horses eating less? bored of hay/haylage?

[Jericho]

Is haylage more filling / satisfying than normal hay or grass and is eating less of it normal behaviour for horses that have access to rich haylage when they cant browse and graze for grass?

I have the luxury that I can see my horses from my kitchen and living room windows and they are currently in a small paddock with no access to grass (because its covered in snow or mud) and I have noticed that now they cant graze they hardly spend anytime actually eating. Eveytime I look out they are standing in the snow sleeping or gazing into the distance.

was having a problem with my hay and was having to use some late cut stuff that they didnt like particularly so thought that was the problem. I finally got a delivery of some lovely haylage that they usually love and they still dont seem to be bothered.
They tucked in initially and were trying to rip open the bags as I was putting it in the store shed so I assumed that meant they liked it and it was a good batch!! But no ...this morning half of it was left. They wander in and out of their field shelter take a few mouthfuls and wander out again, then spend another hr just standing around.

I guessed I always assumed that horses generally eat for a large amount of time.... I wouldnt be bothered usually as my mare is quite tubby anyway but my big lad drops weight so quickly.

Anyone elses horses doing the same?

Perhaps I should stop looking out of the window and wasting time watching them all the time!!!

 

[Dawng]

Actually I can ditto just about everything you've said - I just think they get full quicker eating hay than when they are grazing so have to spend less time eating - just as long as they are keeping condition - nothing to worry about. Although I think my ponies are going a bit stir crazy - haven't seen the ground for snow for over 3 weeks!

 

[Mabel98]

Mine is eating much less hay at night in the stable but looks really well (probably a bit too well as she isn't doing any work) so it must be the hay in the field. Often she is just standing dozing with her friend in the snow like you say!

 

[Pep12]

Hi sorry going to get very boring here. Horse's intakes are governed by dry Matter ( the part of the feed when the water is taken out) as a percentage of body weight. Obviously grass is much wetter than hay ( espec in the winter) and they have to eat a lot of it to achieve their dry matter intake, hence when they do get given hay (in the stable at night) they will eat a fair amount to make up the difference. If hay/haylage (high dry matter) is all that they get then they will (obviously) spend less time eating to feel satisfied. This is probably why they are all looking a bit fed up at the moment (well mine are anyway!). They have extra time on their hands that they don't know what to do with, so sleeping or staring around or biting each other is probably as good as it gets. Poor boys and girls

 

[maxapple]

My pony has a flat sheltered area in his field that I cleared totally this morning and then covered in redi-grass and carrots! Kept him amused for ages!