Do you feed hay in the field (horse not out 24/7)

[Acolyte]

As the title really! Pretty much everyone at our yard seems to feed hay in the field but - at the moment - I don't. My boy is out from about 8am to 6pm and actually has some grass in his field - just wondered if I was being cruel not giving him hay in the morning as the grass is frosty? (But I guess horses have evolved eating frosty grass!)

 

[lexiedhb]

Nope.... plenty of grass to keep them occupied at the mo! Sometimes frosty grass can cause colic though.... never happened to me but a mate of mines horse got repeated colic from it... well thats what the vet said anyhow!!

 

[samp]

We have not got loads of grass and with the frost mine has been having hay out in the field. TBH the grass has very little nutritional value in it

 

[henryhorn]

There is zero goodness in the grass at the moment and feeding frosty grass isn't recommended (laminitis), so I would give some hay regardless.
Our lot eat frosty grass and have haylage 24/7 I think the risk is when the horse isn't out all the time, so I do see your point.

 

[Shilasdair]

I do...but the cruel owner next to me abandons her gelding with no hay at all...it's awful, isn't it?
S

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I give a section if the grass is frosty, have had 2 friends lose horses from laminitus thought to have been caused by frosty grass (both were TBs X and neither were fat so not your typical lami prone ponies), so am extra careful, also make sure my mare has had a feed before she goes out on the frosty grass.

 

[kerilli]

i always give a bit of hay in the winter, even to the ones who are in overnight. as hh says, there's no goodness in the grass at the moment.

 

[TGM]

I put hay out for mine, but then we don't have much grass.

 

[Acolyte]

Thanks for the replies - sorry, I should have said that I realise the grass has nothing in the way of goodness in it at this time of year, just keeps him occupied! He is fed twice a day and has ad-lib haylage at night so I am quite happy with his condition

- especially since I am being a total slob at the moment and not riding

Interesting about the colic/laminitis things, as I said you would have thought that horses would be OK with it since they have to eat frosty grass in the wild - however back to carting hay down to the field I can see

 

[Theresa_F]

I will be after Christmas as the grass we have will be gone by them. Stops them being grumpy and trying to barge when brought in as they are hungry.

I was putting out hay from mid August in the summer paddock this year as there was only a little grass left and they were hungry and grumpy without me putting out half a bale between the two each day.

If they were out for only a couple of hours fresh air and leg stretch I wouldn't bother, but they are out from 9 - 4 which is too long to go without some grub.

 

[Acolyte]

Go away Shilasdair

If only you knew the number of times I have felt so guilty I have nearly pinched some of your Horsehage.... (having said that I would have bought you a replacement bale of course!!)

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the replies - sorry, I should have said that I realise the grass has nothing in the way of goodness in it at this time of year, just keeps him occupied! He is fed twice a day and has ad-lib haylage at night so I am quite happy with his condition

- especially since I am being a total slob at the moment and not riding

Interesting about the colic/laminitis things, as I said you would have thought that horses would be OK with it since they have to eat frosty grass in the wild - however back to carting hay down to the field I can see

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the frosty grass causing colic idea isn't backed up by scientific studies...as the grass is not frozen by the time it reaches the gut, obviously.
The laminitis thing is truer in the spring and autumn, when there are more sugars in the grass...fructans (ask Tia - it's her favourite subject

) but not so much now, when the grass is pretty 'empty'
S

 

[piebaldsparkle]

[ QUOTE ]
as I said you would have thought that horses would be OK with it since they have to eat frosty grass in the wild -

[/ QUOTE ]

Ahh but the wild one have been spoilt by being tucked-up in a stable all night, plus they have large areas to room, so can browes then unfrosted bits under trees etc... where our are normally stuck in fairly bare, exposed paddocks!!

 

[BBs]

TBH I havent put any hay out for my horses.
They are happy foraging for themselves for 4-5 hours and then I bring them in again.
I do worry about them eating frosty grass - they go out around 8am, but tbh I dont think they would eat it, they like just being out.

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Go away Shilasdair

If only you knew the number of times I have felt so guilty I have nearly pinched some of your Horsehage.... (having said that I would have bought you a replacement bale of course!!)

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't think I don't count it...

You can't really compare J to my three...they live out all the time so have to be hayed/fed in the field. Maybe see how he goes after he's eaten the bottom grass down more...
S

 

[piebaldsparkle]

[ QUOTE ]

The laminitis thing is truer in the spring and autumn, when there are more sugars in the grass...fructans (ask Tia - it's her favourite subject

) but not so much now, when the grass is pretty 'empty'
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Friend lost her TBx to Lami in December'05

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

The laminitis thing is truer in the spring and autumn, when there are more sugars in the grass...fructans (ask Tia - it's her favourite subject

) but not so much now, when the grass is pretty 'empty'
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Friend lost her TBx to Lami in December'05

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes it's to do with the pituitary gland etc too though.
S

 

[Acolyte]

Mmm, thats what I was planning - not sure what I am going to do once the ******* ******* ****** sheep are all over his paddock

Should've just asked you really shouldn't I

but hey, it has passed some time at work...

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Don't know vet suggested frosty grass, the other friend lost hers in January.

 

[Molineux]

I gave them some this morning as the grass was frozen and they go out out at 6.00am

!!

Only on cold mornings when its frozen

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Mmm, thats what I was planning - not sure what I am going to do once the ******* ******* ****** sheep are all over his paddock

Should've just asked you really shouldn't I

but hey, it has passed some time at work...

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I'm going to 'sheep fence' the line between the girls and J...not that that helps you much....the sheep don't eat the hay/haylage until they've eaten all the grass and are starving...and I'm sure they'll be moved by then.
S

 

[piebaldsparkle]

OMG you know Shilasdair......is she really a Hedgehog???

 

[Lill]

Ours get a big round bale in the fields, we've got through almost 15 bales so far this winter between 12 horses!

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
OMG you know Shilasdair......is she really a Hedgehog???

[/ QUOTE ]

No, we just pretend to know each other...to fool all the rest of you

S

 

[the watcher]

I don't at the moment, but mine do have a breakfast before they go out so in theory shouldn't be very hungry anyway - try telling that to starving highland ponies though, they don't understand my logic. They are only out about 6 hours a day now, and that is to stretch their legs as much as anything else

 

[Acolyte]

The truth is much, much, much worse.........

 

[piebaldsparkle]

[ QUOTE ]
The truth is much, much, much worse.........

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[pinkcatkin]

Our girls were having an enormous amount of hay but are now in new 6 acres which has loads of grass, some of it quite haylike but they are obviously loving it as when they come in they are no hungry. They have ad lib hay at night and two fees a day.

 

[Shilasdair]

I suppose, if your horse got STOLEN, you wouldn't have to worry about hay....
S

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Our girls were having an enormous amount of hay but are now in new 6 acres which has loads of grass, some of it quite haylike but they are obviously loving it as when they come in they are no hungry. They have ad lib hay at night and two fees a day.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're just building up to telling us all that you don't have to poo pick. Again. Aren't you?
S