How many bales of hay per day for 2 horses?

viceversa

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Both out 24/7 on little grazing. One 15hh one 16hh. Both good doers. How many of the small £3/£4 bales of hay per day? Just a pondering 😁
 

autumn7

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I would work on 1 1/2 small bales daily between two horses that size when feeding ad-lib. Small bales tend to weigh around 18 - 20 kg a bale.
 

DD

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my 2 horses with grass to eat are eating one and a half bales a day they also have 2 small bucket feeds.
 
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It depends how much work they are doing but just as a ball park figure 1 - 1 1/2 bales is reasonable but it also depends on the quality of the hay; poor quality hay will need more to give the same amount energy (though if the horses will eat poor quality hay is another matter entirely of course lol :p )
 

Pearlsasinger

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It depends very much on the horses, not just their heights but their build and temperaments make a difference. I would allow up to 2 bales per day but actually at those prices, I would feel big baled hay, it works out much cheaper!.
 

GTRJazz

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I used to get through five to six bales a week each horse when they were in 24/7 over winter, with three horses and at £5.90 a bale it was my biggest expense.
 

irishdraft

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Gosh my 2 IDS 16.2 one retired one hunting only eat 3 slices a night if that between them from a small bale they are on reasonable grass the hunter has 2 decent feeds a day the retired has handful of nuts they are out 24/7
 

Leo Walker

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My 14.2hh good doer was eating 1/2 to 2/3s of a small bale a day with turnout in daylight hours. It was usually more towards the 1/2 but if he came in or out earlier then it was more.
 

viceversa

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It depends how much work they are doing but just as a ball park figure 1 - 1 1/2 bales is reasonable but it also depends on the quality of the hay; poor quality hay will need more to give the same amount energy (though if the horses will eat poor quality hay is another matter entirely of course lol :p )

They are only in light work through winter. And they will eat most things they’re pretty greedy!! Neither require extra energy, they have no hard feed, it’s purely to fill them and keep them happy ☺️
 

viceversa

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It depends very much on the horses, not just their heights but their build and temperaments make a difference. I would allow up to 2 bales per day but actually at those prices, I would feel big baled hay, it works out much cheaper!.

I actually found it didn’t! Although I can only get large wrapped hay for £35 which really isn’t that large! Last me 10 days max. The small bale I’m getting is £3 so if I use 1 per day it would actually be cheaper, either way I don’t think there will be much in it.
 

chaps89

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We have 2 out on under 2 acres, it's grazed down but they're finding bits to eat as are usually grazing when I get there. They both have a bucket feed each day (year-long has proper feed, mine has chaff and the teeniest tiniest handful of releve) and a bale if hay between them - half in the morning, half at night. They have lost a little weight this way (they both need to!) but in all honesty probably not as much as I'd like. So for 2 slightly bigger horses that don't need to lose weight and with no grass I'd say at least a bale and a half a day between them, maybe 2 depending on weather and ground conditions.
 

viceversa

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We have 2 out on under 2 acres, it's grazed down but they're finding bits to eat as are usually grazing when I get there. They both have a bucket feed each day (year-long has proper feed, mine has chaff and the teeniest tiniest handful of releve) and a bale if hay between them - half in the morning, half at night. They have lost a little weight this way (they both need to!) but in all honesty probably not as much as I'd like. So for 2 slightly bigger horses that don't need to lose weight and with no grass I'd say at least a bale and a half a day between them, maybe 2 depending on weather and ground conditions.

Thanks! The 15hh definitely needed to lose weight coming into winter, he’s looking a bit better now. The 16hh I don’t want to lose any more. I am monitoring him, he looks well but will have a bucket feed if necessary. May start on 1 bale out at night and see what’s left the next morning!
 
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