How much hay are you feeding ?

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niagaraduval

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It has been -14 over here for a few days so I have adjusted feed and hay and am giving slightly more and straw too for bigger beds.

I use 'small' bales that are 15 kilos, I am feeding roughly 17kilos of hay a day per horse, is this enough ? They do seem to eat alot, both looking fab weight wise (23 y/o and 10 y/o poor doer). (16hh & 16.2hh).


Both rugged up in heavy weights although they feel luke warm underneath.

Am I feeding enough hay ? How many kilos of hay roughly do you feed a large horse?
 
Jazzy's 17.2hh Cleveland bay x Hanovarian and is on 12-15 kg of hay a day. He's had his neck clipped but is in a combo heavyweight. The ponies (2 x 13hh) get the same amount split between them. They are unclipped and unrugged. They're holding their weight well and are looking good :)
 
Not that much but he is only 15hh and a good doer!!

He normally gets 8 kg a day, but have increased that to 10 kgs, as although still getting a few hours turnout, can't really get at the grass due to the snow.

He is normally hunted twice a week so have actually cut down his hard feed as will not be 'using' it. I think it is very easy to overfeed in this weather, as although it is colder, most horses are spending more hours stabled, therefore having reduced excercise.

For those size horses that sounds plenty, especially if they are holding their weight.
 
My Haffy is getting half a small bale a day, mixed with some straw (spread out through out the day) Not sure what this is in weight, approx 3 large stuffed haynets. He also gets a feed of fast fiber in the evening. He's out 24/7 and has not dropped a single pound in weight! x
 
Vinnie has 17kg hay each day and is out at grass as well for 10-12 hours; hay fed adlib in the stable and also has a haynet in the field.

He is 18hh, around 650kg and I wouldn't want him any leaner.
 
Sounds like you are feeding enough. However, if they don't have weight problems, then I would feed ad lib so that there is a small amount left over when you next hay up. But weight wise, 17 kg each is enough hay to keep them well fed.
 
My haffy is 15hh and has 2-3 sections twice a day, she was only having one until recently but she was eating more grass then - still has lots but won't eat it! She has a small feed too twice a day.
 
Well my horses live out 24/7 and I make sure that they have ad lib hay in their field shelter when there is snow on the ground but in reality they are still nibbling at the grass and only really eating about 3 slices of hay a day each plus 2 large fibre feeds in a bucket. They are actually wasting a lot of hay which is annoying
 
Mine have a very small amount of hay as it gives them diahorrea so they have a large slice of a small bale between three of them and an armful of straw to nibble on while it is snowy. Once they stop eating the straw I will stop putting it out. They are fed large fibre feeds of calm and condition, ready grass and sugar beet/ The ridden pony gets an even bigger feed and a lot more hay as it doesnt upset her gut they are out 24/7 and are still digging for a little grass. All are roly poly fat so as long as the cold weather doesnt last too long they will be fine losing a little weight if it goes long term I will feed a lot more hay and hope the runs doesnt make them lose weight
 
Have people mixed up kg and lbs. A 500kg horse on 2% of its body weight would be on 10kg which is roughly converted is 22lbs. A hay bale weighs depending how tight its packed at least 20kg but more like 23-25kg.
If people are really feeding over 2% of body weight in hay plus extras no wonder my feed bill is so much less than everyone elses.
 
Not enough according to Tiny Fuzzy :D

NH is on around 7 sections of hay in 24 hrs with 4+ of them over night & 2-3 in daytime - a total of around 35 - 42lb

TF is on around 1 section in 24hrs all netted into 2 nets - well, she is a (rather) round barrell & 33ins high! :D
 
Both out 24/7 no hay but only 2 horses on 13 acres there is enough there to sustain them. I am hoping they will now finally lose some weight... that's if I don't get soft
 
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