I have an under-exercised, easy-keeper on a drylot. (He’s never had any metabolic issues). I’m always nervous about bright green fall grass. We’ve had a few hard frosts, (which I’ve read drives sugar up), but the grass is in no way yellowed, or dying back. When does grass become a bit safer? thanks.
I’ve been debating when to de-muzzle my Tried to Founder (3yrs ago) mini.
He’s muzzled from 7A-10P, turned out overnight sans the Nose Prison 
Found this;
The Laminitis Site
11/5/2018 09:19:08 am
There is no good time to turn out laminitis-prone horses during weather that is sunny but mostly below 5 'C overnight. Keep horses off grass, or restrict their access to grass, and feed hay/haylage.
Wait until the weather becomes cloudy/rainy during the day and/or temperatures stay mostly above 5’C overnight, before turning out, if possible.
Whether grass has frost on it or not is irrelevant to the sugar levels - it is just a good warning to owners that the weather is causing sugar levels to become and remain high.
If you have to turn out during a period of sunny days and cold nights, then it’s likely sugars will continue to increase during the day with late afternoon having the highest sugars, so turn out overnight or early morning may be better in terms of slightly lower sugar - but sugar levels are likely to be high at any time.
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I just start giving my mare more time unmuzzled and monitor her weight closely. She is not diagnosed with any metabolic condition, but easily would be if not watched closely. Still dry lotted at night
If she gains too quickly the muzzle goes back on and we start again. Usually by sometime in late Dec she is out 24/7 till Spring.
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I start giving my horses unmuzzled time gradually as the grass declines in quality. I also rotate the horses through fields after cows have grazed them down, so the grass is shorter when the horses are in the field. Usually they’re completely unmuzzled by sometime in late December, as @Candyappy said. This year, though, they’re already out all day without muzzles because we had a drought during the summer, so not much grass this fall. My general rule is that when the grass is too short to graze with a muzzle it’s time to let them be muzzle-free. My horses are stalled at night all year, so this helps keep them from getting too much rich grass.
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