# What would you do?



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

I have a TB mare still alittle under weight well I have her at a gentlemans house down the road free board just have to buy every other round bale of hay that's $75to a bale and there eating one ever two weeks the pasture is maybe an acre with NO GRASS.. barn her own stall and a horse friend

I have the chance to board her on 10 acre lush green pasture no barn though and alittle further for $100 a month no hay no horse buddies only cows

What would you do and if I move her what do I have to do to get her ready for a pasture with that much grass pasture
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

So where she's at now, she has her own stall, other equines, and you're buying every other round bale at $75 each so that's what about $150 a month? But doesn't have any grass to graze.

The new place has grass and charges $100 a month, but only cows and no barn.

Both places sound roughly equivalent to me. However I would probably stay where she is as she has a stall and other equines. You can always give her some beet pulp or a bagged feed of some kind in her stall to help her gain weight or even buy some alfalfa cubes to keep her diet mostly or all forage.


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

Yes right but she's doesn't care much for her equine buddy and she has no grass and is not caring for the hay anymore she wants grass.. and the sand she's on it eating up her hooves..
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

You could hand graze her for increasing increments daily, or if you havethe option once she's moved to only let her on pasture for an hour the first day, increasing daily.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Having no stable would be a huge problem if she was ever ill or injured and needed one - or if all that lush grass gave her laminitis
Can the owner of the land not give you somewhere to make a stable?


----------



## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

Ah, well. If she doesn't care for the other horse it does make moving a bit easier.
You'll probably need to get her used to grazing for short periods of time, as already suggested. You could also muzzle her if she'll eat and drink with one on. 

You will need or want a stall at some point. Perhaps the owner would let you set up a portable stall with a roof? Or if he has a covered area maybe he'd let you set up a stall there? It won't hurt to ask him.

As for her hooves are they dry or brittle? I live in FL and the sand here is...well everywhere. None of my instructors ever had a problem with the sand eating away at the hooves. But they did use moisturizer on their horses hooves regularly. Have you found anything that helps her hooves?


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

I could eventually build a stable if I wanted to that's not a problem it just wouldn't be right away and I haven't started putting anything on her hooves yet not sure what to use but idk how I would get her use to that grass.. its tuff..
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

Good to hear you could build something for her. 
It takes time to find what works well on hooves.

Yeah, you could try just letting her out for an hour or so and go up from there or you could use a grazing muzzle during the day and take it off at night. But if she's on the grass at night still, she might gorge herself when the muzzle comes off. That or if you could limit the area she could graze, maybe a portable fence if she and the cattle would respect it.


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

If I move her and she has no stall how could I only let her out for an hour or so..
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

That would be the hardest part. You could try a portable corral but that would only work for so long.

Your best bet would be a grazing muzzle then, just make sure she'll eat and especially drink with it on. 

By chance does he have a dry lot or somewhere she could stay off the grass for a bit?


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

No its all grass and u don't gave corral panel what would happen if I just moved her an put her on pasture.. where she's at now she goes in the arena all day a couple days a week and gets grass then
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

Well if she's used to grazing she might monitor herself and go slowly. But cattle pastures tend to be 'improved' and very high quality. If she didn't go slow she might overload herself and colic or founder.

Watch her for a bit and see how she does. If she totally freaks out and goes berserk on the grass then a muzzle might work, so long as she can't get it off.

If you intend to feed any hay try to get her to eat that before the grass as it'll fill her up a little bit and she might graze more slowly.


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

How long should it take for her to be use to the new grass.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

That'll vary from horse to horse, but generally a week is about average. Some a little sooner, some a bit longer. So long as you keep an eye on her and make sure she's not ballooning up she should be alright.

For some reason I picture your horse seeing that green pasture grass in the same way I'd eye the inside of a chocolate factory! :-D (I think I would need a grazing muzzle if I ever stepped foot into one of those places, LOL)


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

Yeah lol I'm just super nervous.. but I think she will be better off here..
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Diarrhea, Colic or laminitis is a real risk if you throw a horse right onto a lot of lush grass when they've not been used to it
Could you at least restrict how much she has access too with electric tape and stakes - run off a battery
You really do need a Plan B for emergencies - like someone nearby that has a stable you could use


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

Idk.. everyone is telling be she should be fine since she gets grass some now just not everyday.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Just be careful - a bit of grass occasionally with hay in between is a huge difference to suddenly being put out on acres of really rich grass
You will only know when you do it if its going to be OK or not - just have a back up plan in case it doesn't go well


----------



## kimberlyrae1993 (Mar 20, 2013)

I gave a friend who is loaning me a grazing muzzle that should work fine right?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The muzzle will help a lot if she will keep it on - if you can find a way to attach something bright coloured to it that won't get caught up on anything it will help you find it if she does lose it!!
Some horses get rubbed by them so keep an eye out for signs of that


----------

