Difficulties with Feeding Haylage - Causing Swollen Legs?

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Mithras

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I'm getting a bit frustrated at my (small DIY) yard, because there is one elderly TB which must be fed rich haylage, or it loses weight, so all the rest of the horses have to go on that too. Worse still, the haylage chosen is extremely rich and moist, and seems to be to more resemble silage than a nice dry sort of haylage. The alternative turnout is with young Highland fillies and a cob who aren't fed any hay at all and are meant to eat the grass in the field in winter?!

So I'm trying to compromise by keeping my horses off the haylage at least 12 hours a day. I haven't been able to source any hay yet so they are not in at nights. My husband built me a field shelter, but of course I can't use it because there is a ring feeder full of haylage sitting right next to it! So I've had to shut the horses away from the haylage in a frosty field tonight...

They can't be shut away from the haylage during the day because the other horses need access to the field...

Another problem is that my young horse developed very swollen hind legs two days after going onto the haylage last week. Removing him from the haylage for 48 hours and Bute got rid of the swelling, but I think he is still sensitive and am going to phone the vet tomorrow for advice.

My other horse is just getting terribly fat.

What would you do? I really like the yard - in summer!
 
Is there no way yours can be given their own field?
Bit puzzled (sorry!) that your husband had built YOU a shelter, but you cannot use it as others are in same field?? (have I missed something?)

If not, then bring yours in at night & hay them - and turn them out with the non-hay eating animals for the moment?
 
Legs will swell due to excess protein in rich haylage.....nothing to be to concerned about as long as it goes down.

Good idea to source hay as soon as possible! Will help the problem!
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Is there no way yours can be given their own field?
Bit puzzled (sorry!) that your husband had built YOU a shelter, but you cannot use it as others are in same field?? (have I missed something?)
Click to expand...

Yes, you've got that right! It has a narrow opening and while my two are fine or their own, the others are too many, one might get trapped, etc.. So it has to remain shut off while they are all still in. And I can't leave my two to use it at nights when the others are in anyway because now the bale of haylage is right next to it.

The Fuzzy Furry said:
If not, then bring yours in at night & hay them - and turn them out with the non-hay eating animals for the moment?
Click to expand...

I'd rather they lived out unless the weathers really bad. I don't want to turn them out with the Highland fillies because if they kick horses anything like they kick people, its too much (one of them kicked me when bringing my horse in). Mine are both geldings.
 
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