anyone not feed hay in winter. ....?

amandaco2

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 November 2006
Messages
6,705
Location
sheffield up t'road
Visit site
If so, what is the situation?

My 4 are off on their winter break soon to their 10 acres of grass. It only gets a cut of hay off around june and grazed by mine for about 3 to 4 months, its well covered in grass! I am hopeful they wont need hay......
 

PorkChop

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 June 2010
Messages
10,646
Location
Scotland
Visit site
If mine are not in work and turned away in the winter I don't give extra forage unless there is snow - but I do have plenty of grass.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2009
Messages
11,027
Location
Slopping along on a loose rein somewhere in Devon
Visit site
Mine are out 24/7 at the moment (bliss)......... OK they're having hard feed daily but no hay - and thriving. They're both cobs so probably don't need the feed, its just I need to get some supplements into 'em.

You don't say what type of horses yours are??

I'd keep a watch and see how yours do TBH: I can't see them looking sorry on that sort of grass! Tho' (sorry, being preachy, and I AM neurotic about it) do watch out that the grass isn't TOO rich for them as you don't want them going down with laminitis: be particularly careful on sunny mornings with frost in the grass.

Sorry sorry sorry - didn't mean to be preachy! Its just my old boy had laminitis............... and once you've had a horse with it you'll be forever jumpy.....
 

Wagtail

Horse servant
Joined
2 December 2010
Messages
14,816
Location
Lincs
Visit site
They may have lots of grass to start with but it will get eaten down and it doesn't grow in the winter unless it's very mild. Also, I think providing hay is important for keeping them warm. So even on good grass I would always offer hay. If they don't want it, then you have your answer. Just offer it again every couple of weeks or so. If they eat the hay, then they probably need it.
 

_GG_

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2012
Messages
9,037
Location
Gloucester
Visit site
They may have lots of grass to start with but it will get eaten down and it doesn't grow in the winter unless it's very mild. Also, I think providing hay is important for keeping them warm. So even on good grass I would always offer hay. If they don't want it, then you have your answer. Just offer it again every couple of weeks or so. If they eat the hay, then they probably need it.

This is what I am doing. Three boys on 18 acres with loads of grass and it is still growing here too, but I still offer hay, especially on colder nights. They have yet to eat a single blade but I will continue to offer it.
 

twiggy2

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 July 2013
Messages
11,401
Location
Highlands from Essex
Visit site
we have 2 mares out at work, they are on 2 acres each with plenty of grazing, I put hay out every other day unless it is raining continuously then it gets put out every day-only about 6lb each as they are not clearing it all up yet
 

amandaco2

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 November 2006
Messages
6,705
Location
sheffield up t'road
Visit site
They are competition horses but will be only hacking at weekends whilst on holiday.

the grass is very dense growing, I plan to use it in 3 sections of approx 3 acres each so I can keep a check on how much they get.....

great if they dont need hay at all! They are only there til end of march so 10 acres for 4 horses over 3 and a bit months should last them......
 

WelshD

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 October 2009
Messages
7,973
Visit site
Mine are on a well grassed paddock in the day time. When they are in there I dont feed hay as a rule but will feed it when the grass is frosty
 

khalswitz

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 May 2012
Messages
3,496
Location
NE Scotland
Visit site
We turn ours away on something like 40-50 acres, and they get nothing unless it snows and they can't get the grass. All eveners, mainly blood horses, all are fine :D
 

TheMule

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 October 2009
Messages
5,481
Visit site
I generally don't need to unless it snows, though last winter was an exception as it was so wet and I had one too many horses on the land.
Otherwise, they compete off grass alone and are very happy, healthy horses. But they do have an exceptionally nice grassy hill field in the winter!
 

Annagain

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 December 2008
Messages
15,506
Visit site
Mine are coming in overnight now (yard rules) and have a haybar full of haylage every night. They have yet to eat any and don't want to come in. I have to go looking for them every night. I'd gladly leave them out at the moment with nothing as they still have so much grass. There are 6 of them on 12 acres which they graze from October to about May. Come January and they'll be waiting at the gate to come in as they'll have grazed it down and they'll be scoffing through loads of haylage.

