In partnership with SPILLERSWhether your goal is to help a horse lose weight or maintain a healthy waistline, strip grazing is an effective way of achieving it. By using your field in this way you are able to continue turning them out while controlling the amount of grass the horse or pony can eat. Systems arerelatively easy to install and research (more on this below) has shown that they can help to restrict weight gain. Doing this alongside a healthy diet and providing plenty of exercise makes for an efficient equine weight management programme.Strip grazing explainedStrip grazing is a method of sectioning off a smaller section of the horses field using electric fencing. The fence is usually moved daily in order to provide gradual access to fresh grazing either with a back fence (see image A, below) or without a back fence (see image B). If used, the back fence is moved by the same amount as the lead fence to keep the over-all grazing area the same size.Without a back fence you have theadvantage of only needing to use oneelectric fence. This way the grazedarea will become largereach day, but in a recent study thiswas actually no less effective thanwhen using a back fence as well.The most appropriatedistance for moving the fence will vary according to the following:Field sizeQuality andquantity of grassRate of grassgrowthNumber of horsesin the paddock Body condition score (BCS)and weight control programme of the grazing horsesWhy its necessaryRates of obesityareconsidered to be as high as70% in some populations ofponies, and with it comes anincreased risk of serioushealth issues such aslaminitis, jointstrain, respiratory problems, equine metabolic syndrome, heatintolerance and reduced fertility.At times of the year when grass is growing in abundance,the risk of weight gain and associatedhealth problems is significantly increased. This applies to all breeds and types of horses and ponies and is when strip grazing becomes particularly useful.Kit requiredYou will need the following equipment inorder to set up a field for strip grazing:Electric fencing tape make sure it has a suitable break point in the event that a horse or pony should get tangled in it.Electric fencing posts choose the right height of post for your horse; some may think nothing of jumping the height of short posts.Electric fence energiser these are available as solar powered, battery powered or dual powered.Electric fence tester to check that a suitable voltage is running through the tape.Spare posts, tape and batteries just in case.Strip grazing in practiceIn practice, how far you should move the fence and possibly whether a back fence may be beneficial will depend on many factors. These include:The size of the field and how many horses are turned out in itThe weight/body condition score of the horse(s)The quality and quantity of grass availableThe rate of grass growthDone correctly, strip grazing can help your horse or pony achieve and maintain a healthy weight, which is essential for their ongoing health and happiness.Look out for cheats!Some crafty horses or ponies maycheat and lean over the fence or poketheir head under it in order to eat morethan their daily allowance.If thishappens you may need to add a lowerstrand of electric tape or a top strand,or use taller electric fence posts to raisethe overall height of the fence.Always make sure the fence iselectrified. Some horses are particularlyartful when it comes to noticing thatthe energiser isnt working or that theelectric charge running through thetape is weak. They will soon learn thatits fine to ignore it which is not what you want.MaintenanceAs with any type of turnout, dailypoo-picking is an essential part of yourgrazing management and worm controlplan.If you are back fencing too,remember that you always need toprovide access to water. This mayresult in needing to invest in a longerhosepipe and a new water trough, or alternative buckets.Monitor your horses weight andcheck their body condition regularly. Itmay take several weeks for their bodycondition score to change, but weeklyweigh taping will help you keep track ofany changes in weight.Strip-grazed fields need time torecover after they have been used andadditional attention to pasturemanagement, including weed control,may be needed.ResearchResearch conducted by Dr Annette Longland of Equine Livestock and Nutrition Services in Wales, in collaboration with SPILLERS, found that strip-grazed ponies gained significantly less weight than ponies with free access to restricted grazing over a 28 period, regardless of whether or not a back fence was used.Twelve ponies were turned out in individual paddocks for 28 days. All paddocks were 10m wide, but the length of the paddock was adjusted to be able to provide (at the start of the study) 1.5% of the ponies bodyweight (dry matter) in grass for 28 days.To test the effect of strip grazing on weight gain, each pony was assigned to one of the following management practices or treatments (4 ponies of similar height, weight and body condition per treatment):Total allowanceAfter a two-day adaptation period ponies were given access to their whole paddockStrip grazing without a back fenceAfter a two-day adaptation period, the lead fence was moved 1/26th of the remaining length of the paddock per day to provide controlled access to fresh grassStrip grazing with a back fenceAfter a two-day adaptation period the lead fence and a back fence was moved by 1/26th of the remaining length per day to allow fresh access to grass without increasing size of grazing areaAvoid overgrazing toreduce the risk of soil ingestion andpasture damage.Have you heard about Your Horses#FitNotFatcampaign? Equine obesity is an enormous welfare problem and were on a mission to provide owners and riders with the knowledge, skills and information you need in order to keep your horse in tip-top health. It could be life saving! Read the latestMain image SpillersRelated contentFitness plan: experts advise how to get a horse fitField track systems explainedEverything you need to know about equine metabolic syndromeHow to ride a horse so that they burn more caloriesInterval training for horsesThe post Expert guide to strip grazing fields in order to manage a horse or ponys weight appeared first on Your Horse.