How much hay do you feed?

[Moggy in Manolos]

yes i do know how much 8lbs is tia-i weigh it each day, a few cob types on my yard are fed the same weight and even less,none are remotely underweight, as i said in my previous post she is a good doer and doesnt always finish all her hay,so until she requires more,i wont up it until then, it has been very mild and she has done well off the grass so far, as have many of the horses at our yard, i expect when it gets colder i will up the weight,but there is no point me giving her more as she doesnt always finish it, and her weight is perfect so i will not change it just yet. She has had lammi so i am very cautious to over feed in general,as weight is one of the most likely causes as i am sure you are well aware, she is in perfect condition at present so 8lbs is suitable for my horse at this time.

 

[merlinsquest]

I dont weigh mine but put about 5 sections in his hay bucket (big one)!! for the 4pm - 8am stint as the yard manager doesnt like to get up in the middle of the night to top up..... cant understand why!!!

But I also leave 3 sections in a wire rack for emergencies!! There is always some left in rack in morning.

I just dont like to think he may run out and be a hungry horsey!

BTW just incase someone starts to post that I neglect horse between 4pm and 8am.... he does get checked regularly, just dont want to cause extra work to anyone putting in extra hay.... he is not greedy so it lasts!!

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
as i said in my previous post she is a good doer and doesnt always finish all her hay,

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm I don't think that is what you said in your earlier post - there was no mention of her not eating it all.

So she gets about one and a half sections of hay per night? Sorry I've just never heard of a grown horse being given so little that's all.

 

[PapaFrita]

We can't get hay here so PF gets alfalfa (lucerne) in addition to her oats. Because this is very nutritious, she gets a couple of slices in the morning and a couple more in the evening (less if the alfalfa is very nice) Not an ideal situation by any means, but have to make do.
In the UK I used to feed hay ad lib in winter, but not at all in summer as horses lived out.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

No i should have been more precise in my wording to avoid the picking up on small points, as has now occured.
I did say she was a good doer and this is what i was referring to in this instance. I did not say at the time that she did not finish it all, as i did not expect to be picked up on it-i was merely imputting what i feed my mare
I have had horses for many years now and have had my mare for 14years and she has never been underweight or anything similar for that matter with me.
It would equate to about 2 sections of hay, which is all she is requires at present, along with her happy hoof for breakfast and tea.
I felt rather insulted at your tone, and quite frankly i felt it unecessary and very patronising, i was just minding my own business, i get thoroughly fed up of this kind of thing, i have seen little comments like this happen all too often to others and have felt angry for them, but this is the first time i have been a victim of being patronised here, and feel it a shame you had to do so. If you felt concerned for my horse you should have PM'd me IMO.
Regards
Astra

 

[Tia]

Patronised? Sorry you've lost me. I queried the 8lbs of hay as I believed that perhaps you had mean't kgs, which would have been a more usual figure.

I don't do PM's but I can't see what the issue here is anyway....so what if I queried something you had to say? It happens every day in all walks of life.

 

[Skhosu]

I would be concerned giving anything that little(8lbs). My 14.2's all hoover up a large haynet a night of haylage, which I believe is about 15lbs. They are all good doers but I use exercise to keep them fit.
In fact, even the 12.2 gets ad lib and he's a tub...
I would say a good large haynet with small holes will 'do' most horses for a night, if full, but prefer to give mine ad lib.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Yes patronised, and you are doing it again here, you were patronising, simple really,do i have to keep saying it, it didnt seem like a query to me. I have tried to remain polite about this.
And well your comment triples&h is also 'concerning' me, her haynet is a large one with small holes. And it generally weighs in about 8lbs at the moment,it will be going up as she requires more, she is in very light work at the moment,unlike your horse.
All horses are different, and just because you have a 14.2hh good doer does not mean to say the rest of their care is the same, so be concerned all you like, but no one else has ever been concerned about my horse, as she is well loved and very well looked after,spoilt more than likely but i dont give a damn what you think,either of you,its all unecessary, just trying to make yourselves feel big, i have met many people like you before
Neither of you have any idea how precious and special my horse is to me.
I already said some others i know feed about the same at the moment, with it being mild and them being out grazing all day. Our grass is good,maybe yours isnt, i couldnt care less really,simple fact is,my horse does not go hungry,there is always food left at present,so carry on patronising all you like, but i will not be put down by some strangers who have no idea how my horse of 14years is cared for. There are other factors involved to maintaining weight which you dont seem to mention,or have even have thought about from what i can see, but you know this, but dont mention any ofit really, all you mentioned tia was a miniature shetland. But there we go,its your perogative to pick,but i will not stand by and be attacked,simple

 

[loopeepee]

14.2 gets a small holed haynet, with *about* 3 sections. It depends how big they are really. I do it by feel really. He has been know to drop off very quickly - therefore gets a full net in the morn as well, as well as an afternoon feed.

My 16.1 gets as much as he wants, and haylege rather than hay. When I first got him I gave him a haynet full and he ate it all - and left me wondering whether he was hungry. Therefore I gave him more, and he doesnt eat it! Doh!
So now he just gets a 'fair old whack' (thanks SN!)

 

[Malibu]

i was always taught that you feed hay as much as the horse wants, suplments as it says on the tub and feed measure to your horses riding and breeding specifications

 

[Skhosu]

don't think it's patronising...more like friendly advice, which is what most people on this forum give.
Maybe you're just a bit too defensive...humm.
patronising means Treat condescendingly
I can't see any of this.
If someone said they didn't feed their horse anything, would you not say? Fine, if you horse leaves some, it leaves it. I fail to see why you can't just say this and not stoop to insults. If you wish to
PM, go ahead, but I really do fail to see the patronising going on...

 

[Tia]

Whatever. Believe what you want to believe.

 

[Oaksflight]

He's on a set amount, as he can be a bit of a fatty, however don't want him not having enough hay through out the night as know what the effects can be! He has a largeish haynet and rack of hay on an evening (to last him 14 hours), however if I leave earlier or won't be able to come up til later he has another medium net too til then. However, he only has a small scoop of alfa oil for tea, and no other hard feed, so his diet is purely fibre.