vicksey
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know how much hay is recommended (or the recommended body weight %) in kilos to feed daily a 14.3 good doer, currently at 440kg. No weight loss is required.
How much hay?
- Thread starter vicksey
- Start date
Rosie Round The Hills
Well-Known Member
Short answer - No.
Long answer:-
- it depends how much turnout he is getting
- on what quality of grazing
- and what level of work he is expected to do
- what hard feeds he is on
- what quality the hay is
- and whether he is a good-doer... or not.
For comparison's sake, and you will probably be provided with a lot of comparisons on this thread:-
My 16.2 Mare is in 5 days/week regular work at hunting fitness. She has 4 hours of grazing on grass a day (the reason why only that little is another story), she has two meals of chaff & linseed & peas & s'beet a day, and she eats approximately 26 lbs of hay / day.
26 lbs is in kgs approximately 13 I think.
Long answer:-
- it depends how much turnout he is getting
- on what quality of grazing
- and what level of work he is expected to do
- what hard feeds he is on
- what quality the hay is
- and whether he is a good-doer... or not.
For comparison's sake, and you will probably be provided with a lot of comparisons on this thread:-
My 16.2 Mare is in 5 days/week regular work at hunting fitness. She has 4 hours of grazing on grass a day (the reason why only that little is another story), she has two meals of chaff & linseed & peas & s'beet a day, and she eats approximately 26 lbs of hay / day.
26 lbs is in kgs approximately 13 I think.
RobinHood
Well-Known Member
Comparisons for you:
My 15hh connie weighs 450kg and currently gets 5lbs in the morning, 6 hours grazing and 12lbs at night. He's eventing/hunting fit.
Other horses on the yard around the same size get 2lbs in the morning and 10lbs at night or they start gaining weight.
We review the hay amounts every week and move them up or down accordingly.
My 15hh connie weighs 450kg and currently gets 5lbs in the morning, 6 hours grazing and 12lbs at night. He's eventing/hunting fit.
Other horses on the yard around the same size get 2lbs in the morning and 10lbs at night or they start gaining weight.
We review the hay amounts every week and move them up or down accordingly.
L&M
Well-Known Member
As already mentioned a lot depends on grazing/excercise etc.
However the 14.3hh sec D (good doer/430kgs) on my yard currently has 6kgs hay overnight, with each slice of hay weighing approx 2 kgs, therefore 3 slices. He is on reasonable grazing and turned out for approx 8hrs per day amd in light work.
As the grass lessens and the weather worsens this will increase to between 8 - 10 kgs, ie 4-5 slices during stabled period.
Hope that helps!
However the 14.3hh sec D (good doer/430kgs) on my yard currently has 6kgs hay overnight, with each slice of hay weighing approx 2 kgs, therefore 3 slices. He is on reasonable grazing and turned out for approx 8hrs per day amd in light work.
As the grass lessens and the weather worsens this will increase to between 8 - 10 kgs, ie 4-5 slices during stabled period.
Hope that helps!
aimeetb
Well-Known Member
The BHS method is as follows:
12hh - 14lbs
13hh - 18lbs (basically add a lb for every inch with 12 hh being the starting point)
14hh - 22lb
so
14.3hh - 25lbs
Then if you have a particularly chunky breed (or good doer like you) - 2lbs
or if you have a light weight you + 2lb
So around 23lb total per day.
I think thats how it works but that is the total daily intake of forage including grazing so reduce if grazing good etc and then keep an eye on each individual case and adjust as necessary.
If thats completely wrong sorry - its been a while since i did the exam!
xxxx
12hh - 14lbs
13hh - 18lbs (basically add a lb for every inch with 12 hh being the starting point)
14hh - 22lb
so
14.3hh - 25lbs
Then if you have a particularly chunky breed (or good doer like you) - 2lbs
or if you have a light weight you + 2lb
So around 23lb total per day.
I think thats how it works but that is the total daily intake of forage including grazing so reduce if grazing good etc and then keep an eye on each individual case and adjust as necessary.
If thats completely wrong sorry - its been a while since i did the exam!
xxxx
touchstone
Well-Known Member
The total feed intake to maintain weight should be around the 2% mark, so for a 440kg pony you want to be feeding around 8.8kg total including any grazing, depending on how well the horse does on it.
Lotty
Well-Known Member
My 16.1hh warmblood cross is 584kg and I feed her 2% of her bodyweight as she is such a good doer. All her hay is weighed and soaked, she has 5lbs on a morning then exercised. Then she is turned out muzzled for 5-6hours, brought in and stabled and has 15lbs at night. She also gets 1scoop of Happy Hoof with magnesium am and pm.
vicksey
Well-Known Member
Really helpful thanks everyone!