Loose droppings on 24/7 turnout

[EnduranceAli]

Frayne had been coming in at night since January and having hay/straw to eat. Since they started staying out at night at the beginning of April, she has had really loose droppings (like cow pats :eek: ). Mitzy is a bit looser (sorry for the detail :D ), but nowhere near as bad. Frayne has been getting a dirty bum and tail because of it, and I am going to bath her this afternoon to avoid her getting sore. She seems very well otherwise - shiny coat, plenty of energy etc. Is this common with spring grass (they are on restricted grazing - I am very aware of the risks of laminitis)? She seemed desperate for some 'roughage' today - grabbing straw off the muck heap etc - so left them in the stables for a few hours with hay/straw. Perhaps this will help 'firm' her up? Ali xx

[Jessey]

It is common with new grass, giving a bit of hay/staw is a good way to bind them up a bit and should slow the gut down until it settles on the new grass :p

[Denbenj]

Kais got the summer grass ' loose poos' a little at the moment..very green stable stains! and also the summer grass fizz :mad: :rolleyes:

[tillsmum]

Marge is always loose if she doesn't have hay. Have tried worming and everything but i think she is just like that. Nothing to worry about just lots of extra fibre. Hence why mine are on such restricted grazing and haynets in the field.

[Peanut]

It's that time of year. Although we haven't much grass at the moment because of lack of rain, what there is seems to be rich causing green loose dung and a very dizzy head. :p

[puzzles]

however you don't have to just accept it - by all means try to make your horse as comfortable as possible.
ask any nutritionist and they will most likely advise you to add a digestive enhancer to your horse's daily diet, inclusive of live yeats, probiotics and prebiotics. these will make sure all is working as well as it can be, and help your horsr to utilise her feed most efficiently.
some of the best available include Dengie XP Triple Action (containing all 3 opf the above) and Equine Biotal Gold.
make sure she is eating plenty of fibre (at least 1.5% of her bodyweight each day), and feed hay preferably as it is usually more fibrous than haylage.
good luck!
dried nettles and dandelion leaves (50g of each, or a double handful of the dandelion) also help.

[EnduranceAli]

Thanks for the advice. We put the ponies in a small section of the field today - where the poorest grass is, plus lots of brambles/nettles etc. Frayne does not like the hay we have on the farm (it is very old), but will eat a bit of straw, so I give her a deep bed when she is in the stable. She also had some of the driest haylage last night (just a small armful). If it does not clear up in a few days, then I will bring her in during the day and give her some HiFi Lite/Feed Balancer. I am keeping her bottom clean (washed last night and baby wipes this morning) and putting udder cream on the pink bits where her 'folds' are and the hair came off. She seems her usual self, but us 'mums' do worry :rolleyes:

Ali xx

[mogadoga]

If your feeding, id add a scoop of pink pweder or something just to make everything regular again :)

[puzzles]

lol, 2 scps
;-)