All night with an empty stomach??

[Horsesgalore]

I recently considered taking on a loan horse. For various reasons I didn't do so, but I met the mare and her owner and learnt the feeding regime before we amicably decided not to go ahead after all.

The mare, a twenty year old Welsh Cob, looks very well, youthful and shiny if a little fat. She is kept out (it was summer at the time) during the day, and brought in at night. At the time there was plenty of grass in the fields and she was mostly brought in to avoid getting fatter.

At night, she was on a bed of rubber mats and shavings with nothing to eat. I expressed surprise, having always been told horses need continuous forage. Her owner laughed, and said she'd always done it this way and her mare is in great condition.

It's true she is in great shape, but is it bad for her to be empty all night? Or am I wrong?

 

[showqa]

When you say all night, what do you actually mean by all night?

Well clearly she has got away with it, but personally I would worry about gut motility if the horse isn't having any forage literally from bedtime until morning stables. I can appreciate that from a weight point of view she would have to be careful, but as far as I have ever understood, going all night without anything going through the gut isn't good.

 

[TicTac]

Depends on how long she is in the stable for. I personally wouldn't do it but then I have never really had horses or ponies that are over weight. If the horse had consumed vast amounts of grass during the day then it would only be adding to a weight problem to feed hay as well. As you said the horse looks well etc, that sort of routine obviously works well for that horse.

 

[maresmaid]

I was advised by my vet that the way to reduce the calories would be to give soaked hay - (soaked for at least 12 hours) to remove the calories, that way the horse gets something to munch and move through it's system but with little nutritional value.

 

[FionaM12]

I was advised by my vet that the way to reduce the calories would be to give soaked hay - (soaked for at least 12 hours) to remove the calories, that way the horse gets something to munch and move through it's system but with little nutritional value.

I've been told this too, but I can't see how the soaking reduces the calories.

 

[HollyB66]

I've been told this too, but I can't see how the soaking reduces the calories.

I understood that the soaking removes the water soluble carbohydrates, therefore reduces the calories.

 

[FionaM12]

I understood that the soaking removes the water soluble carbohydrates, therefore reduces the calories.

Thank you, I've always wondered.

 

[JFTDWS]

the efficacy of soaking in the removal of calories from hay is debatable, I think. I prefer to feed straw myself.

 

[HollyB66]

Thank you, I've always wondered.

No probs! Not often I know sth We soak my girl's hay as she is SUCH a good doer, but wouldn't leave her with nothing all night.

 

[RubysGold]

I wouldn't be happy with my horse being kept on that regime. Depending on how long the horse is without hay, could be at serious risk of developing stomach ulcers

 

[Maisy]

I was told by a vet very recently that my cobby horses are very low risk of getting ulcers from lack of forage overnight....

Mine have a haynet when they come in, but I am pretty sure it will all be gone two hours after I leave the yard.....One of my horses in particular would eat until she popped, so it isn't feasible to feed her adlib!!!!

 

[JFTDWS]

It's also worth weighing up the potential risk and damage of ulcers vs the risk (in some cases reality) and damage of obesity.

I'd also add that stabling horses for long periods is associated with ulcers even when forage is ad lib...

 

[PeterNatt]

It is not good horse management for a horse not to eat all night. A slice of soaked hay every 4 hours would be far kinder.

 

[Maisy]

It is not good horse management for a horse not to eat all night. A slice of soaked hay every 4 hours would be far kinder.

.....in all reality, this isn't viable for anyone with horses that don't live at home.....

 

[spotty_pony]

You are right to be concerned about the horse being left with no hay all night - I must say I am pretty shocked too! Horses are trickle feeders and their digestive system is designed so that they eat little and often. Some sort of low calorie forage (e.g. soaked hay) should be provided at least four times per day. Although it is not always possible, especially with a greedy horse, to provide them with a continuous supply of forage, no hay for the whole night is completely unacceptable.

 

[tallyho!]

I can't see the problem. Someone please enlighten me.

I myself would rather feed small amounts over a long period of time but if this horse has lived all its life like this and is in good shape, I fail to see what is wrong.