Lack of grass, dropping weight

[little_critter]

Now this is a new problem for me, my two are usually good doers but the dry weather and grass not recovering has meant they have dropped weight recently. Certainly not thin, but I wouldn’t want to lose any more.
Am I jumping the gun to be thinking about adding a bit more to their hard feed?
Currently on RDA of Spillers balancer, a double handful of Dengie Hearthy Hooves molasses free and some joint supplements once a day. They get ad lib hay through the day and are turned out overnight, but the grass is pretty mean.
So, leave as is and monitor? (we are due rain this week, finally, so the grass should recover), start giving an evening feed too?, or add something extra to breakfast? (grass nuts maybe?)

 

[Goldenstar]

I would a little while just to see and then I would give some forage like grass cubes if I felt it was needed .
I would love to have your problem .
I would also consider swopping the hay for haylege.

 

[AmyMay]

Are they eating all their hay?

 

[ycbm]

If they are getting thin because there isn't enough to eat all night, then I would put hay in the field. I wouldn't want them hungry all night.
.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Agree with above, as well, the nights are going to be getting chillier soon so they'll be using their fat reserves to keep warm.

 

[little_critter]

Are they eating all their hay?

Just about. There’s a scrap left at the end of the day

 

[little_critter]

If they are getting thin because there isn't enough to eat all night, then I would put hay in the field. I wouldn't want them hungry all night.
.

As I say, they are not thin. Just on the low side of perfect but this is not a position I’m usually in, especially without really trying hard to diet!

 

[HashRouge]

Can you put some hay in the field? I'm haying both mine am and pm at the moment, with extra rations for the 29 year old. It's just been so dry, I normally don't hay till January!

 

[millitiger]

I would hay overnight in the field, before increasing any hard feed.

 

[L&M]

If they were mine, I wouldn't worry too much until the temps drop and the grass stops growing - in our part of the world even the parched fields are starting to green up, and what was my unusually slim cob (due to no grass growing over the summer), has started to pile the weight back on again.

Agree with others, if you really concerned, up the forage rather than the hard feed unless they are in heavy work.

 

[Barton Bounty]

As soon as there was less grass id have put hay in the field ??

 

[little_critter]

As soon as there was less grass id have put hay in the field ??

See, normally less grass is a good thing for me as they are good doers!
Chatting to YO today she has also registered that they have dropped weight and doesn’t seem to have an issue with feeding hay in the field if needed. I had been reluctant to ask because hay is included in the livery fee so it would be an extra cost to her.
Personally I think this weeks rain will resolve the issue, in the meantime they are getting some extra chaff and YO will hay as required.

 

[Barton Bounty]

See, normally less grass is a good thing for me as they are good doers!
Chatting to YO today she has also registered that they have dropped weight and doesn’t seem to have an issue with feeding hay in the field if needed. I had been reluctant to ask because hay is included in the livery fee so it would be an extra cost to her.
Personally I think this weeks rain will resolve the issue, in the meantime they are getting some extra chaff and YO will hay as required.

It will, once a good bit of rain gets into the the soil youll be fine lol, youll be worrying about nothing! ?

Not like my boy, it has been pretty horrid the last couple of days so I made sure there was hay in the shelter! And it started raining as I was leaving the yard today! BB is not daft , he was in there chomping the hay ? just came out to look at me ? he is unreal

 

[little_critter]

Since the heatwave broke we’ve had one day of decent rain, that’s it. It just seems to keep missing us

 

[Barton Bounty]

Since the heatwave broke we’ve had one day of decent rain, that’s it. It just seems to keep missing us

Heres me drowning in ayrshire lol ?

 

[shortstuff99]

Mine get hay/haylage morning and night plus a hard feed morning and night due to the lack of grass and the Spanish potato is looking a bit lean ?.

 

[ihatework]

If you have good doers and this drought has got them down to a perfect weight I’d be jumping for joy!!
An extra slice of hay just to put a bit more fibre in their bellies maybe, but make the most of it!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I wouldn't worry too much I've had to hay mine all through the drought, but the grass is coming through like its spring now we have had rain so I've reduced the hay a bit.

 

[little_critter]

Yay, we have rain…lots of it!
And there’s more to come all week.

 

[Widgeon]

If you have good doers and this drought has got them down to a perfect weight I’d be jumping for joy!!

I'm thinking I should arrange a photoshoot, he's never going to look this good again

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I wish ours had lost some weight.

 

[Cazza525]

mine have never looked so good!

 

[little_critter]

After waiting a week and a lovely load of rain the grass is looking lovely…..but they’re not eating it ?
My little theory is that this is a relatively new yard for us. After being on yards that insist on poo picking, this one harrows regularly. I’m wondering if they are being fussy about eating around bits of poo?
Anyone else experience this?
I don’t blame the YO for harrowing, she’s on her own looking after 11 horses. She would be spending her whole day poo picking otherwise.
Im just hoping my two get used to it after a while.
Just to add, while they are being fussy they are getting hay in the field so they aren’t starving ?

 

[AmyMay]

Yes, they need to be moved off the grass for and after harrowing.

 

[little_critter]

Just to add, my guys have an outer track and an inner paddock. They swap between the two so they don’t go onto ground that’s just been harrowed, it’s rested before they go back on it.

 

[Squeak]

Just to add, my guys have an outer track and an inner paddock. They swap between the two so they don’t go onto ground that’s just been harrowed, it’s rested before they go back on it.

How long is it rested for though? It needs quite a while to work into the soil and I've noticed that the fields I harrowed a while ago, the bits of poo still haven't disappeared yet, maybe because we've had so little rain? So maybe this is causing a problem for yours too because essentially they've got a layer of poo just sitting over the field?

 

[little_critter]

How long is it rested for though? It needs quite a while to work into the soil and I've noticed that the fields I harrowed a while ago, the bits of poo still haven't disappeared yet, maybe because we've had so little rain? So maybe this is causing a problem for yours too because essentially they've got a layer of poo just sitting over the field?

Not sure, I’ve not been here all that long so not sure of the cycles. The inner paddock was harrowed last week so I’ll keep count.

 

[little_critter]

Right, the track was rested for around a month before they went back into it. The grass looks good, but my boy is still (slowly) dropping weight. I’d say he’s now a bit on the light side and looking a bit tucked up.
He gets plenty of hay through the day but I’m guessing they are still being fussy about the grass overnight (although the poos I saw yesterday looked fairly green, so they are eating)
Ive just bought some higher calorie feed to help him out and will also start giving an saving feed too.
Poo samples went to the vet this morning for a worm count to rule that in/out

 

[Fieldlife]

Try putting hay out on track over night. Just a few sections. If they eat it are hungry. If not are ok.

 

[little_critter]

Try putting hay out on track over night. Just a few sections. If they eat it are hungry. If not are ok.

They do get hay on the track and they choose to eat the hay over eating the grass.