How late is too late to feed???

[Nativelover]

YO seems to be changing morning feed times as and when it suits. I've been up this morning, fed, turned out, mucked out etc all before 9am and YO was still not out.
Now yes it's sunday and everyone wants a lie in, but I think 9 is a bit late. These times aren't isolated to weekends either!
I just think it's too late, but might it be acceptable to some???

 

[Pinkvboots]

It does seem late mine are fed about 7am most yards I have worked on latest we ever fed was 8am, if the yo is not happy to feed earlier you could do a rota for the whole yard so everyone has a turn if there is quite a few of you it works out you only have to feed once or twice a month, we did it at one yard and it worked out quite well.

 

[Speedyfluff]

I think it depends how late they were fed the night before. I give hay before I go to bed, so 10-11pm. But the latest they are fed in the morning is 8.30, but usually 7.30. However, so long as they have adequate forage and water, then I don't have a problem with people feeding later.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I don't think the time of feeding is really that important, the time of feeding after exercise if far more important. I believe that horses like routine, they know what to expect & when to expect it & that leads to contentment. Varying the times of feed in a morning will also mean a vary in turn out time & it will have a knock on effect & this will lead to unhappy & impatient horses. Varying the time a little isn't too bad but changing it by several hours isn't good.

 

[Chuffy99]

Not feeding before exercise is a recipe for ulcers

 

[flirtygerty]

I totally disagree with this, what happens if you are late/breakdown etc, having a set routine encourages gathering round gates waiting to come in, my four don't have a set routine, when I want them in I whistle, they come to the gate, I take them in, lead one and the others follow, no pushing or barging, they know that when I whistle and have headcollars they come in, I deliberately stagger the times I feed/check them, except for the mornings, they are always checked around 6 am just because of work hours

 

[AdorableAlice]

Not feeding before exercise is a recipe for ulcers

and that is why forage should always be freely available. No horse should rely on bucket feed to fill his gut.

Time wise, if I was paying for care I would expect a normal yard routine and all horses fed at the same time. As a lowly diy they have to fit around the hand that earns the money to feed them and if that hand has worked late and is knackered they might have to wait a bit, but all mine are on big bale adlib.

 

[dollyanna]

I totally disagree with this, what happens if you are late/breakdown etc, having a set routine encourages gathering round gates waiting to come in, my four don't have a set routine, when I want them in I whistle, they come to the gate, I take them in, lead one and the others follow, no pushing or barging, they know that when I whistle and have headcollars they come in, I deliberately stagger the times I feed/check them, except for the mornings, they are always checked around 6 am just because of work hours

This - none of my animals have a set routine with times so I don't have to worry if I get caught up and it causing them anxiety. Mine are out anyway so get fed at whatever time I go and see them (if and when they are fed) but when they are in the have ad lib hay available 24/7, feeds happen when I go.

Even if I had more normally stabled horses I wouldn't feed at the same time every day if I had a choice, I find they are much more relaxed and less likely to stress about food and life in general if they learn that things happen when they happen. Food is food - if they have hay then food in a bucket doesn't need to be given early necessarily as they have food if they want it.

 

[Nativelover]

Problem is only the YO and myself are there on a morning. I have no routine as I can be at the yard at any time from 05.30 to 9 am or not at all, I suppose I'm naffed off as I pay for feeding and turning out but have been told he's often still not fed/turned out by 9.30-9.45 ( on the mornings I don't go) which I think is too late.
No other liveries go on a morning, so a rota is out of the question.
The horses create as soon as they see someone, so comments have been made in the past about my early mornings and being told to pay YO and she will do it. There's not a horse on the yard that has ad lib, most ( not mine!) are finished off by 4pm and that's when their night nets go in.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Problem is only the YO and myself are there on a morning. I have no routine as I can be at the yard at any time from 05.30 to 9 am or not at all, I suppose I'm naffed off as I pay for feeding and turning out but have been told he's often still not fed/turned out by 9.30-9.45 ( on the mornings I don't go) which I think is too late.
No other liveries go on a morning, so a rota is out of the question.
The horses create as soon as they see someone, so comments have been made in the past about my early mornings and being told to pay YO and she will do it. There's not a horse on the yard that has ad lib, most ( not mine!) are finished off by 4pm and that's when their night nets go in.

That is 17 hours from put away to open up. Time to look for a new yard I think.

 

[nato]

Mine is on Full livery and all horses on the yard are fed between 9-9.30am every morning. I don't consider it too late and my horse is very happy.

 

[PeterNatt]

Horses should be able to trickle feed. i.e. have an available source of food 24/7. The reason so many horses these day suffer from stomach ulcers is because they are deprived of food for long periods of time. Suggest you move your horse.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Mine is on Full livery and all horses on the yard are fed between 9-9.30am every morning. I don't consider it too late and my horse is very happy.

He will only be happy and healthy if he has hay left from his overnight net.

 

[Nativelover]

Horses should be able to trickle feed. i.e. have an available source of food 24/7. The reason so many horses these day suffer from stomach ulcers is because they are deprived of food for long periods of time. Suggest you move your horse.

Totally agree, hence why I feed my own on a night when I'm there. I actually think mine is the only one who hasn't finished his hay by 10pm!!! As for moving, believe me I'm trying!

 

[nato]

He will only be happy and healthy if he has hay left from his overnight net.

