How much to feed - out 24/7 but not much grass

[cabbagepatch88]

Hi all,

Just wondered how much you would be feeding a 15.2 mw cob in light work, ridden 2-3 times a week mostly hacking in walk with 1 schooling session. He's out at grass 24/7 but there hardly any grass.
He has to have haylage as apposed to hay.....

TIA

 

[TGM]

He shouldn't really need any proper hard feed. I'd give him plenty of haylage to make up for the lack of grass, and just a lo cal balancer or a vit/min supplement in a handful of chaff. Then monitor condition, and if he starts to lose too much then you could slowly add some unmollassed beet, micronised linseed, soaked grass nuts or similar.

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

Mine all get topspec lite balancer and a bit of chaff (they're all fatties) I also put in equine america glucosamine MSM etc supplement and protexin gut balancer

 

[cabbagepatch88]

How much haylage do you think?

 

[smellsofhorse]

Ideally as much hay as he wants.
A fibre feed like, ready mash green, as its low in sugar and starch and a good all round supplement.

 

[Equi]

How is his weight? If hes holding it, a lite balancer and whatever haylage he is getting will be fine. Some horses don't need fed up.

 

[TGM]

How much haylage do you think?

Unless he is overweight, I'd give him as much haylage as he will eat.

 

[ponypatters]

But watch the haylage doesn't give him runny poohs if too much, just keep an eye on it You can always cut back if he gains too much weight or gets the squits !

 

[AdorableAlice]

But watch the haylage doesn't give him runny poohs if too much, just keep an eye on it You can always cut back if he gains too much weight or gets the squits !

Nicely made haylage should not be so wet that it upsets a healthy gut. Always introduce a new supply of hay or haylage slowly and by mixing it with your previous supply to avoid upsets in gut flora. In answer to the OP, ad lib haylage is very likely to keep the horse well through winter without bucket feeds as long as the horse has no underlying metabolic issues and has some form of shelter to allow him to rest.

I keep 2 middleweights hunter types and 2 heavyweight maxi cobs on adlib haylage living out with shelter, they are glossy coated and looking very well on their haylage and my costs average at £35 a week / £8.75 a horse per week.