Feeding late night hay

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Sags_Deer

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Morning All

Those of you who are on yards or unable to give late night hay how do you manage?
My routine is going to change at some point and the person will give late hay for me will be unable to.

I was thinking of doubling up on hay at 5 and giving a small hole haynet on the days when I am unable to pop down at 7 and do it.

Thank you
 
I just make sure there’s enough. I don’t do mine until around 7pm but I either give a big net that I know will last the night (the ponies) or a reasonable net and another small holed net (the cob 🙄).
 
ester said:
I used to use one larger and one smaller holed net.
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This is what I do too! :-) I have one smaller holed small(ish) net and one large normal sized haylage net. Hung on either side of the stable so he has to move!
Also give him a treat ball with a few hay cobs in too keep him busy for 10 mins :D
 
Just make sure that the horse has enough to last the night, I wouldn't think that he eats a vast amount between 5 and 7 anyway, so it shouldn't cause a problem. He's not really going to suddenly start eating a very different amount because he's getting it all at one serving.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Just make sure that the horse has enough to last the night, I wouldn't think that he eats a vast amount between 5 and 7 anyway, so it shouldn't cause a problem. He's not really going to suddenly start eating a very different amount because he's getting it all at one serving.
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This, I do a late night check but they generally have enough to last all night so it is more for peace of mind and to make sure there really is enough until they are fully into the winter routine and I have guessed the correct quantity.
 
I just give one big haynet when they come in to last them all night. If they have none left in the morning i know they didnt have enough and if theres still some left i got it right! None of ours over the years have suffered from this routine
 
Rose get a huge haynet when she comes in she never gets through it by morning, Fatty gets a very small amount of soaked hay in a trickle net when he comes in and he gets another at 21.00 when I check them in the evening but that's only because he'd scoff the lot in half an hour otherwise. TBH I like "normal" horses to have something left over in the morning and usually I can just give them a huge haynet when they come in.
 
I have ginormous haynets and if I'm putting them to bed early then I put a smaller one in as well. They rarely finish it all up.
 
I am envious of those horses who have left overs- no matter how much hay I give my small welsh, every single scrap is gone by morning. I soak his hay so I can give him more of it but he just eats and eats until it is all gone! I’m giving my Connie 2kg of haylage when he comes in, and 8kg overnight and he’s now got a few leftovers in the morning on the floor so I’m assuming he’s got enough.
 
NinjaPony said:
I am envious of those horses who have left overs- no matter how much hay I give my small welsh, every single scrap is gone by morning. I soak his hay so I can give him more of it but he just eats and eats until it is all gone! I’m giving my Connie 2kg of haylage when he comes in, and 8kg overnight and he’s now got a few leftovers in the morning on the floor so I’m assuming he’s got enough.
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I wouldn't worry too much.
If either of my 2 small ones had left so much as a 1inch wisp of hay, I'd need to either check for botulism in the hay or get the vet on speed dial! Small natives are the worst to regulate with hay.
 
Wow.... I feel like I underfeed my little coblet with hay now. When you all say "massive haynet" do you know roughly how much it weighs?

I'm thinking about soaking the hay for an hour just to slow him down/ allow him to have more, but he has eaten it all by morning and is very hungry :(

Edited to add my mare was a gannet, and I tried the feeding as much as she needed so she didn't stuff, but unfortunately we got through 1 small bale of hay a night for 13 nights..... with no sign of slowing!
 
Dyllymoo said:
Wow.... I feel like I underfeed my little coblet with hay now. When you all say "massive haynet" do you know roughly how much it weighs?

I'm thinking about soaking the hay for an hour just to slow him down/ allow him to have more, but he has eaten it all by morning and is very hungry :(

Edited to add my mare was a gannet, and I tried the feeding as much as she needed so she didn't stuff, but unfortunately we got through 1 small bale of hay a night for 13 nights..... with no sign of slowing!
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If he's very hungry in the morning, he isn't getting enough forage. It doesn't have to be hay/lage. I have used plain oat straw chaff to supplement the hay ration in the past with an overweight horse and probably will do the same this winter for the cob, I would like her to go into next spring a bit slimmer than she is now but I certainly don't want to encourage ulcers/hunger.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
If he's very hungry in the morning, he isn't getting enough forage. It doesn't have to be hay/lage. I have used plain oat straw chaff to supplement the hay ration in the past with an overweight horse and probably will do the same this winter for the cob, I would like her to go into next spring a bit slimmer than she is now but I certainly don't want to encourage ulcers/hunger.
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To be fair as I haven't had him long (and he is a completely different type to my mare) I am still getting to grips with how much to feed him as I don't want him going in to spring too round.

