feed different time each day.. does it matter?

Julie Black

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Hi all. My pony lives out 24/7 with ad-lib hay in winter. He gets a feed once a day (chaff, beet and supplements). I usually feed him within a 2 hour window, so similar-ish timing but not exactly same. He doesn't wait at gate or seem to be desperate if I get there towards the latter end of our usual 'slot'. However work timings are changing a bit, and I might not be able to feed at similar times. So it could be late afternoon one day, morning next day, etc. Does this matter? I don't imagine he'll be too mentally distressed given he's not waiting at the gate pining for me now when I get there to feed. is there any physiological/metabolic reason why it would matter?

Thanks all!
 
I don't think it matters as he has ad lib access to grass and hay, if he was in a stable never knowing when you were going to turn up it would be a different matter, the main thing is he has the same diet each day so it will not upset his tummy.
 
i never do set feeds times, because when they are away at compettions or travelling, their routine changes anyway, so i make a conscious effort not to do things on a set time.
 
I feed mine at different times all the time as they are mostly out and only come in to be ridden and the time varies, they only get one feed of grass chaff and linseed, so it's not like it's anything great.
 
This reminds me of a time when I used to be on a yard where all the horses were fed at 4pm weekdays and weekends. If you were coming up to ride at that time or around that time if you text the YO she would not feed your horse so you could ride which was fair enough. If we were present on the yard we all had to go and congregate around the feed room and get our horses feed, place it on the table and mix it with water at EXACTLY the same time and then walk to our horses stables at EXACTLY the same time with the feeds. If one of us (often me due to the rebellious person I am) sneaked off a few seconds earlier we would be called back to the table! I'm not exaggerating when I say it used to drive me near mental. This was because one horse (hers) insisted on kicking if it so much got a whiff of someone eating their tea before it did! Have to say the YO loved routine, but then that is what horses respect and thrive on and even now some three years later when I hack past the yard she will often attempt to take me to the gate or try to nap when I turn away from this yard because she thinks we are hacking back there to live so she obviously loved the yard and the YO (so did I to be fair).

I normally feed between 7-8pm but sometimes this can vary as much as three hours if the staff feed on a day when I don't go up, i.e on full day care, or I'm on holiday. Luckily my horse is not one that will kick the **** out of the stable door if others next to her are fed. :)
 
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