Does haylage send your horse nuts??!!

[Tarandes Bear]

I've already posted this thread in 'tack room' which was probably not the best place. Pls would you give me your views on feeding hay then changing to haylage? I've recently changed two of our horses from hay to haylage (live in mornings only then turned out), and they have changed dramatically. My 7/8ths TB has turned in to a leaping, snorting, pulling, jogging arse and my daughters horse TBx has too much energy but not quite the highly charged idiot mine has become. Their diet only changed on Thursday of this week and today has been a nightmare. We only went for a hack as schooling was utterly out of the question! Thanks Muchly BTW, I only bought the one 20KG bag from MVF. My winter hay is now in the barn so I will not be buying anymore haylage. Both horses are usually really laid back out hacking.

 

[EAST KENT]

I've already posted this thread in 'tack room' which was probably not the best place. Pls would you give me your views on feeding hay then changing to haylage? I've recently changed two of our horses from hay to haylage (live in mornings only then turned out), and they have changed dramatically. My 7/8ths TB has turned in to a leaping, snorting, pulling, jogging arse and my daughters horse TBx has too much energy but not quite the highly charged idiot mine has become. Their diet only changed on Thursday of this week and today has been a nightmare. We only went for a hack as schooling was utterly out of the question! Thanks Muchly BTW, I only bought the one 20KG bag from MVF. My winter hay is now in the barn so I will not be buying anymore haylage. Both horses are usually really laid back out hacking.

your next joy is either laminitus or tying up,don`t feed the stuff

 

[AdorableAlice]

your next joy is either laminitus or tying up,don`t feed the stuff

That is not a very helpful comment really. Haylage is a very useful source of good quality fibre for many horses. Perhaps a better way of putting it would to look at the work load, life style and the type of the horse and feed accordingly.

If the horse is doing next to nothing it won't be needing early cut, high protein haylage. The 2013 crop will be high quality, the weather conditions allowed an early cut when grasses were at their best.

 

[asmp]

I don't think it helped when I bought my horse years ago. I was at a yard where it was included in the livery costs and he was certainly more of a lunatic for the first few years until I moved yards. I have occasionally fed it when I haven't been able to buy hay but for the reason you asking about, I prefer to feed hay.

 

[Clava]

I feed both haylage and hay during the winter (not at the same time) to my tb and it makes no difference. New late autumn grass might though.

 

[HD15]

It may well be the haylage sending your horses loopy, but then again you could probably find high quality hay that might do the same. It depends a lot on what grasses your hay or haylage is made from. Bailed off of the same pasture the haylage will be lower in sugars (as those will be fermented) but higher in total digestible energy.

As AdorableAlice says it all depends on the horse and their circumstances. Mine don't really need energy packed haylage and I would prefer something lower in energy that they can munch ad-lib and keep their tummies full. I won't feed haylage at all to my horse that has had ulcers as the lower pH and extra lactic acid etc would be harmful for his tummy. I do feed a tiny bit to my youngster who LOVES it.