Hay for horses out 24/7

[oldhat]

Hi there, a question for those whose horses are still living out-are you supplementing with hay etc yet? My two good doers only have 2 1/2 acres of grass to go at all year so they have to come in at night in winter when they obviously get hay, but at the mo I'm trying to get a bit of weight off and they still seem to be finding enough to eat. Has anyone started giving them a wee bit out in the field?

 

[Irishbabygirl]

I offered mine a bit when it tipped it down the other day. It got left! They've plenty of good grass and don't need it yet, I was just feeling sorry for them!

 

[TigerTail]

As above!

 

[here_i_am]

^^^ same^^^ Put some out for them the other day, they picked at it for a few minutes, then walked off. I was like "sod you then!!"

 

[Bertolie]

Not feeding any hay in the field yet - mine need to lose a bit more weight first!

 

[TGM]

If they still need to lose some weight then that gives you your answer - no hay needed for them yet!

Whether other people are feeding hay or not shouldn't influence your decision as their horses and grazing may be very different to yours!

 

[oldhat]

Yes I think I was also feeling sorry for them! I don't think they need it yet either, I usually go by the amount of poos they've done and at the mo there is still as much as usual! Mr haffy tho is eating dead thistles with a sad wistful look on his face and mrs coblet spends most of the day looking like she's taking a bow as she tries to eat through the fencing!!

 

[Jools1234]

i struggled down the track (its 15mins walk on a good day) in the snow a couple of yrs ago loaded with haynets for the kids welsh A she had a couple of bites and wandered off dug up some snow and carried on eating the grass-they really are ungrateful at times

 

[PandorasJar]

No.

They have acres of grass and when we start feeding will gate hang and stop grazing, so will only hay when not enough grass going through their system or poor doers.

 

[travelmad]

im a sucker so they had hay 24/7 all summer - they are on grass livery and my paddock is not huge.

 

[winchester]

Me!

My two fatties are on a bald field and i am giving them one big section (from big rectangle bale) of hay a day!

They started hanging round the gate fighting and being generally grouchy so i started haying them about 2 weeks ago. They are still loosing weight

My winter field is knee high in lush grass so im waiting as long as i can before i turn them out on it (hopefuly when the clocks change) so the goodness would have gone out of it by then.