How Many Bales Of Hay?

[Sammy.Daydream]

I am getting a horse on loan soon which is to be kept at a DIY livery yard. I'm just pricing things up so i have a rough idea how much I'll be spending weekly and monthly. this isn't going to be set in stone obviously! Its mainly because my mum wants to be nosey and see what im spending.

but just got to the hay part of this table I've drawn out and i just don't know how many bales the horse would eat on average a week! I'm talking about the small ones

I have always used big round bales of haylage before, but this horse is better on hay. so this whole hay business is new to me!

The horse is a 18.3hh Irish draft x shire, he will be turned out during the day and stabled at night.

i would attach a photo, but i dont have any of my own, just the owners ones, and i dont want to go upsetting anyone really.

so if someone could please help, i'd be eternally greatful.

 

[traceyann]

Well my 17 hand WB whos a good doer gets though six a week and on good grazing in the winter and about three in summer as grazing up to his knees

 

[Eriskayowner]

At the moment my three (17.2hh Cleveland Bay x and 2 13hh natives) are getting through just over just over a bale of good hay a day between them. There's not much grass in their field at the moment but all are on the slightly overweight (!) side so I'd rather underfed than overfeed, especially the natives.

There's usually a bit left in their stables and the field though so it's about right for them

 

[teasle]

Is this a daydream? If not, please have a good, long discussion with your mum- if she is financing this. She is not just being nosey- she needs to know to budget. A horse that size will eat a lot and be expensive in other ways too.

 

[teasle]

Sorry for doubting you- is the horse the loverly grey that you are riding in one of your previous posts- if so when you take over responsibility for feeding find out from the previous keeper what the horse has been used to and take it from there.

 

[ABC]

My 16.3/17 hand lad eats pretty much 1 small bale a day but his grazing isn't very good at the moment. I order a big bale of hay instead, which costs me £30 and it lasts about 3/4 weeks

 

[FairyLights]

depends on how much grass is available during the day but a minimum of 1 small bale a day possibly quite a lot more

 

[nikCscott]

It also depend how good the grass is and what else you are feeding.

My 16.2hh WB who is not a good doer only gets through 2 /3 bales a week but he is turned out 5/6 hours a day on grass that is still really good and is feed with D&H build up, nuts and oil.

Ring his owner and ask as I would imagine he gets through a bit!

 

[Wagtail]

A horse that size would probably get through the best part of a bale a day in the winter.

 

[dumpling]

That's a big chap!

I have a 14hh good doer pony, he goes through 2 bales per week roughly in winter with good grazing. If we had a guy like yours he'd probably go through around 4/5bales per week

 

[pawprints1]

Hi there I have a 17h sports horse she gets through approx 5-6 bales of marksway small bales per week and is stabled most of the time through winter. Good luck

 

[Miss L Toe]

I would budget a bale a day, ie £35 per week, £160 per months, I suggest you get a pony which will eat half this and be more fun to ride, a big horse is OK for a big rider, but otherwise best to get something more suitable, also you will need a double stable, so that is twice the price, farrier will charge more also any vet treatments double the average!

 

[dumpling]

Transportation can be a pain too. Not to mention getting rugs on and off!

 

[CazD]

I would budget a bale a day, ie £35 per week, £160 per months, I suggest you get a pony which will eat half this and be more fun to ride, a big horse is OK for a big rider, but otherwise best to get something more suitable, also you will need a double stable, so that is twice the price, farrier will charge more also any vet treatments double the average!

I kinda agree with this - a big horse is going to be very expensive. They eat more, need bigger stables so more bedding, double wormer price etc etc.

I'm so glad I'm small enough to get away with a pony LOL

 

[TicTac]

I agree that a horse that size would need a bale of hay a day for maintainence at least in the winter, especially if the grazing is not very good. You may even have to feed hay during the summer. Therfore I would calculate 7 x 52 divide 12 = 30 bales per month @ £4.00 p/bale = £120.00 a month. Hopefully in the summer you wont have to feed hay but unless your grazing is fantastic a big horse like that will need it's fibre intake supplementing.

 

[smellsofhorse]

Id say a bale s day but if turn out is good and its a good doer you might get away with half.

You would save money buying large bales.

 

[CBFan]

My large 17hh and still growing CB is on 2/3rds of a bale of hay a night so that works out about 5 bales a week although some of the bales in the barn are pathetically small where others are a decent size.

I would buget for getting on for a bale a day but do be mindfull that bale sizes vary considerably between suppliers and depending on the field it was cut from...

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Okay reading all of this I feel like I'm starving my horses..........I go through roughly 24 bales a month of small bales of hay, the 13'hh,14'3, 15'2 and 1xxx6hh all go through a bale a week unless they have to be in at any time which is rare and the 16'3 tb goes through 2 bales a week as he has 3 slices a night any more and they waste it but was do have good quality grazing. Our yard owners really look after the grazing so we are lucky in that respect. None apart from little pony and 15'2 and the tb are on feed but that's only a very small amount and the tb will be coming off it once he finishes this bag.

Xxx

 

[Stinkbomb]

WOW!! Im glad i have minis!!! One bale a WEEK in winter ( with grazing! ) and prob less in the summer!!! And thats between two, and ad lib!!!!

 

[luckyhorseshoe]

My little lady (14.2/3ish) gets through 5 bales a week in the winter for night time and the odd net when she is being groomed etc. although grazing isnt great. Summer alot less as she's out the majority of the time.

