# Long grass? Slew



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

MinuitMouse said:


> My papa is almost convinced to get a pony under proper care. I think he will let my friend board with me. The only thing is he wants to put the pasture where there is really tall grass (maybe 4 feet tall). He is convinced that over the summer they would eat all of it, and be healthy.
> 
> Would they stop eating and control it theirselves? No, they will not control themselves and not over eat. We usually only have the horses we are using on pasture 10 or 12 hours a day. The rest of the time they are in a corral. They maintain a good weight.
> 
> ...


You mention a slew in your title. Is the proposed area all slew? What type of slew?


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## MinuitMouse (Sep 28, 2013)

No, there is a small slew for sewage near where her would like it. I will ask him if I can go out there and shorten up the grass with my friend. Or I will ask him if he would put it in a different spot. There's also a risk of gopher holes


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## MinuitMouse (Sep 28, 2013)

Anyone?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The horses likely won't eat long grass at this time of year as apparently they don't like the taste of it. The horses are looking for new shoots that are trying to grow.


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## MinuitMouse (Sep 28, 2013)

Will they go for it at all? At any time of the year?


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## jagman6201 (Mar 13, 2009)

Horses generally don't like long grass not because of the taste but because it's harder to eat.

As grass gets taller, it need more fibrous structure to it (so it can stand up!) so it's "chewier" and harder to digest. So horses will usually avoid tall grass if they can.

However - if that's what they have, they will eat it and for the most part be fine. We put a couple horses out on 10 acres of "overgrown" pasture and they ate down one corner then just grazed consistently on that. No problems.


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## MinuitMouse (Sep 28, 2013)

Thanks! That's basically what I wanted to hear, I still have plans in. The spring to trim it, because if we want to build a fence, shelter etc, or even want access in there we will have to cut it :?


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## MinuitMouse (Sep 28, 2013)

Maybe this branch trimmers and just trim a couple feet off?


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

You've got lots of energy is you want to top off using branch trimmers, MinuitMouse. It would be better to use an old fashioned hand sythe (I think some stores sell an aluminum model) and even then that's a lot of work (I know - as I've tried using them before). 

I don't know where in Canada you are but if you've got snow it will do a good enough job of breaking down the old grass and then next spring you can look at cutting the area with a riding mower (with the depth set as high as possible). Of course, if you've got your horses on it by that time and it's not too big of a pasture they'll keep it short.


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