Feeding barley straw/laminitis management

[canteron]

Does anyone do it and if so what percentage.
Mine cob types have always eaten their straw beds and with the sudden mix of warm ground and wet weather I am terrified of the grass spurt, so hoping to use this as a way of limiting calories when I’m.
Thoughts and risks please.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I had a spell a good few years ago now when I fed my horses oat straw and no hay. They were living out and were good doers. We did it for economy reasons, couldn't do that now as straw nearly as expensive as hay, small bales at least.

 

[maya2008]

I fed my lot straw earlier this summer when there was no grass. They did fine on it. The yearlings are coming in at night at the moment to put a little weight on before winter. I give a certain amount of haylage, then let them eat the straw bed. It’s working well. In my experience, horses don’t like to eat straw from haynets (too spiky?) but will eat it just fine off the floor. It is still cheaper where I live than hay (£3 a bale cheaper) so we are going to do 50:50 for the winter - give about half the usual amount in haylage, then have straw always available. Mine are all good doer ponies who will thrive on it just fine.

You could also use grazing muzzles to limit intake with the grass spurt.

 

[riversideeu]

My cob has always had barley straw as I can not get oat straw. When recovering from laminitis and ems many years ago she had straw and top spec antilam and as soon as she starts to put on weight or there is a grass flush she comes in for a while every day and is on on straw.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We fed barley straw until the Draft horse got colic. Then we started feeding oat straw chaff. It's not cheaper than hay buts it's cheaper than vet bills!

 

[dreamcometrue]

Mine has a hay ball stuffed with barley straw as part of her forage. The rest is carefully weighed and soaked hay and a couple of hours out with a grazing muzzle. She is Insulin Resistant.

 

[rabatsa]

In the barn I have a large netted bale of barley straw available 24/7 and a hay portion given twice daily. Any horses here that need extra have been stabled with nets of hay/haylage, either overnight or for eating up time in the middle of the day.

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Two of mine have been having half their hay rations (in during day, out over night) of wheat straw for the last 6 or so months and are doing very well on it. Previous horses were bedded on wheat straw and reduced hay with the knowledge they would eat the bedding if hungry.

We started of giving 20% of hay ration as straw and worked up slowly until 50/50 obviously they have 12-14 hours of grass a day too so probably will not feed such a high proportion of straw in the winter