Eating straw

[EllieandGeorge]

My horse is in on a night and given plenty of haylage (about a wheelbarrow full in the corner of his stable) and has a feed on a night and a salt lick, plenty of water etc. When i go to turn him out in the morning (usually about 8am on a weekend, 6am mid week) I've found him eating his straw? Obviously i know this is not good for him, but what can i do to stop it? i'm reluctant to give more hay as i don't want him overweight, and can't afford to have him on shavings, and i like straw as a bedding. Help please!

 

[luckyhorseshoe]

I've never really been that worried by it buy then she's is from spain where they are fed oat straw! If it really bothers you I would put the clean straw down first and put the older straw on top.

 

[Herts05]

I wouldn't worry about him eating straw (unless it is really rank). In Spain and Portugal horses are expected to eat their bedding - and its nowhere near as good as what we have in the UK

 

[LaurenBay]

I have a straw eater. Could you not feed the haylege in a small holed net so it lasts longer? The problem is if your Horse eats all his haylege and then is standing around waiting to be turned out then he will start eating the bed.

I feed mine hay in a small holed haynet. When I muck out, I only take the poo's out and leave the wet in. Add the new straw and mix with the wet. She will pick at the straw only. But before she would eat alot of it. Usually instead of the hay

Every 3 weeks, I take the wet out. Leave the bed up to dry then start again. Works for me.

 

[PucciNPoni]

I regularly feed straw in with hay as a diet choice.

 

[stacey111]

I would put your haylage in a small holed net as it will take hi
Longer to eat it, of it's very rich haylage be careful giving to much as you don't need to feed as much as your would with hay, if your are concerned you could change to shavings, but they are more expensive, I personally have changed mine from straw to shavings because of this as I don't like them eating the bed!! We tried everything to prevent it but once they like to munch it's difficult to stop!! Good luck x

 

[JenTaz]

There isn't that much wrong with them eating straw as long as they have access to water when the snow decides to properly hit and I can't ride taz will be fed 50/50 hay and oat straw mainly because it is less calories but still fills him up, at the moment in the stable he's getting pretty much ad lib hay don't like the idea of him standing without something to eat and then not good quality grazing in the field

 

[maggiesmum]

I don't see the problem with eating straw either, much better than standing around eating nothing with a gut full of acid!

 

[Tiaan]

The straw will not hurt him, it just has less nutritional value, ditto the comment that its far better that he eats the straw instead of having an acid build up and possible ulcers!

Also agree with the small holed haylege net and perhaps a ball feeder thingy to keep him occupied for longer

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

The straw will not hurt him, it just has less nutritional value, ditto the comment that its far better that he eats the straw instead of having an acid build up and possible ulcers!

Also agree with the small holed haylege net and perhaps a ball feeder thingy to keep him occupied for longer

NOt totally true colic from eating straw can lead to death also ( lost a pony to colic) Eating straw can give them colic . ( my mare had a serious compaction when she was on a straw bed from eating straw, took ni on 3 bottles liquid paraffin to shift it, and one late night with vet.


Watch how much he eats , if he picks it not so bad but allot can lead to trouble.

sprinkle some Jeyes on the bed on Eucalyptus on it to try put him off.

 

[Mince Pie]

I have bedded every single one of my horses on straw, all have eaten it and none have had problems.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Well personally having been there I will not take the risk again , will never use straw again.

Having lost one pony to colic and my mare impaction , I will not go down that road again . 3 days without passing any poo was worry enough.

I respect allot like straw but having this experience already I will not risk it again with my horses .

 

[AmyMay]

I wouldn't worry either with the horse eating straw.

 

[TelH]

My mini Shettie had colic, it happened the same night she ate a lot of her straw bed. Whether that was the cause I don't know for sure, the vet said it was possible, but I took no chances and she has been on shavings ever since. However, I have never ever known another horse be ill from eating straw.

 

[PucciNPoni]

NOt totally true colic from eating straw can lead to death also ( lost a pony to colic) Eating straw can give them colic . ( my mare had a serious compaction when she was on a straw bed from eating straw, took ni on 3 bottles liquid paraffin to shift it, and one late night with vet.


Watch how much he eats , if he picks it not so bad but allot can lead to trouble.

sprinkle some Jeyes on the bed on Eucalyptus on it to try put him off.

deleted my post

 

[forestfantasy]

I would feed more haylage definitely.

A barrow full would be gone by midnight at the latest with any of my 3 so for the next 7 hours or so they'd be stood with nothing to eat but straw.

If putting weight on is an issue i'd swap to hay, perhaps soaked but ad-lib either way in a small holed haylage net & less hard feed.

Non of mine eat they're bed, despite being on fab straw because they have enough haylage to last till morning.

I always aim for something left in the net when i get there at 7am.