]

Mine get to go out from 2pm to 5pm right now. In the winter when the grass is pretty much brown, they will get to go out from 12noon to 3:30. Kind'a follows the sunshine liquid or other wise. Any more than that and they would get too fat.

Spring they are not allowed out because the grass is too rich and green.

So far I haven't had any problems. As for dew or moisture on the grass....if I went by that here, they would rarely be allowed out.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Isn't clover the grass with the dew problem? As far as I knew (and I'm trying to think several years in the past) some kinds of clover harbored a fungi/bacteria/something that could cause colic if eaten when the dew hasn't burned off. But grass causing founder is from changes in sugar content, which is independent of dew or frost, other than being caused by the change in temperature and the begining of the frost time of year.

And even then, horses gradually weaned onto fall grass, or horses that live on grass and take the change as nature provides it don't have a problem eating it. Or so I understood...

 

[chandab]

Isn't clover the grass with the dew problem?

Clover isn't a grass, it's a legume similar to alfalfa. But, I do believe it is clover that is responsible for dew poisoning.

And even then, horses gradually weaned onto fall grass, or horses that live on grass and take the change as nature provides it don't have a problem eating it. Or so I understood...

I think for the most part this is the case. Horses out on pasture 24/7 have fewer problems with the changes in the grasses, than those who only go out a few hours a day.

 

[Shari]

Clover with the powdery mildew on it will cause the slobbers. This condition will go away once the horse is removed from the source.

 

[Warpony]

Well I am confused!

:

I asked a question a few weeks ago about keeping horses in a field with only a run-in shed and not putting them away in a barn at night. Many people said they do this.

So, wouldn't they be able to eat the grass in the morning, with frost on it, if they are just outside on their own??

~Julie~

Mine are not stalled at night, they have a "not quite dry lot" around the barn, which they can come and go into as they please. There is enough grass there that they can nibble on it and they do this at all times of the day and night. However my pasture is very lush and that is what I keep them off of when it is frosty or there has been a heavy dew. I think animals that are on pasture 24/7 have less issues with needing to be kept off of the grass when there is dew on it. In the past when I had mine out on the pasture 24/7 they would rarely graze a lot when the grass was really heavy with dew, they are usually dozing at that time of the day. I think most of the time when they can be out on it all the time they sort of self regulate.