How much hay do you feed ?

[jemmeg]

Hi

Bit of a debate on our place about this so what do you think. Ad lib as much as they want or strict weight of hay net and if they run out in the night then so be it.
Now I have to very good doers and if I put 10 bales of hay in I am convinced they would munch their way thourgh the lot so I have to weight and small hole hay net. My 15.1 welsh cob has a 13lb net at night and my 15.3 fresian has 16lb a night. They are both out in the field by day, both are hacked out 3 or 4 times a week. They both look well and get very little hard feed.
The discussion yesterday was that horses should be given as much hay as they want I beg to differ what do you think ?

 

[Bossanova]

My two are skinnies and get enough to last them for as long as they are in. Neither will eat more than about 8 pounds dry weight.
At home the fatter horses wont get ad-lib as it meerly increases their belly size. They wont have more than 1-2 hours without food though and during the day just get little and often.

 

[AmyMay]

In an ideal world yes adlib. But like you my little horse is always on rations. As much as I would like her to have as much as she wants, she simply can't.

I'm lucky in that I'm able to split her evening ration with the last amount of hay going in around 11.00pm. So there's never a time when she's without for hours on end.

 

[vicm2509]

My horse just gets as much as he can eat as there is litrally no grass in his field atm. He doesnt really pig out on his as he is neither loosing or gaining weight. If ever he does run out he happily munches on his bed so I prefer to make sure he has too much rather than too little.

 

[RobinHood]

Bailey was having a bale a night out in the field and the whole lot was gone every morning, but we had rounds delivered on saturday so now he has ad lib. He is probably not a good example though because he is a fully clipped skinny horse living out.

 

[the watcher]

Don't actually weigh mine (I know I should), they get around half a bale put in with them in the evenings, more or less depending on size of horse and bale..usually there might be a few bits left in the morning..but not masses and I don't want them to run out. Mine is fed loose on the floor of the stable

 

[amandaco2]

ad lib
both very good doers.

 

[WelshRareBit]

Murphy gets two biscuits every day, alongside two buckets of food and 24/7 turnout.
x

 

[Halfstep]

Ad lib. Always enough so there is some left in the morning. I hate horses standing without any forage.

 

[TGM]

Each horse is an individual and should be fed as such. Two of mine have enough hay so there is some left in the morning, but my other horse would get grossly obese if I fed hay to that level, so she has a set amount.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

My 15.3hh cob gets next to no hard feed (just chaff and supplements) and ab lib hay. She probably eats 3-5 sections per night (depending how long she has been out during the day, but hardly any grass in the field anyway). She gets hers in a haybar and seems to eat less now than when she had small hole nets (think she used to stress that she couldn't get enough out, so bizzarly ate more).

 

[Chex]

I feed ad lib, but Chex hardly eats anything overnight. I don't like leaving them without anything to eat. But I might feel diferently if I had a fatty who scoffed everything that was there I suppose.

 

[nuffield]

Ad lib. always.

 

[KrashnBurn]

P gets about 1/3 to 1/2 bale per day depending on the size of the bale. plus feed balancer and conditioning flakes. There is no grazing left now, so I like to make sure he has enough to keep him contented over night so he leaves a bit.
P is 15.1hh cob x and is 20.

 

[jemima]

Three of mine have ad-lib hay. When they are out they get at the round bales stored on the field - grr, and there is loads of grass, when they are at home and mostly in they are just kept topped up so they always have plenty.

The Section A is at home at the moment and in a grassless turnout area to attempt to lose some weight. She's given a very small armful four times a day - enough for her to keep picking at. If left to it she'd just stuff herself silly! She also gets (if there's another horse in being fed) a table spoonful of chaff and 6 pony cubes - keeps her happy and makes her feel important.

 

[Vicki1986]

ad lib really. she has one medium sized (very unspecific i know) haynet at 2pm when she comes in then another at about 7pm x

 

[Tia]

25 horses, all fed ad-lib "excellent" Grade hay. No fatties, even though they are all different shapes and sizes. The stabled horses have "superior" Grade hay overnight, again fed ad-lib.

Biggest plus for me to feed ad-lib is that there is never ever any fighting over hay.

 

[Sophie_Bailey]

bailey gets ad lib which i have weighed to be about 24-25lbs a night. he always has a little left in the morning and is a good doer.

 

[Lvrees]

I am doing my dissertation on feeding, and how restricting diets effect behaviour and the horses health, does anyone object to me using this thread as part of my research?

 

[Tia]

Nope - although I'm not sure what you will be able to glean from this particular thread. Perhaps it would be more useful for you to ask specific questions in your own thread?

 

[madhector]

mine have adlib, massive net in morning, then another one at 5, there is always some left in both on them, they are in all the time so think its important that they always have something to munch on

 

[Theresa_F]

Mine are fairly good doers. They have simple systems feeds and very large haynets/haybags fed two/three times a day when in.

I like to find a little hay left in the bag or on the floor.

I feed stalky course hay which is not so high in feed value as I like to feed a low calorie diet so they can munch all the time.

 

[spaniel]

My two are on ad lib hay in the stable. One in a net and one straight on the floor. I always find a little left in the morning.

 

[Lvrees]

No its good for research, shows a range of peoples feeding regimes. I will ask more questions at some point!!

 

[Jay89]

Mine are out during the day but when they come in they have one flap of the big square bales of hay each.

 

[Happytohack]

My two heavy horses get ad lib good quality hay. Tilly who is a tubby coloured cob gets restricted amount in a small hole haylage net. We also have a pony with Cushings so he is prone to laminitis, he also gets a restricted amount. Like you say, it is common sense really.

 

[Capriole]

mine gets 22lb per day, he generally has some left in the morning though. i hate to leave him boxed with nothing to eat (except his bed)

 

[_Jazz_]

Night:Jazz has 4kg Timothy Horsehage
Day: Turnout and from January the YM puts 1-2 slices hay out for the 3 horses to share

 

[Magicmillbrook]

My two ponies get about 1/4 bale per day and my 14.1 TBx get about 1/3. They are all fed about 2% their body weight. 90% of this is provided in hay for the litle ponies along with about a tablespoon of sugar beet and some chaff(unmollassed) for brekie and tea. The Tbx gets 80% in hay and 20% in feed, howeve her hard feed is forage based Simple Systems.

The hay is split into four rations. First thing in morning, lunchtime, early evening all provided on the ground and a small holed hay net at around 10pm. They are stabled from 5.30 to 7.30 approx December through to March, and the grass has just about run out. There are about two weeks of 'fence moves' left. At the end of March, sooner if weather is good they move over to being out 24/7 hay and feed will be tailed of depending on grass growth until they end up with just a handfull of chaff with garlic and vits.

Sorry for the essay - hope its useful

 

[dieseldog]

Too Much, looking at the size of the 'nest' in his stable.

I make 3 haynets out of 1 bale of hay, so 1 bale last a day and a half. He doesn't get any hard food though and he is a fat 17.2 with loads of energy