Feed advice pretty please.

[Farma]

One of my horses has started to lose weight - shes always been a good doer and only had to have a token meal and survived very well on grass/hay etc - since before christmas her weight has dropped tonnes - so i feel like im trying everything to little avail - and am now gonna have a go at haylage on several peoples advice.
She is a 16'1 suffolk x tb
she is turned out 8-9 hours per day - grass isnt fab and this is a new yard so im thinking the lack of grass is the cause but they have their heads down all day - she has 2 hard feeds which have large round scoop of chaff 1 scoop barley rings and 1 scoop of nuts (plus some juicy carrots)
She has 4 sections of hay at night and 1 in the morning before going out.

I have just ordered a weight measure for haynets and a shedload of haylage - how much weight should the haylage nets be to encourage weight gain - also im think i should mix the haylage with the hay initially?
Any advice greatly appreciate - btw she is very well in herself - teeth checked just after xmas aswell and has always been on a worming programmed but had her worm counted about 12 months ago now.

 

[Tori]

Did she start to lose weight when you went to your new yard? Could be unsettled. Also how much work is she doing as this is very important when calculating how much food you give? How old she is can also have an effect on their condition.
If you are going to feed haylage I would introduce it gradually as it can sometimes make their droppings loose. Also as a general rule you need to feed more haylage to equivalent hay due to the higher water content of the haylage making it weigh more.
We bought a new horse in Oct that needed more condition and we fed it Bailey's N.O.1 with chaff and sugar beet (twice day). We upped the N.O.1 gradually and fed a large net of haylage over night. He put on lots of condition but it took a good few months to get it to where it should have been, it does take time. He is now off the N.O.1 and on N.O.4 and on hay instead.
If the weight loss is really dramatic then it might be an idea to get the vet involved just to make sure there is nothing wrong.

 

[Farma]

Hi Tori - thanks for your reply - she doesnt do alot of work i hack her for max an hour up to 3 times a week and shes a real plod - we dont tear about at all.
The weight loss has been since i moved but believe me she would let me know if she was unsettled - she likes to walk on her back legs if she gets upset and shes been firmly and quietly on all 4!
I am absolutely sure its the lack of grass due to the overgrazed fields and the terrible winter - ideally id have her out only half days but working full time and there not being services at the new yard its not possible so adjusting the feed/hay is my only viable option - i have been looking for a new yard with better grazing buts its been difficult - i found a place i want but am on the waiting list. I wish in ways id never left my prev yard as she had been happy and healthy there for years but the people were so bloomin awful i wasnt enjoying it - feel bad now my horse has suffered but just wanna do best by her now - my lesson is seriously learnt - horses happiness
1st - mine 2nd!

 

[martlin]

I would mix haylage with hay to start with and give it to her ad lib, stuff the haynet as much as you can, or put 2 in, there should always be a little left in the morning.

 

[teddyt]

I would mix haylage with hay to start with and give it to her ad lib, stuff the haynet as much as you can, or put 2 in, there should always be a little left in the morning.

I agree. Can you also feed hay/haylage in the field?

You could also feed her grass nuts, leave a bucket in the stable with her.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

i would leave her bucket feed as it is and add some oil and some bluechip and some unmolassed beet pulp. it has been a hard winter and the fields are taking their time recovering even with management and fertilizer. ad lib hay and or haylage overnight is required. would also either worm again (have you done for tape worm?) or get a worm count done. teeth ok? and if weight loss is remarkable might be worth a blood profile! dr green will be here soon once we get a few showers of rain! good luck and make changes or additions gradual.