Advice needed: Hay or Haylage?

[H.K.D]

Hello,

Could I please have some advice regarding hay and haylage feeding?

I am about to get my two 14.2hh polo ponies back from being on a years loan and therefore I have no feed so am starting from scratch.

I am in the New Forest and hay is £5 a bale and I have heard some is of poor quality.

My ponies are one good doer and one 21 year old who looks excellent when well fed: both are currently of a healthy weight/verging on fat. They are in NO work and will be fully clipped and starting light work this weekend. I will be feeding a hard feed, introducing gradually (baileys topline and alfa a oil)

My problem is I like haylage and so do they and its easier to find, they have a field shelter, no stables and I would happily feed either hay or haylage. There fieldmate however is a 3 yr old New Forester who is currently unfed/no hay nothing. He has in the past had lots of grass and hay and his owner says he shows no signs of lami.

So shall I feed hay? I am only considering haylage as I can feed less as its so rich and good quality, and similar in price to hay which can be naf! But I also think hay is better for in the field, I can adjust my two's hard feed to give more nutrients and then not affect the forester.

Thank you for reading. and sorry for the long post. I just like some back up advice as after a year out I am feeling out of touch in the horse world.

 

[Miss L Toe]

It does not matter too much, but you may struggle to use a full size bale of haylage before it goes hot and mouldy, in some ways hay is easier, it does not matter about the feed quality so much as clean and free of dust and moulds, you can add mins and vits with Fast Fibre and start the ponies in to work gradually, so no need for a cereal diet. If you spread out hay and haylage, both will be fine to feed.

 

[H.K.D]

Thanks. Forgot to say I do start work gradually, weeks of walking, then weeks of slow trot, then mostly trot before any canter.

I have always been credited on how well my ponies look so I know I do something right but its trying to fit in a foresters diet too and three ponies who are entirely different feed wise.

Many thanks

 

[Cocorules]

Like you I am based in the forest. I have a 21 year old and two 3 year olds. One 3 year old is a NF cross. I feed them top score hay lite which is haylege and is accurately described as hay in a bag. I feed that rather than hay because it is dust free. My NF cross is ok on it and it seems less rich than the grass. I would speak to the NF owner if she is happy for you to feed this. Out of interest what is the difference between feeding hay and haylege in the field. It is just that I haven't noticed a difference and wonder if I should be?

 

[Milanesa]

If they are out in a paddock I would prob go for the haylage over the winter as it is higher protein and now they are starting back into work it should help keep their condition once they move into more demanding work. If u find they get abit fizzy then swap to hay. Are u playing summer, if so well done for starting fitness regime so early!!

 

[Mince Pie]

Why feed a hard feed? They are native ponies and as you said are very good doers. I would feed haylage and no hard feed, if you are worried about vits/mins then get a balancer.

 

[Fransurrey]

If you're feeding field-kept ponies, do you have any facilities for soaking hay if you need to?

I've recently lost my soaking facilities and am struggling - one of mine is coughing on hay and I'm considering a switch to haylage next winter because of this. Just something to consider. My hay seems extra dusty this year!

With three going at it, I don't see a problem with big bale haylage. Just slice open at one end to create a big flap and work your way back. I did that and got through it no problem - it never went off and I used 4 big bales like that!