Hungry horse?

[tinkytots]

Hi, we have three ponies around 14.2hh. None are in work at the moment, and we have no grass because it's all been churned up. I'm feeding them a scoop of sugarbeet and a scoop of chaff each twice a day, and a bale of hay between them twice a day which is loose in the field but the last couple of days one of them has been neighing his head off from the minute the sun comes up. He stops when I feed them, and starts again late afternoon. I cant think its for any other reason except he's hungry!

They all live out together, and he's a good doer. I just can't fathom why he's being so loud. The only other thing is, I've moved them into the back field where its not so swamped.

 

[claribella]

Perhaps you should try setting up some slow feeders so they have a slow but constant supply of feed and see if that helps?

 

[AmyMay]

I would imagine they are all hungry to be honest.

 

[Littlelegs]

How much hay is left when you put the next bale out?

 

[staceyn]

I would make sure they have enough hay so they never run out otherwise I imagine they will be very hungry

 

[CBFan]

To be honest it sounds like they are getting plenty - 2 bales of hay a day between 3 under 14.2hh... plus 2 big bucket feeds a day... more than enough!

Do you just put the bale in one place or do you spread it out? If you don't already, I would suggest splitting it into several piles - one section in each so that they have to walk around for it and or put some of it in small holed haynets and hang from fence / trees to slow them down and keep them occupied for longer...

I'd say they were bored rather than hungry tbh - with nothing to do between feed times as there isn't anything to even pick at by the sounds of it...

 

[CBFan]

I would make sure they have enough hay so they never run out otherwise I imagine they will be very hungry

The only trouble with this is, they are very likely to end up the size of a house!!

 

[staceyn]

It depends what size bales we are talking about I am thinking the small squares?. Mine have roughly the same amount of hard feed and not much grass unlimited hay and they are far from fat they eat what they need mine must not be greedy haha ! But mine are babies and growing so its different. Could just be A boredom thing ?

 

[CBFan]

It depends what size bales we are talking about I am thinking the small squares?. Mine have roughly the same amount of hard feed and not much grass unlimited hay and they are far from fat they eat what they need mine must not be greedy haha ! But mine are babies and growing so its different. Could just be A boredom thing ?

I am thinking the small bales too but with each section being 2kg and there being at least 10 sections in a bale, that is 20kgs in a bale so 40kgs a day between 3 14.2hh horses which at a guess weigh no more than 500kg each so realistically their daily requirement EACH is only 10kg of hay if feeding at 2% of their bodyweight, so they are getting a good 10kg more than they really need between the 3 of them...and thats just the hay we are talking about...

My 17.2hh would just about get through a whole bale in 24 hours (he might tread some of it into the mud if he were in that situation mind...) so to give a whole bale to a 14.2hh seems a tad rediculous to me... particularly with spring on the way...

And yes, you're right, growing youngsters have very different requirements to adult horses but their metabolism catches up with them very quickly and then you can be in big trouble...

 

[Stripy]

If they aren't overweight at the mo, then the quantity of feed maybe isn't a problem, but if you were going to cut back on something, then I would suggest not the hay as they need to be munching more or less constantly, as we know. A friend of mine uses hay pillows with her ponies to distribute the hay and keep them going a bit longer; basically small holed nets secured to trees at ground level - there's a definite knack to it to make it safe and it may not be so suitable for shod horses. Presumably you've had a health check to rule out an underlying problem? does the horse get a reaction from anyone when he shouts? I'm just wondering if it's now a way of getting attention? Or if a herd member has moved out recently? Is the horse used to being able to see something which he now can't from the new field? xx

 

[WelshD]

Could the pony be being pushed out by the other two when they are stood around the hay maybe?

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

I would be feeding a mix or cheapish cubes/pony nuts

 

[Boysy]

One out of my herd does exactly the same when the hay runs out, the others ignore him totally and once he realises he isn't getting any more then he will wander off and graze, the difference is that I do still have a bit of grazing left so when the hay runs out there is something for them to nibble at.

As soon as anyone walks thru the yard (public footpath down the side) he will start shouting at them, doesn't matter who it is........and god forbid anyone step on the yard in his sight as he will not shut up and fence walks constantly. My others think he wastes far too much energy.....