how much hay?

[millyspaniel]

How many bales of hay should i be going through per week?
I have a 14h 18month coblet who is quite weighty and has a huge wooly coat, a 11h welsh a who is tubby and wooly (2yr) a 9yr welsh a who is tubby and wooly and a 16.1 4yr TB who is hard to keep the weight on - (she has lost a bit of condition since the grass went) the grass is still there but all the goodness has gone now, there all searching for food, hanging round the gate etc...........its currently still warm her (west mids) they all live out and the TB is wearing a thin turnout - shes getting clipped on tues then she will have an underrug on and when it gets colder a HW.
So on average how much hay should i be using per week? just started feeding today and they had around 7 slices between them.

 

[Persephone]

The information you have given is too vague tbh.

I believe the rule of thumb is 2.5% of the horses weight in roughage per day.

So you need to weigh tape all your horses and also make allowances for good/poor doers/growing/work etc.

It is impossible to say how many slices you will need as it varies so much. I use a scale measure to weigh mine out.

Sorry I can't be any more specific!

 

[AmyMay]

Have you thought about popping a round bale in a feeder for them? It will be far more cost effective for you - and less time consuming.

 

[LCobby]

How much bucket feed are they having?
I think you will need to make sure the TB has at least twice as much forage and feed as the woolly tubby ones.
This may mean bring him/her out to have an feed of forage and a balancer/supplement am and pm.
As a very rough guide, with four living out, on poor grazing, I would expect to use a small standard bale of hay a day, and wiht your extreems, half of that a being for the TB.
Not easy when living out together.
To to avoid field 'hay sharing problems, you could give the tb a feed based on high quality forage, eg Alfa chop. and supplement, and just a pellted supplement for the yearling, then turn them back out with the others fo the hay in the field.
Increase the TB feed ration in line with increased workload and monitor all with weigh tape.

 

[millyspaniel]

Sorry forgot to mention!
The TB has a morning feed of calm condition cubes 1 large round scoop and 4 handfuls alfa a, going to increase to 2 feeds per day, 1 scoop c&c and 5 handfulls alfa-a.
Was thinking of moving her into her own section that way she can have her share of hay without being chased by the welsie gelding!

Good advice Lcobby, thank you
I have ordered a haylage (big round bale) which is coming monday hopefully so plan to introduce this and feed it with the hay.

 

[Carsmore]

make sure that your TB is plenty warm enough. Dont want her using up all the energy she is consuming by trying to keep warm!

 

[millyspaniel]

Its still pretty mild here, just thinking though - i may put her under-rug (fleecy rug) underneath her LW for now at night, i only have a HW with neck cover, a thermatex (which makes a good under-rug) a fleece rug and her LW TO rug. May invest in a medium weight, as i reckon its too warm for her HW.
Shes getting clipped tuesday though and i want her to feel the benefit of her rug then.

 

[Equestrian92]

Sorry I dont know what your feeding your tb at the minute but I have some good tips for keeping and putting weight on I had problems with mine you see, PM me if you want.