Hi Dr. Getty:

I received some very bad news today. I have the owner's permission to graze my 2 horses on a 20 acre pasture, but I do not own it. He notified me today that I must move the horses and fence off his property as he is selling the land.

I have about 1 1/2 to 2 acres of my own property, but it is not suitable for pasture...it is half bush, and half just grown up "whatever". I now find myself trying to figure out how to fence my horses on my own property to give them room to "run", and also feeding will be an issue.

My question is, can horses do well on hay all year round? Or do they need the summer pasture grass? I will have no choice but to feed hay year round, or board my horses elsewhere, which I don't want to do. Please help!

Tamara

Where are you from? Ontario

How did you locate this forum? Favourites

Hi Tamara,

I'm so sorry that you won't have access to this pasture -- that is very upsetting for you, indeed!

I have a similar situation with my horses since moving to Colorado. Yes, they can do very well on only hay. However, you'll need to provide hay 24/7 and make certain that it is of good quality.

You may be able to plant some pasture grass, especially soon, before the first snow fall. Go to your local feed store and see what seed they have available that is native to your area. Once the ground is consistently below 50 degrees F, you can throw the seed down and it won't germinate. The snow will cover it all winter, and when spring arrives, it will germinate and you'll have grass! It likely won't be enough to keep them fed without adding hay, but at least it will keep them from standing around the hay feeder all day!

I hope this suggestion helps! You'll still be able to keep them home with you, rather than boarding them, which I know you'd likely prefer!

Keep me posted.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, Colorado