How many lbs of hay do you feed your overweight natives?

[chachabing]

My mare is currently a good weight and I really want to keep her that way. She is an incredibly good doer and it's taken a lot of time and effort to get her to a nice weight.
She is out on good grazing, there is nothing I can do about this and she won't wear a muzzle but she does move around a lot in the field.
She gets a teeny tiny scoop of safe and sound twice a day so she can be fed with the others. She's in overnight and I soak her hay but wondering how much to give her? She is a 14.2 lightweight section d. I used to just chuck in loads, thinking ad-lib was best but want to now measure it out so I know exactly what she's getting. Was thinking of 8-10lbs? She's in from 5pm until 7.30 am.

How much hay do you feed yours?!

 

[Greylegs]

My highland gets fat on fresh air so I feel your pain at this time of year. He is in every night as well. But he's on sparse grazing during the day and has about 12 pounds of hay in a very small hole net overnight, supplemented by a small evening feed ... Mainly chaff with a measure of low cal balancer as he's stabled with 5 others who all get fed so can't not give him something too. He's worked 4-5 times per week and goes on the walker the other days and I really struggle with his weight ...

 

[w1bbler]

Have u tried different muzzles - mine wouldn't wear the shires bucket style or greenguard, but gets on with the dinky ones. Although first one had to cut the holes bigger so she could learn to eat.
Wouldn't restrict overnight hay too much as you don't want them stood for hours with nothing, or going out to lush grass hungry.

 

[rabatsa]

I would feed barley straw ad lib in preference to measured amounts of hay.

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

I would feed barley straw ad lib in preference to measured amounts of hay.

This - or oat straw if you can get it.

I have learnt the hard way not to restrict overnight as Nugz will then eat as much grass as he physically can, very very quickly when he is put out.

 

[billylula]

Following this thread with interest as I have a similar problem. We can't bring ours in overnight as we don't have a stable. I really don't want to muzzle him. I keep mine in a small section of the paddock which goes bare very quickly.

 

[dogatemysalad]

I feed my IR gelding as much soaked hay as he can stuff down his throat. He comes in during the day for exercise and stabling and has a token feed before he goes back out.
I never leave him without forage because it can do more harm than good and it lessens the likelihood of gorging once turned out again.
He doesn't wear a muzzle as his got caught and the Velcro didn't give way. It could have caused a nasty accident had I not been there at the time.

 

[Highlands]

We are lucky, own land with 4 on poor grazing = sucess

 

[shannonandtay]

I have the same set up as you op, out from 8-5 on good grazing at the moment. He is a 14.3hh Connemara very good doer, he has a small scoop of hi if lite morning and evening and 4-5kg of hay a night which is about 10lbs I think. I'm soaking it as well at the moment to get rid of some of the sugars.

 

[Marymary]

Our Sec C has his hay soaked - he goes out every day from 05.30am until 5.30pm and he has ad lib hay well soaked for the night and when in during the day. He has a balancer and small amount of chaff as basic feed he also is worked 6days a week and works hard to help keep him in trim a lot of hill work and hacking as he switches off quickly in the school so we only work him in the school about once a fortnight or as needs must as he is an experienced pony .

 

[splashgirl45]

mine is 15.2 warmblood cross and is out on good grazing 9 till 5.30 and has 12 lbs soaked hay when she comes in and a scoop of light chaff, fast fibre and formula 4 feet, and she is about right for the time of year...