Haylage v hay

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sharonmaskell

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I have a 17.1 thoroughbred who has dropped some weight recently. He is out during the day and stabled at night. I am changing him from hay to haylage and wondered what thoughts anybody had on the merits of doing this.
 
You can also a handful or something of Straw into there - a great way of slowly adding weight too, but only put a little bit in. As they say 'It doesn't matter if a skinny horse eats the bloody straw - At lease they will have some fat on them' Don't know if you have ever heard that but yeah.
 
Thanks for the advice. I think weight loss is a problem with thoroughbreds, and although he has got a great nature a lot of things seem to stress him out - also another thoroughbred quirk I think!!!!
 
I wouldn't add straw - that's something you add to a fattie's haynet (in place of some of the hay) to give bulk without calories. Plus a couple of handfuls of straw won't do anything useful.

OP, is the horse getting adlib hay (ie, has some leftover in the morning?)? If not then make sure he's getting adlib hay first, then start switching some of the hay for haylage. I wouldn't go straight for 100% haylage, gradually increase the amount of haylage in comparison to hay.

But yes, I've swapped a horse onto haylage in the past when it needs more weight. Also think about your hard feed - what does he get at the mo? Is he warm enough? Can you feed hay in the field too?
 
His haynet is always empty in the morning. He has a good quality chaff with nuts
and outshine twice a day. I do not think we could feed hay in the field as he shares with one other who is the dominent one of the pair (mine is 17.1 and his mate is a 14.2 cob! - work that one out). He is turned out in a heavyweight weatherbeeta combo and in the stable he has a heavyweight quilted weatherbeeta combo. He is not doing any work at the moment, but he is an ex racer so perhaps this may have something to do with it??
 
I would up his hay until there is always some left in the morning. I feed my 17hh boy ad lib (haylage now actually, but it was hay) and he ate nearly a small bale overnight.
 
Odd though it may sound, check he is warm enough if he is suddenly losing weight. He may need another light layer under his other rugs. Introduce the haylage gradually from the hay as well and weigh it. Haylage is much higher in sugar so bear that in mind. My yard tends to use a build-up mix with chaff and nuts for those who need extra weight putting on if forage won't do it quickly enough and that has worked really well for a variety of horses (though most seem to be TB or TB x's). Mine also get the infamous linseed added into their feed.
 
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