I'd have some on standby in case of snow or the grass suddenly goes. There's nothing worse than needing it in a hurry and not being able to get hold of any.
 

Wagtail

Horse servant
Joined
2 December 2010
Messages
14,816
Location
Lincs
Visit site
Mine are coming in overnight now (yard rules) and have a haybar full of haylage every night. They have yet to eat any and don't want to come in. I have to go looking for them every night. I'd gladly leave them out at the moment with nothing as they still have so much grass. There are 6 of them on 12 acres which they graze from October to about May. Come January and they'll be waiting at the gate to come in as they'll have grazed it down and they'll be scoffing through loads of haylage.

I'd have some on standby in case of snow or the grass suddenly goes. There's nothing worse than needing it in a hurry and not being able to get hold of any.

Your horses don't eat anything all night whilst in? I am very puzzled by this as horses need to keep their digestive systems going all the time. Yes, after a belly full of grass they may stand or snooze for a few hours, but not all night, surely? I would be worried there was something wrong with the haylage or something rotten in the hay bars.
 
Last edited:

khalswitz

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 May 2012
Messages
3,496
Location
NE Scotland
Visit site
Your horses don't eat anything all night whilst in? I am very puzzled by this as horses need to keep their digestive systems going all the time. Yes, after a belly full of grass they may stand or snooze for a few hours, but not all night, surely? I would be worried there was something wrong with the haylage or something rotten in the hay bars.

Mine won't eat enough to be noticeable if he's plenty full. Horses are optimised to eat all the time, but don't actually need it - see Firewell's posts on the American system of dirt lot turnout with only intervals where hay is provided.
 

AngieandBen

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 October 2009
Messages
1,809
Location
Leicestershire
Visit site
I don't feed hay out in the field yet as mine have about 5 acres to get through ( 3 ponies and still strip grazing it! ) but they do come down for breakfast each morning so I can either ride or give them a cuddle :) I always offer them hay, they rarely eat it unless in for more than 4/5 hours.
 

tangoharvey

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2009
Messages
843
Location
in the clouds
Visit site
My YO has saved 20 acres to turn the horses out in winter, I do give hay when she's on the yard, and feed, and the YO will hay the fields when frosty. There's hay rounds out in the field but they aren't being eaten much as there's still lots of grass x
 

c2b

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2006
Messages
492
Visit site
Like several others only put hay out when it snows unless I run out of grass which has only happened one year when the grass for some reason didn't grow well. Even on snow she tends to ignore the hay preferring to dig for grass. No feed either only a token amount to put vits in.
I do check her weight with a weigh tape every week and would obviously increase either hay or feed if she dropped weight.
She's unrugged too.
I think you can safely say she is a good doer.
 

Gloi

Too little time, too much to read.
Joined
8 May 2012
Messages
11,227
Location
Lancashire
Visit site
We're still strip grazing the winter field with 5 ponies. It usually gets to about February before they've eaten it all though one year it lasted all winter. They have to finish the grass before they get hay unless it snows or there is some really awful weather. The two oldies also get a little feed every day even though I'm not entirely convinced they need it..
 

EquiEquestrian556

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2013
Messages
1,581
Visit site
Most of ours are in work, from light hacking (the old veterans) to hard work (my young fit & healthy mare), and they get hay along with their hard feed all year round. We feed it in the winter as there's hardly any grass, and they're in at night so obviously need hay.
 

EquiEquestrian556

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2013
Messages
1,581
Visit site
Your horses don't eat anything all night whilst in? I am very puzzled by this as horses need to keep their digestive systems going all the time. Yes, after a belly full of grass they may stand or snooze for a few hours, but not all night, surely? I would be worried there was something wrong with the haylage or something rotten in the hay bars.

^^ Agree with Wagtail, that is a bit odd?.....
 

Spottyappy

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2008
Messages
3,575
Location
Home counties
Visit site
2 of mine get hay as we have little grass left. The other is a yearling out with one other youngster on 10 acres, still plenty of grass and will not be Hayed unless it snows.
 
Top