Feeding hay in the field

[cpendle]

I've got two horses turned away this winter. I feed them once a day (hard feed) but the grass in the field is looking pretty sparse now and I really need to start haying.

My problem is that there is no storage/barn on site and the field isnt near my house or indeed near a road. At the moment I've been driving up individual small bales of hay, but that takes time I don't really have during the week when I'm working.

A friend suggested getting a big haylage round bale delivered to the field and just letting them help themselves. Do you think this would work? Would they lose interest in it after its been rained on a few times?

Or alternatively anyone got any better ideas?

 

[_OC_]

A big round bale of haylage works well,and gives some form of 'food on tap',but will you be able to get it to the field due to lack of acess?

 

[kerilli]

a big bale works perfectly, although it's best in a ring feeder of some kind otherwise they'll trash a lot of it. they tend to pig out for the first few days and then slow down when they realise there's a plentiful supply! they don't mind it being rained on at all. a big bale will prob last 2 a week, more or less. just make sure the farmer checked the field for ragwort, obviously.

 

[AmyMay]

We big bale horses turned out for the winter. Whilst it tends not to be for 2 horses only - if you have difficulty accessing the field then it's the perfect solution for you.

As long as you have someone that can deliver it for you - Farmer with tractor??

 

[nadinek82]

I agree totally with kerilli. To minimise any waste buy a big bale of hay instead of haylage cause haylage goes off quicker. Plus the ring feeder stops them from pawing at it and wasting it(which my horses both do)!