Feeding advice

[LOZHUG]

Unusually I have still have grass and have not started to feed my boy yet. The grass is getting less and less and I wondered about feeding him or even just putting hay out for him.

I feel like a real numpty for asking but normally I wouldn't have hardly any grass left and he would have started feeding in October roughly. I feel there is no goodness in what is left in the grass and as it's getting colder he could now do with a feed or hay or both.

I don't want to just start feeding him incase I upset his stomach or cause colic. Would you suggest to start feeding a tiny bit of feed of a morning and hay of an evening or just feeding hay for now?

His weight isn't too bad but he is a ISH and can drop weight quickly but we seem to be doing quite well this year. He isn't in work, normally he would get a bit of chaff and high fibre cubes. Also he was on garlic would you suggest adding it slowly or would it not matter? The same for pink powder?

This is our first winter on our own yard by our selves and I would rather ask people than just guess and get it wrong.

Thanks in advance and sorry to be thick.

 

[mtl]

I would give him some hay first and see if he prefers grass or hay. I give my horse some haylage/hay on frosty days even though he is only out for a few hours a day. You can give him a handful of feed as a treat for now and start feeding more if you need to. It is always a good practice to introduce feed over a few day period of time but if you're only planning on feeding high fibre feeds it should not cause any problems.
Check his condition regularly and feed him according to how he is looking

 

[LOZHUG]

Thanks mti!

I do keep a check on his condition as I know from previous winters he has dropped weight. He isn't looking to bad at the moment so I don't want to over feed and I don't want to just start giving him feeds incase I cause problems. I would have started by now as the grass would have been a bit here and there but they were moved onto this field a few weeks back and there is still green and a decent amount it's just the goodness it will be lacking.

I will put some hay out of an evening for him to start and see how it goes down and will slowly just give a handful of feed. When it gets a lot colder I will give him Haylage mixed with hay and a decent feed so that he doesn't struggle to keep his weight.

Thanks again thought i better ask than to guess x