Hay when stabled?

[Sci]

Skye is currently out 24/7 but will be coming in over night from Friday. At themoment she is getting a feed in the morning one at lunch and one at tea (she was/is underweight when got her). And she has 2 slabs of hay during day and two overnight. She is slowly gaining weight with this.
When I startstabling her on Friday should I knock the day time hay off (still good amount of grass in field) and give her two haynets for overnight? She will still behaving her 3 hard feeds a day.

 

[the watcher]

If the horse needs to gain/retain some weight I would continue to offer the additional hay - you will know within a couple of days whether it is needed and can cut back if it is being left in the field

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I would never cut down on hay before hard feed....

 

[Pearlsasinger]

^^^^^
Good quality hay is the best thing for good healthy longterm weight gain which will not cause stomach ulcers etc. I used to own a TBxWelshD who had been'fed up' from a poor state by a previous owner on hard feed and she had developed all sorts of food sensitivities.
Instead of hard feed if you feels she needs more than good hay I would feed grass or alfalfa pellets, much more natural than cereals.

 

[Snowysadude]

i woluld stop feeding hay in the field, or switch to haylage at night as well as hay (one haynet each poss if she is ok with the sugar?) to add bulk

 

[bethyboox]

I would continue to feed the same as now but offer ad lib hay at night, when she is up to weight you can cut out the day time hay or the amount of hard feed you give.
I find it better to feed more fibre to help them gain weight.
Good luck

 

[Tinypony]

Cut the hard feed before you cut the hay. Horses need a constant movement of fibre through the gut to keep healthy. I can't bear seeing horses with one wedge of hay chucked over the door at about 5 pm to last them the whole night. Sorry, but I can't!

 

[Divasmum]

My advice would fit in what has already been said. Don't cut the hay down.

 

[teddyt]

If the horse still needs to gain weight then still give hay in the field plus ad lib at night when in the stable. Continue wih the usual hard feed. As the weather gets colder the horse will need more calories anyway.

 

[woolyjumper]

If the grazing is acceptable, I would cut out the hay given out in the field, but make sure she has add lib hay overnight.