2 Questions about hay/routines

[niagaraduval]

Hi,

Ned has settled down, he is no longer neighing all the time and seems a lot calmer. He is doing his usual morning rituals (ie: peeing when hearing the feed being dished out !). Seems weeing and pooing as usual lol. We ae going to however look for a rescue for him as a companion. Although he has settled and doesn't seem too bothered about being on his own I think he will be happier.

Anyway, now I am looking after him fully (what a GREAT feeling !, in 6 years I have NEVER been able to do the stable chores.. Hoping the novelty of mucking out won't wear off too quick lol) so I need to get him into a routine that revolves around my hours, if not my dad can give him his breakfast if I make it up the night before so that's a good help.

At the moment the latest I get home is on tuesdays where I work until 7pm. Get home about 7:15pm. Work starts at 6:45am everyday.

I was thinking of mucking him out and giving him his haynet in the morning before work ie around 5:30am and asking dad to give him his feed at 8:30 - I have been giving him his feed at this time since he arrived 3 days ago, I have also been feeding him at 6pm. Although next week this will have to change as I've got to work He will have to be fed at 7:15pm when I get back, I can keep morning feed to 8:30am though.

I was thinking - How should I put the times of his feeding back ? 10 mins everyday ?

I am aware of how important routine is so would like to find one that fits me and horse and can be kept too

Also- A bale of hay was dustier than usual although it all looks fine in its self, not mouldy or abnormal, doesn't smell bad. I have soaked it 20 mins do you think I should soak it longer as it was dustier or should I discard the bale ?

Thanks

 

[hobo]

You don,t say if he gets turned out so difficult to say what is right for you or not.

My routine this year is add lib hay i.e plenty left over in morning and turn out at 8.30am no need for breakfast. Bring in and feed anytime between 3pm and 4.30pm.It was just as well I did it this way as I have been ill and it was an easy routine for friends to cover.

Horses on the whole adapt well and you will get into a routine that works for you.

 

[SpottedCat]

My horse does everything at a time that suits me - so whilst I try not to be there too late in the morning when he's in, it isn't exactly the same time every day. When I'm competing we might have to leave 3 hours before I'm normally at the yard - would not even occur to me to move his feed by 10 mins a day before and afterwards!

Consequently I have a horse that never stresses or gate hangs to come in, even if everything else is in, and that knows I am the cue for feed time, not everything else being fed, so if I'm late due to work he really doesnt care!

I've often wondered if the routine thing we are all taught stems more from needing to fit everything into a day and making sure nothing is forgotten on big yards where working horse's were predominantly stabled.

I certainly wouldn't be worrying so much about altering the feed time - feed him when it fits in with your routine, ditto turnout and bring in!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I agree with SC, a strict routine is the enemy of a well adjusted horse! obviously if your horse is in, you have to be there within reason but strictly feeding by a certain time is making a rod for your own back imo.

is he not going out at all?


wrt dusty hay, I think 10-15mins is optimum time for soaking for dust/spores. steaming is better, a kettle of water over a hay net in a dustbin works well-leave with lid on for 20 mins (smells nicer too)

glad he's settling in and enjoy having him at home

 

[quirky]

Don't forget, a horse can't tell the time .

If you go out to your horse in the morning and feed straight away, that is what he will expect. If you go out at 6am, or 7:30am, it will make no difference. He will want food because that is what he is expecting. You are likely to upset him more by going out and not feeding him, rather than the time you are feeding him.

As he is at home and you don't have other people turning up to feed their horses, let him adapt to your routine

 

[Mince Pie]

I have an OTTB who was obviously very used to a routine when I first got her. At first she did stress when her routine changed but now she is used to it - I went back to work on Friday so they have been out for 3 days now and will be living out for the foreseeable future. If I have time they come in in the morning, get worked, fed and then turned back out with hay in the field. If I don't have time then they get hay and feeds thrown over the fence and a quick check over. She has been completely fine with this change. I wouldn't worry too much with changing his feeding time in the evening.

As for the hay a 20 minute soak is plenty enough to get rid of the dust

 

[tazzle]

Don't forget, a horse can't tell the time .

If you go out to your horse in the morning and feed straight away, that is what he will expect. If you go out at 6am, or 7:30am, it will make no difference. He will want food because that is what he is expecting. You are likely to upset him more by going out and not feeding him, rather than the time you are feeding him.

As he is at home and you don't have other people turning up to feed their horses, let him adapt to your routine

I agree totally with this .... horses go more by watching what we do ...... and if we do something the same way several times then they will anticipate what will happen and then might get anxious if we slter it. I deliberately do NOT have routine , not time or action. Well rather the only thing I will do if they are in the yard at winter is go fill the hay nets and put a couple out for them as soon as I get there


Thereafter I might feed the hard feed before I poo pick, I might feed after.. I might have loads things to do ... or even go ride. I go in and out of the barn / feed room ( its also humans kitchen) several times wihtout feeding them. It is only when they hear the spoon rattleing round the bowls mixing that they know food is on the way..... and even then only one of them gets in any way vocal about it and he is a little food proud anyway......... sometimes I actually have to call the others to come get it.

THis way imo created the least amount of stress around meal times for the horses especially as two other humans are involved in feeding the herd other times and we dont all do things the same.


Glad to hear that Ned is settling