please help. Riding a grass kept pony

[arttilly34]

Hi i recently got my first pony, she is turned out in the day and stabled at night. i was told i should leave her for an hour after i bring her out of the field before i ride her. is this right

[iloveshearer]

It would probably be best yes but it isn't always practical unless you want to groom for that long etc. I ride grass kept ponies and they probably get half an hour between coming in and being ridden.

[magicalmac]

Mine is stabled overnight in winter and I turn him out for an hour before I ride, while I muck out, so he can stretch his legs a bit first. In summer hes out 24/7 and I ride straight of the field although Isuppose it take about 1/2hr to clean him and tack him up etc but Ive never had a problem. Did whoever told you get it right because youre not supposed to ride for at least an hour after thev'e been fed but Ive not heard about being ridden?

[iloveshearer]

Same idea though about digesting their food isn't it. If your pony was out and scoffing themself full then they may need time to digest it but otherwise i doubt it.

[Sammii]

Yes, I believe that there should be a sufficient amount of time inbetween bringing in and then exercising.

I don't think (depends on horse 'greed' i guess) that the time should be as long as if they've just had a hard feed. As in the field it's a slow gradual digestion compared to a big feed at a fast pace.

[Shadowlark]

As a horse is desgined to eat a forage fiber diet, I would say this is VERY overcautious. If your horse is just out eating grass and hay, you will be just fine to bring them in and ride them directly. The concern is letting them digest abit after a grain feeding, which they are not really designed to eat.

When working cattle we allow our horses to graze and take breaks when we do.. In endurance the horses are fed, and well at all the check points and rest stops large amounts of hay and usually beet pulp are offered.

[Afellpony]

I bring Falcon in off his field, groom him for about 20 minutes then ride him. The first 15 mins or so consists of slow work, walking and trotting for short periods then back to walk. After that a longer period of trotting then walking again for about 5/10 minutes, another trot then canter round the field at a fairly slow canter. Another walk, trot and then 'normal' speed canter.
If working in the school, walk round the school for about five times on both reins, trot on both reins, back to walk for a few minutes, trot and into canter for a couple of circuits of the school. Then the same exercise again on the other rein.

[puzzles]

Hi i recently got my first pony, she is turned out in the day and stabled at night. i was told i should leave her for an hour after i bring her out of the field before i ride her. is this right

This isn't necessary at all. there are several feeding myths people still follow, and that's more than fair enough only most of them take up valuable time, unecessarily (not to sound rude! :rolleyes: )

One of the main benefits of having a horse at grass is that it can trickle feed constantly, meaning that it's stomach is never full yet never empty either.

Only horses in very hard work need forage restriction, so no worries hun.

:D

[Rarah]

I've never heard that.

If I'm in a hurry I can have Logic in from the field, quick flick over and tacked up to ride within 10 mins. She's not suffered any ill effects yet.

They eat grass in the field all day and then run around doing what horses do if left to their own devices - they don't stand and wait somewhere quietly before they decide to bomb around the field!

As someone else said, if you've just given the horse a hard feed then it's advisable to wait as this is not a natural food for your horse.

[coss]

if you give the horse a bucket of hard feed you should give them about an hour for them to digest it. with forage it is rare for the horse to need a break. i do however know of a horse who is very grumpy if not left with no food for an hour before working (he is a strange horse though ;)) I like to take my time with grooming and give them at least half an hour... it sometimes settles them mentally as much as anything :D

[becs]

We've always ridden them straight off grass, to no ill effect.

Though grooming & tacking probably adds up to about 20 mins and we only do light work.

[Wally]

That's another one for my book of wives tales! :D :D ;)

You can work a horse straight from grass, no bother. If she'd had a bucket of hard feed, then you need to give them chance to let it "go down" but you can happily throw a saddle on, in the field, jump on and go for a ride without any ill effects.

Our lot manage perfectly well like that!

[Dina]

My horses are out at grass 24/7 and I just get them in give them a five minute burhs and get on them,no problems at all.

[Roofio]

I was always paranoid about this too and used to leave J for at least 1/2 an hour before i rode him. Now he's munching on a haynet while i tack up :p Echo whats been said about hard feed though, i would leave it at least 45 mins.

[arttilly34]

Thanks to everyone for your replys, :)

[Frances]

Blimey, I have never done that! I just go into the field, grab who I want, tack it up in 5 minutes (with a cursory brush down, if very lucky), and off I go at walk for the first bit, if possible. (or if Wally is doing her girth, at a flat gallop, coz it is really funny to hear her scream and curse at me!)

[ajhainey]

Ah-ha. Now I know what the lady I rode with the other summer was muttering about. She was very put out that we (on the guidence of the ride leader) were letting the horses forage during the breaks - I didn't put it together at the time but I realise now she was saying they shouldn't be ridden after eating. I worked out it wasn't the usual 'might make them rude/snatchy' but couldn't figure out how it would make them 'ill' as she was insisting. Now I understand...thank you new rider!

aj xx

[puzzles]

hah, hw does the woman think top endurance horses survive - they eat and drink before, during and after exercise - the full works!
:-)