How many small bales of hay do you get through per horse per week?

[santas_spotty_pony]

I know there is a lot to factor in such as grass amounts, amount spent in and work load etc but just on average.

We’ve made our own this year (550 bales) and are selling some of it but I want to make sure we have plenty… I’ve just started feeding it end of last week - Thursday - and have used three bales so far but I do have one mare on barely any grass so she has soaked hay and they were all in one night because of bad weather.

I’m guessing it will fluctuate but I’m just trying to guesstimate. We should be selling about 200 of the bales which leaves 350 bales. They will be out 24/7 as long as possible and in overnight once the weather gets bad. Only one will be having hay all year round regardless of whether she is in or out as she can’t have much grass as she is suspected EMS.

thanks

 

[JackFrost]

3 on top of winter grazing.

 

[dreamcometrue]

2.5 for a good doer out in the daytime on poor grazing x

 

[setterlover]

I use big bales equivalent to 8 small bales and one lasts just about 2 weeks for 2 good doers on restricted grazing and shut on a pole barn and corral over night.

 

[meleeka]

1/2 a bale a day for a pony on poor grazing.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

For a 14hh native, I usually allocate 3.5 bales a week for 3 months (Dec to Feb) and 2 bales a week for Nov, March to June, rounding up to 75 total per 14hh.
I've usually managed with about 50 per pony, except in v v cold weather - as I tend to use foggage till mid December and end up with enough hay to either flog on when its sparse in spring or keep for summer trips out.

 

[Esmae]

About half a bale per day per horse plus daytime grazing. Currently, in the barn I have roughly 350 small bales in the shed for 3 but will have a chunk leftover for any kind of contingency.

 

[SantaVera]

One small bale a day,large horse, little grass,no hard feed.

 

[SantaVera]

I'd keep it all,use up the excess next year and sell next to years hay if you have too much.might be bad weather next year and a poor or spoiled harvest. Keep the good stuff.

 

[marmalade88]

That’s depends on how much they weigh/ how densely packed. If my big horses (16’3’s) are in overnight 6pm-6am, they’ll easily eat a bale a night. Small nets when they come In then the remainder is fed at 9pm when I skip out.
Or two slabs of a large bale each. Day turnout is on reasonable quality grass. They get a handful of chaff with supplements so no hard feed.

 

[sport horse]

How big are your horses. How much grazing do you have. How long will the winter be? What will the weather be like. ie keep it all and sell at the end of the winter.

 

[Surbie]

I allow 3.5 bales/week for mine in winter, as long as they are nice and heavy. When I had somewhere to store it I bought 100 to last Oct-April, allowing for lighter bales, the occasional day in if needed or just to be able to have spare. At a pinch I could store 72 now, but that would have to be in my garage as no real storage at the yard.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Keep all of it and sell any surplus once you’ve got next years harvest.

 

[Orangehorse]

I used 3 to 4 a week with a 16.00 hh horse. Good doer but he had plenty to eat.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I use round bales now but when I used small bales my 2 big boys, 16.2 and 17.1 , would easily go through a bale to a bale and a half each a day. Grazing was poor.

 

[setterlover]

I would keep it all until next spring as good hay is always in demand by about March /April as people are running out and good hay can be sold then easily and for a good price.
You never truly know how much you will need it depends on so many factors such as how long winter lasts how much snow or frost there is etc . Better to wait and make sure you have enough for yourself.

 

[hollyandivy123]

Weigh a bale....and see the rate you are using it and then decide for later in the winter

 

[MuddyMonster]

I've only recently started using small bales but at the moment my 13.3/14hh native is getting through 2-3 bales a week.

I reckon in winter I'll get through 3-3.5 a week if that helps, at all.

 

[rabatsa]

However many bales you work out that you need, keep 50% again in store for bad weather next haytime. We have always worked on keeping an extra 6 months in stock.

As long as you have dry storage it is rarely wasted.

 

[Archangel]

350 bales would just about see my two through (15.2 and 14 hands).
You could always sell 100 now and then review again in January.

 

[darcip]

2 a week for 2 shetties and a welshie with poor grazing

 

[Squeak]

I would keep it all until next spring as good hay is always in demand by about March /April as people are running out and good hay can be sold then easily and for a good price.
You never truly know how much you will need it depends on so many factors such as how long winter lasts how much snow or frost there is etc . Better to wait and make sure you have enough for yourself.

This, some years I get through 50 bales a horse for the winter and other years I use 150 each. Completely depends on the winter and weather.

In the middle of winter when there's not much in the grass I plan for a bale a day for a horse.

 

[Zoeypxo]

My 16.2 will eat a small bale a day.
We use round big bales and use 2 a week in the field for 6/7 horses

 

[seriously festive equine]

I would keep them. Good quality hay is hard to find these days, and there is no guarantee on next year's crop

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

For 2 Arab's in winter on not alot of grazing 2.5 to 3 each per week, I use large rounds now and they last about 11 to 12 days in winter.

 

[9tails]

Hold onto it if you have the storage. I have no idea how many horses you have, but I use three bales a week for a 16.1 on day turnout in winter. Less if the hay is rubbish quality.

 

[MNMyShiningStars]

My 16.2 will eat a small bale a day.
We use round big bales and use 2 a week in the field for 6/7 horses

This is the same amount I use for my herd of the same size.

 

[Polos Mum]

it's really variable with grazing / weather and your particular horse.

I had one older 17.2 ex eventer that would have a bale a day if in with poor weather.

A very rough average is 150 a year - for mid size, mid level exercises horses with some turnout but some time in too.