And she does.

 

[ossy]

I'm on full livery and they are last Hayed at about 9 at night and during week they are fed around 8am and at weekends around 9am all seem fine with this, during the week they get hard feed and a net at 8 as usual turning out time is not till 9.30 anyway so at weekend turnout times are not much different. I assume the horses are on assisted diy? So owners finish them off the night before and then YO puts their feeds in in the morning? If so then owners need to be making sure their horses have enough to keep them going through the night.

 

[_Annie_]

I don't think it's too late, providing they still have hay. Mine have never really had a set routine & so long as they've still got forage they're not bothered what time their buckets go in.

 

[ester]

After midnight is too late

 

[EQUIDAE]

I think the time between feeds is more important than the actual time. If a horse is netted and bedded at 3pm (before the school run) and then seen at 7am the next morning - that is 16 hours (but appears like an early morning). A horse that is bedded and netted at 10pm (as mine are) and then fed at 9am have only gone 11 hours between nets, yet I appear like a lazy owner compared to the one who gets there at 7am.

 

[SallyBatty]

I think the time between feeds is more important than the actual time. If a horse is netted and bedded at 3pm (before the school run) and then seen at 7am the next morning - that is 16 hours (but appears like an early morning). A horse that is bedded and netted at 10pm (as mine are) and then fed at 9am have only gone 11 hours between nets, yet I appear like a lazy owner compared to the one who gets there at 7am.

Agree with this.

 

[ShadowHunter]

Mine doesn't have a strict routine either. I don't see any point in having it so they get worked up and stressed if you're ever delayed. I do things in roughly the same order but the times can vary depending on what I'm doing. After all, horses are supposed to fit around us.

However, OP it doesn't sound like an ideal situation, especially if your horse is running out of hay in the night.

 

[happyclappy]

I totally disagree with this, what happens if you are late/breakdown etc, having a set routine encourages gathering round gates waiting to come in, my four don't have a set routine, when I want them in I whistle, they come to the gate, I take them in, lead one and the others follow, no pushing or barging, they know that when I whistle and have headcollars they come in, I deliberately stagger the times I feed/check them, except for the mornings, they are always checked around 6 am just because of work hours

Another that agrees with this. I have no rigid set times they lays have forage, no problem

 

[AmyMay]

How many horses is the YO responsible for in the mornings?

 

[Tobiano]

This is a very interesting and thought-provoking thread. I agree with the comments about the time which a horse is left without forage BUT, how exactly is one supposed to manage that whilst ensuring your horse is not over-fed? If you have a good doer, you want to feed no more than 2% of bodyweight in forage, is that really going to last them 24 hours without any gap? And don't they sleep for 6 - 8 hours in 24 anyway.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

duplicate post due to computer freezing

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

YO seems to be changing morning feed times as and when it suits. I've been up this morning, fed, turned out, mucked out etc all before 9am and YO was still not out.
Now yes it's sunday and everyone wants a lie in, but I think 9 is a bit late. These times aren't isolated to weekends either!
I just think it's too late, but might it be acceptable to some???

Sorry we start at 9 and 8 weekends don't see the problem personally YO needs a lie in!! why not. I start 6.30am all week why shouldn't a Y/O get a break

 

[Wagtail]

This is a very interesting and thought-provoking thread. I agree with the comments about the time which a horse is left without forage BUT, how exactly is one supposed to manage that whilst ensuring your horse is not over-fed? If you have a good doer, you want to feed no more than 2% of bodyweight in forage, is that really going to last them 24 hours without any gap? And don't they sleep for 6 - 8 hours in 24 anyway.

Horses sleep for a maximum of four hours a day. There are slow feeders available. I use trickle nets for the fatties.

 

[Nativelover]

Sorry we start at 9 and 8 weekends don't see the problem personally YO needs a lie in!! why not. I start 6.30am all week why shouldn't a Y/O get a break

Because it's changing!! Luckily for my boy I feed late, but I'm not happy with him not being turned out until nearly 10am on his out days. I hate the thought of him being without forage for hours on end and I work towards him being fed at around 8-8.30. This is what I was told was the routine.
Plus when I put him on full livery occasionally I have to live with the fact he may have a gap of 17hrs between feeds! Maybe I have unattainable standards/expectations and am therefore being unreasonable !
I completely agree with the YO wanting a lie in, I know I would!!! But what I don't agree with, is advising of the change and providing us liveries with a choice!

 

[SO1]

My pony is on part livery and is normally fed at 7am and turned out by 7.30am. Sometimes at the weekends if YO is going to a early show they get fed and turned out earlier.

Normal hay time is between 4.30-5pm and late night extra hay for those who need it is between 9-10pm. Good doer native ponies and cobs who need to have hay rationed have soaked hay in greedy nets.

YO says horses like routine so she tries to keep the basic routine the same every day.

I think the issue with varying of feed times by several hours is that if you are on assisted DIY and you don't know what time your horse is going to get turned out or fed then it is difficult to work out how much hay to leave them so they are not left for very long times without forage.

 

[Casey76]

At my yard they get morning haylage at 6, hard feed at 8, turnout at 9, in at 5 (night hay already in boxes) and fed at 7-8

Because I do my own nets, my horses don't get their evening hay until 8 (though they always have some left from the previous night)

Unless for medical reasons I prefer not to have a strict routine as it makes horses anticipate.