Horsehage or alternative

E

emfen1305

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 December 2015
Messages
1,046
Visit site
Posting quite a lot recently - sorry you will all be bored of hearing "my horse is on box rest" (only 2 more weeks to go!) but two weeks in and he seems to have really taken against eating haylage despite my many attempts to make it more interesting (a few nets scattered around, in the haybar, big holed nets, net over the door etc) and although I am not weighing it, when I take the net out in the morning to swap it seems as heavy as when I put it in the night before. I don't know if it is the bale as our haylage is usually dry but this batch is much wetter and has that haylage smell. I tried him with a bit of hay but wasn't fussed on that either so starting to think he might just be bored of it if that is possible!

Having the camera helps and I can see he does eat a bit but spends pretty much all day resting or with his head over the door. I know he is not using as much energy so doesn't need to eat much but will gobble up alternative sources of food like a soaked grass block or his treat ball with fibre nuggets in so was thinking of getting something like horsehage and see if he will eat that. I'd continue with the grass blocks but they only last 10 minutes maximum and want to encourage him to eat for longer. Is there anything else anyone would recommend? I wouldn't be bothered but he is prone to ulcers and currently on treatment as assuming they have come back so want to try and encourage him to eat a bit more consistently throughout the day. Thanks!
 
Every so often we get a big bale for the yard which mine won't touch. When it happens, I just buy him a small bale of Silvermoor haylage until the yard finish the offending bale and we can open a new one. Might that be an option?
 
Just depends what you require. I use Horsehage over other brands as I know exactly what it's made up of, whereas cheaper or own made brands are usually composed of ryegrass which is an absolute no no of you have an ems or laminitic type or something very sugar sensitive. You may find another local brand which could be of use. I know how you feel, ours are in at the moment and just fed up with everything.
 
I won't touch Horsehage any more. I used to use it years ago and it was consistent quality, then I had some truly horrid bales... Plus it's expensive.
If you have a Mole Valley Farmers store near you then their own brand is good, as is the branded meadow haylage they sell.
 
C1airey said:
Every so often we get a big bale for the yard which mine won't touch. When it happens, I just buy him a small bale of Silvermoor haylage until the yard finish the offending bale and we can open a new one. Might that be an option?
Click to expand...

Luckily with the rubbish weather we are going through a bale in about 10 days but looking at the other bales they all look the same so not sure the next one will be any better and I have to buy haylage off the yard so will be paying for 1/3 of a bale as well as the bagged stuff which will be expensive. He is eating it just not as consistently as I would like so wanted to try and offer something a bit more palatable but not a bucket of something that he wolfs down! I might call round the local feed places and see what they have!
 
TotalMadgeness said:
Devon Haylage do nice haylage of different types (rye, meadow, timothy) and the quality is consistent. The haylage is also quite dry and smells gorgeous.
Click to expand...

Looks lovely but seems that you can only buy by the pallet load if you don't live down there and only wanted a couple of bags to tide me over until he goes back out has a bit of variety again!
 
If you're in the nw I assume you have a Carr's BIllington near you? Their own small haylage is nice and reasonabley priced but it is ryegrass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top