Posted 2010-05-09 8:18 AM (#119923 - in reply to #119919) Subject: RE: dry lot to pasture
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
It will depend on your horse and your pasture.
But start with 1/2 hour for a couple of days, then increase it to an hour for a couple of more. Then to an afternoon for days.
I'm just going through this with mine. I have not had the times to move them everyday. So I'd bring them over to eat some green, then it might be 2-4 days before I got them back over. Yesterday is the first day where they have spent 8-9 hours. I'll probably do that again today. then later in the week leave them over night.
It's easier to do earlier in the spring when the grass is really short. They can graze for an hour and not get very much green. But when the grass is knee high, you have to be a little more carefull.
Of course none of my horses have ever founder'd. So it's more of a concern for them bloating on the green grass for me. If you have a horse that is sensitive to founder. You may want to take it a lot slower.
Posted 2010-05-09 6:33 PM (#119943 - in reply to #119919) Subject: RE: dry lot to pasture
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781 Location: La Cygne, KS
You didn't mention why your new horse was dry lotted by the previous owner. I'd find out before turning out on pasture. Prior founder or tendacy to get overweight will open up a whole set of health issues such as metabolic disease.
I do the opposite from some of the other posters as the grass is very rich this time of year in Eastern Kansas. We move the horses to small 3-acre pastures all spring and summer until late fall, then they are turned out on 20 acres for the winter. Hay is supplemented in the winter months, but the majority of our hay consumption is Spring and Summer.
Posted 2010-05-10 7:24 AM (#119955 - in reply to #119919) Subject: RE: dry lot to pasture
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
If you put hay out they will go from grass to hay and back and forth on their own.I use to put a round bale out and they keep their metabolism in check on their own.Now I use muzzles and three mares we have.They get dangerously over weight.They go in the round pen at night with hay only and muzzled out on pasture during the day.
Posted 2010-05-10 10:59 AM (#119972 - in reply to #119919) Subject: RE: dry lot to pasture
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
I wouldn't assume that just because a horse wasn't on pasture there was a health problem. Not everyone has access to pasture nor does everyone want them on pasture for various reasons.
Posted 2010-05-12 6:43 PM (#120077 - in reply to #119919) Subject: RE: dry lot to pasture
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420 Location: Iowa
I dry lot my horses in the winter. #1 its easier to take of them and when we have a wet spring I'm not worried about them tearing up the pastures as they run and have a good time. (which they do)
I also slowly turn them out for a few hours a day to get them used to eating grass again. Never had one founder.
Posted 2010-05-30 5:08 PM (#120736 - in reply to #120077) Subject: RE: dry lot to pasture
Veteran
Posts: 153 Location: Grant City, Missouri
I live in North West Mo., 1 mile from the Iowa border. My husband's horse grass foundered the first part of May. I have had horses for over 30 years and never dealt with founder. I was scared so I put my other horses up in stalls too. Anyone in the area know how much longer I have to keep the others up? The vet said to put the one horse up til July 1. I have been letting the others out for a few hours. We have finally gotten "hot" weather along with our rain.
Posted 2010-05-30 5:43 PM (#120737 - in reply to #119919) Subject: RE: dry lot to pasture
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
I have three mares that all tried to founder at the same time this year.One Qtr,two Walkers.We caught all three on the very first foot soreness and used heparin under the skin,bute and ace. Now they go in the round pen at night every night with a little hay and get turned out when trainer shows up and needs round pen with muzzles on. Sometimes they are tied and worked same day etc.MUZZELS work good.A few rubbed spots and they can get a little grass.Now all three have WITHERS and a faint hint of rib.Big difference.Ellen gives them a small handful of grain when she whistles them up to go into the round pen.Once in a while now they get a couple of hours with no muzzles and turned out.But thats it.Stalling them was a royal pain.
dry lot to pasture
