how many bales of hay...

[BringoutheBest]

I am not even giving hay yet to mine that live out :O and they are fatties, only just finished spring grass type dieting where we are, grass is growing a lot. (buckinghamshire)
My boy that comes in overnight is about 2/3 through a big round bale after 2 months or so. He is perfect condition, the other are all on chubby side. They are cobby types.

 

[classic_astra]

chrikey i havent even started feeding hay yet!

mind you i still have roughly 2 acres of grass thats been rested most of the summer. (i have two, 14hand cob mare and her 19 months filly)

usually i have 3 in the winter which i will have this winter and usually go through 1 large 8 string rectangle bales every 2 weeks

 

[noodle_]

2 small bales a week!

my horse is a good do-er though and we still have a little grass yet

i would start putting some out now in the field to save her field, however she wont touch it!! shes happy munching grass!

 

[Mince Pie]

yep about one a week haha! he gets about 2 sections a night, because he is on a diet.
another q, is it worth buying one of the bigg bales of hay? people at my yard are ordering a few big bales, and at the mo i have some small bales left. the big bales should last me 1-2 months, is it really worth it?

I would definitely say so, I use 1 big round bale per month between a 16.1 TB and 14.2 cob, both are ad lib although cobs is soaked. With the amount you are feeding I think a round bale would last you 2-3 months and I pay £35 for mine so would be very cost effective.

 

[Crazy Friesian]

3 horses and 4 Ponies - 1 round bale lasts about 4 days.
4 very compact small bales of hay - about 1 day.

My round bales are £35 - delivered
Small bales £4.50 undelivered.

 

[penhwnllys_stardust]

I have 10 round bales on order, they have had hay for the past 2 weeks and are half way through our first big bale. I get them for £21 delivered and they are really good quality. I've got a section D and a welsh mountain pony

 

[thatsmygirl]

I use 2 bales a day, so 14 a week. And neally a whole bale gos to a tb who has at lib, the rest need to be controled a bit due to Being fat. All out by day in at night. I get it in montly loads due to storage space. Pay £3.50 a bale

 

[cob&onion]

A small bale would be lasting me 1 - 2 days for a 15hh good doer cob and a poor doer TB, ave gone onto big round bales and these seem to be lasting me up to 3 weeks. Still have a bit of grass and they are both looking well

 

[Enfys]

I'm surprised at how little hay you all feed in the UK.


Right now I am feeding 1.5% of bodyweight in hay to each horse and that will increase to 2% as it gets colder.

I do think it's important to weigh the hay as slices/flakes can vary by several lbs.

I take it your horses are stalled then?
I can't imagine the logistics of trying to give a balanced individual hay ration to horses at pasture! I just give more hay when they haven't got any left!

Only the minis are rationed because they really are just bellies on legs and don't seem to have an 'off' switch when it comes to eating.