 

[cumbriamax]

At least one bale a day, I'd be tempted to adlib it.what about any hard feed!

 

[only_me]

Billy (17h idxtb) when was out during day and in at night ate at least half a bale a day, he is in full time now for various reasons & eats nearly a bale a day - but I have a huge haynet so I would fill it up in the morning & would last till the next morning!
But at the size of your boy I would say that he will eat approx bale and a bit a day!

 

[Fantasy_World]

I would budget a bale a day, ie £35 per week, £160 per months, I suggest you get a pony which will eat half this and be more fun to ride, a big horse is OK for a big rider, but otherwise best to get something more suitable, also you will need a double stable, so that is twice the price, farrier will charge more also any vet treatments double the average!

Sorry but would have to disagree with some of this. The estimation of a bale a day is probably correct and I would much rather over estimate on cost than to to under estimate it.
It may be better OP if you can get big bales of hay, whether rectangle or round as they will work out cheaper than smaller ones. However it depends on availability, storage and if you can collect or have to have them delivered, in which case some folks will only deliver a minimum amount of more than one.
I would not say that a pony is more fun to ride than a large horse. It all depends on the individual and what the rider wants to achieve on said horse.
If jumping etc then a pony will have its height limits in competitions whereas a horse has further scope for jumping on the whole depending on breed, conformation, height and any injury or condition that may limit jumping potential.
Rugs etc are usually the same price. I paid roughly the same for a 7'3 lw turnout rug as I did for a 4'9 for my youngster!
BIG RIDERS don't need BIG HORSES! Will folks please stop making this assumption.
We don't need 18 hand houses to ride!
Some people may just prefer to ride bigger horses, hell I have seen many short and skinny people aboard 17 hand plus horses schooling them.
You don't need a double stable either so long as it is around 12x12 or bigger. My big horse has coped ok in your average stable.
To OP depending on what bedding you are planning on using, if anything other than straw then consider getting some mats in the summer months for next winter if your horse can go out 24/7 in summer. With the dosh you will be saving in summer if that is the case invest in some matting which will not only make your horse more comfortable and be a layer between himself and concrete floor, but should also mean you should use a little less bedding.
Any farrier I have known or used have charged the same in the past to shoe my clydesdale cross with feet like plates as they have for my cob or tb.
I don't know of many who charge any extra, not in Staffs or Cheshire, unsure about rest of the country.
As for vet treatments then again not much difference. Most treatments are the same across the board, blood tests etc. Wormer may be a little more expensive as you may have to use more than one tube depending on size although some do up 700kg now. However wormers can usually be kept for a certain time period when opened so just save the rest to add to the next time you worm if using the same.
True you may need bigger poultices, more bandages, and larger dressings for bigger horses depending on where the injury is.
However there is only 1/2 to 1 inch difference in cannon bone width below the knee between my big horse and my cob, so essentially a wound in that area would use exactly the same number and size of dressings.
The only major difference in drugs being given would be those dependant of weight of animal, eg bute, or certain antibiotics and most certainly any anaesthetic or sedative. However how many times would you need the latter to be honest?

 

[Miss L Toe]

Omg are you suggesting an 18 2 can live in a 12 x12 stable, this is madness.
Your horse "coped", I like my horse to do more than "cope",
To my mind a lot of horses are kept in small stables that would not be allowed in Zoos.

 

[flying solo]

Sorry I havent read all posts but my 13.3 guzzle guts ate in 5 days the same as a horse which you described ate in 1 day. It really does all depend on the horse but it will eat lots if you do take it on, good luck and I hope you have fun x

 

[Fantasy_World]

Omg are you suggesting an 18 2 can live in a 12 x12 stable, this is madness.
Your horse "coped", I like my horse to do more than "cope",
To my mind a lot of horses are kept in small stables that would not be allowed in Zoos.

FFS get a life and ask some people in real life who know me and know my horses and can say that they receive the best care so try not to be so bloody opinionated on something you know little about MY HORSES!!!!!!!

 

[Miss L Toe]

FFS get a life and ask some people in real life who know me and know my horses and can say that they receive the best care so try not to be so bloody opinionated on something you know little about MY HORSES!!!!!!!

No one should keep animals in small cages, end of,

 

[Stinkbomb]

FFS get a life and ask some people in real life who know me and know my horses and can say that they receive the best care so try not to be so bloody opinionated on something you know little about MY HORSES!!!!!!!

I didnt see any comments where Miss L Toe was commenting on YOUR horses!! Chill out!! I do agree however with her comment that if your suggesting a 18.3hh horse can live in a 12x12 stable, thats madness!!!

 

[Fantasy_World]

I will NOT apologise, no one should keep animals in small cages, end of,

The cage is dependant on the animal's size.
If you feel so strongly about this then go and tell yard owners to demolish their stables and to rebuild ones that accommodate your idealism of how horses should be stable!
I know what response you would be given.
What a strange person you are indeed.

 

[Fantasy_World]

I didnt see any comments where Miss L Toe was commenting on YOUR horses!! Chill out!! I do agree however with her comment that if your suggesting a 18.3hh horse can live in a 12x12 stable, thats madness!!!

Oh yes she did so re-read what was posted.
I was not suggesting that a horse that size should live in a 12x12 stable she simply assumed that I did.
But incidentally I have seen horses perhaps a little smaller than that in stables around that size. None have suffered as a result. In the main horses only go into a stable to sleep at night anyway.