Feeding horses in an open shelter - HELP!

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janicesponies

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I have 2 horses that live out for 8 / 9 months a year. One is elderly and needs more feed than the other.Any tips please on feeding - I much prefer bulk products rather than bucket feed to reduce excitement? Obviously I can't get away from bucket food altogether but everthing is much calmer and easier without! The other horse is very good with him and does not bully him although she is anticipant where food is concerned! I would love them to be out as much as poss - even 12 months a year. The shelter is new 24 x 12 feet with sub floor and rubber matting so very cosy!
 
What's the question here? Your post sounds a little confusing to me (Yes.. I am half asleep :( )

Are you wanting to know which feed you could feed for bulk to keep them out all year round ?
 
I am wanting to know what can I feed both which will be of particular benefit to him? He loves to nibble hay etc and gets bored of bucket feeds - is there something very nutritious and fibrous?
 
I have the same problem - 3 horses, open shelter. One pony laminitic potbelly, one buxom cob, one elderly TB gentleman who needs better quality food. What I do from autumn on, but it's easy for me as I work from home, is to give all three their hard (bucket) feed in the morning, which always includes linseed (in larger quantities for the old man). I rope them off, like in army lines, while they're eating hard food. Then the other two get their goodbye carrot and push off onto the grass again. I leave the old body roped off till they've gone, and then quietly put a heap of haylage for him to munch through in the back of the shelter. Perhaps my horses are particularly stupid, but they never come back to see what he's doing. He potters off when he's finished the haylage.

When real winter sets in,they all get piles of haylage, (have to feed haylage because the cob has a respiratory problem). Always more little piles than there are horses, so there's no need for bullying. If someone is pushy then the 'victim' just moves on to the net pile. They younger fatties tend to stuff for a bit and then move off; the old one sticks around and I top him up.

It really works, but only because I'm around to supervise it. I think if you have to be elsewhere you are going to have to keep your older horswe separate at some time of the day in order to make sure he gets his fair whack.
 
The elderly horse is probably going to need more than just ad-lib haylage isn't it? I give my fatty a token bucket feed, just a bit of balancer and a smidge of Top Spec zero sugar chaff, and then let the one who needs to eat more into a small electric tape enclosure so he can eat in peace. I expect you could do something similar with your setup. And of course loads of forage as mentioned above.
 
agree that adlib hay / haylage is necessary and old chap needs to have a feed in the peace and quiet if at all possible

I know that my mare will not steal my welsh lads feed but he will steal hers if he finishes first so I have finely tuned their feeds with unmollassed chop and bulking his out so that they finish at the same time (although actually they both have very little) Maybe give the other horses something like topspec lite chop or ready grass whilst the old chap has a bukcet feed without being hassled which is low volume but high calories / nutrional value for what he needs (whether oil, outshine, balancer etc etc). This wont work though if your horses keep swapping buckets!!

If he has grass and additional hay in winter then he should be happy picking at this to keep him from being bored
 
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