Feeding straw?

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phoebe.and.bonnie

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Bonnie's field is looking a bit bare and although she's by no means underweight I feel bad if she doesn't have anything to eat to keep her busy, so I've been putting a section or two of hay in her field each day. Managed to get hold of a few bales for free from the farm my boyfriend lives on a month or so ago, but these have nearly run out now. I was going to buy a few more when I went to buy her feed on Friday, but was a bit horrified by the fact that hay was £6.50 for a small bale and decided against it :)

I spose I could shop around and find some cheaper, but to be honest I'm a bit unwilling to spend loads of money on hay which she doesn't really seem to need :) She's not fat, but I would definitely say she is 'well-covered' so it's not as if I'm needing to keep the weight on her. I still have some unused straw bedding left over from winter, it's been stored well and is dry and not mouldy. Would it be ok to put some of that out in her field, just to give her something to munch on?
 
Ditto always left my fatty welsh in with a [barley and oat]straw bed to munch on with no problems. A small quantity won't harm her.
 
Or get a treatball and fill it full with a few nuts and chaff to keep her occupied for a few hours out?
 
If she doesnt need it then dont bother with the straw - if she wants something to keep her busy then she'll pick at any bits of grass she can find.
 
phoebe.and.bonnie said:
Bonnie's field is looking a bit bare and although she's by no means underweight I feel bad if she doesn't have anything to eat to keep her busy, so I've been putting a section or two of hay in her field each day. Managed to get hold of a few bales for free from the farm my boyfriend lives on a month or so ago, but these have nearly run out now. I was going to buy a few more when I went to buy her feed on Friday, but was a bit horrified by the fact that hay was £6.50 for a small bale and decided against it :)

I spose I could shop around and find some cheaper, but to be honest I'm a bit unwilling to spend loads of money on hay which she doesn't really seem to need :) She's not fat, but I would definitely say she is 'well-covered' so it's not as if I'm needing to keep the weight on her. I still have some unused straw bedding left over from winter, it's been stored well and is dry and not mouldy. Would it be ok to put some of that out in her field, just to give her something to munch on?
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I have the same problem, I have just started giving 1 section of soaked hay per day, not that he is wasting away, like you he has ample covering ! more to save my fencing as there is nothing in the field due to it being SO dry.
 
Phone around for some hay and see if you can get it cheaper than £6.50!!! Some farmers will sell it cheaper off the field or invest in a large bale which will probably last you longer. I have the really large rectangular bales which cost me £30 but they last me approx a month and that's even with my horse coming in at nights.

Soak it before feeding as this will reduce the calories ideally 24 hours (changing the water every 12hrs) but 12 hours will be ok. That way you can feed the same amount but you'll put less weight on them.
We use the large Tub Trug buckets (get 2) as while one is soaking you can drag the other one to the field, also it stops the hay from blowing away!!!

If you want to go down the straw route then try sticking to oat straw, barley is your second choice. However straw has been know to cause impaction colic and some horses don't eat straw as they don't find it palatable.
 
i know that you have to feed trakehnners straw but ive never heard that it is alright to feed other breeds straw, personally i wouldnt
 
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