I am buying a 2nd haynet tonight so will be able to soak a bit for him. I'm also tempted to feed him from the ground but I'm concerned he will stuff all of the hay and not have any left. I don't really like haynets but I guess if it slows him down a bit I cant really do anything about it.
 
I was going to suggest something like the flexi-rac trickle feeder but not sure they are still going.

re weight my 14.2 welsh would usually have 2x7lbish nets from about 6/7pm. Lates for me is 10pmish as have generally managed to live on site so that's when second net would go in.
 
Dyllymoo said:
Wow.... I feel like I underfeed my little coblet with hay now. When you all say "massive haynet" do you know roughly how much it weighs?

I'm thinking about soaking the hay for an hour just to slow him down/ allow him to have more, but he has eaten it all by morning and is very hungry :(

Edited to add my mare was a gannet, and I tried the feeding as much as she needed so she didn't stuff, but unfortunately we got through 1 small bale of hay a night for 13 nights..... with no sign of slowing!
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I use the Shires Blue/black ones for the cob. It’s full but taken from a round bale so not compacted like a fold of hay. He then has a teeny holed net (25mm) which takes him the rest of the night and he doesn’t usually finish it. He’d eat a small bale overnight too given the option.
 
ester said:
I was going to suggest something like the flexi-rac trickle feeder but not sure they are still going.

re weight my 14.2 welsh would usually have 2x7lbish nets from about 6/7pm. Lates for me is 10pmish as have generally managed to live on site so that's when second net would go in.
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Thank you, will have a look.

Sorry to have jumped on this thread, I have started another one so I don't bombard OP :)

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/feeding-hay-help.781472/
 
meleeka said:
I use the Shires Blue/black ones for the cob. It’s full but taken from a round bale so not compacted like a fold of hay. He then has a teeny holed net (25mm) which takes him the rest of the night and he doesn’t usually finish it. He’d eat a small bale overnight too given the option.
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That's the net he has as well. I just hate the way they pull at the nets with their teeth etc :( would love to find a better solution for him :)
 
I'm with FF - would be ringing the vet if any hay left in the morning! I have to spread feeds/hay etc throughout the day/night. Haynets given at 6pm and then chopped straw in big trugs at 10pm. Luckily non horsey OH is a night owl and does the late shift and I am a lark so up early to do morning feeds. Seems to be working well for the pampered fatties.
 
Dyllymoo said:
That's the net he has as well. I just hate the way they pull at the nets with their teeth etc :( would love to find a better solution for him :)
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I don't like haynets either and won't use them. That is why I feed oat straw chaff, it's much better for horses to eat from the ground as nature intended. We dotop hay up about 11.o'clock but they don't usually finish the earlier amount, it just stops it being thrown around the stable as they search for the best bits.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I don't like haynets either and won't use them. That is why I feed oat straw chaff, it's much better for horses to eat from the ground as nature intended. We dotop hay up about 11.o'clock but they don't usually finish the earlier amount, it just stops it being thrown around the stable as they search for the best bits.
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Oh I might try this. I gave him 6 big sections last night (on the floor) and he had finished by this morning at 6am..... I definitely need to soak it and/ or add something extra for him :)

Edited to add he wont eat oat straw chaff. He has been on Top Spec Top Chop Zero for 12 days and has refused to eat it morning and night (he gets a small breakfast and dinner as the whole yard gets fed together).

Fussy Cob!
 
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I don’t do late night hay, never have I just put in what I think is enough and if there is some left in the morning then good if not I add a little more until there is some left. I don’t have greedy horses mind you. My Welsh D youngster goes between 8-10kgs a night depending on his appetite and there is always some left :)

I just feed from a haybar and large standard haylege net tied above it as if I fill the haybar fully he just pulls it out and wastes it ;)
 
If they don't eat the chaff it's good. They will eat it when they're hungry. Mine spent a long time turning the bucket over and using it as bedding... I reduced her hay ration until she ate the chaff!

If I have her in overnight and can't get back for a late check she has half her hay in the hay bar and half in a net and a big bucket of chaff. I aim to have a few mouthful of chaff left in the morning. I'm pretty sure she eats all her hay in one go. Then stares resentfully at the chaff all night before giving in and eating it in the morning. I do like to have forage in front of them all the time but you have to balance that against the dangers of being fat and the practicality of having to go home and sleep yourself!
 
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