Long- grazing/hay/haylege probs with cob

[Law]

Hi All
I hope that you will bear with me and make it to the end...
I've got a cob who is in a bit of an awkward situation which i think i am some of the way to solving. I know i am a bit of a sensitive person when it comes to looking after my horse so i may be totally seeing things and making problems but...
Horse is kept on converted dairy farm where the grass is lush and very rich and plentiful. In the summer i had to muzzle my horse 24hrs a day from April until around September. Then again in Oct as he blew up and now i'm having to muzzle him again!.
I was worried in the summer as he was grumpy and his poos went a little runny when I gave him 12 hours muzzle off 36 hours on. Under the advice of my old nutrition lecturer I put him on blue chip lami light hoping to help him utilize the best of the restricted grass that he was having and to try and settle his tummy into a better routine. He then had the muzzle on 24/7.
Since they came in about 6 weeks ago they've been on the most unsettled regime - for 4 weeks they've been in for three and four days at a time and out for one and it's been like this until last week. They are not on consistent roughage either- one week it's haylege and the next it's hay. On friday things came to the brink when they went out for the first time in four days and gorged on the good grass- two came down with colic on the same day. The farmer then agreed that they needed to go out more regularly so for the last 4 days we've been allowed to turn out whatever the weather. Mine blew up like a balloon on Sunday after two days of being out in the day so he's now back with the muzzle on much to his disgruntlement.
To complicate things further vet thinks he's pulled something pratting about when he went out (he didn't cope with being in 24 hrs for 4 days very well, they had an hour in the school each day) so he now can't work for a week whilst he rests! I've double netted his haylege so it slows it down but he now thinks he's the most starved horse on the yard and he's getting very grumpy about food. Whereas before he was happy diving into his haylege he's now panicy and thinks he's missing out on dinner whenever i walk into view. (i'm not sending him any vibes other than 'chill Mr')
Final thing is that he's itching his flanks (back of his ribs) every day when he comes in and has done for weeks. I just wonder if he's feeling a little discomfort from all this mis mash of hay/haylege/in/out/grass etc. He is a very sensitive soul and it's normal for him to be itchy pony (he has sweetitch) so perhaps it's nothing. Should I try a digestive aid/bluechip lami light/colligone ?

So sorry it's so long but I really want to help my poor man

 

[spaniel]

To be honest Id move to a more suitable yard!!

If you have no choice then get the muzzle back on full time. The grazing you have is obviously designed for the production of milk in cattle and is far, far too powerful for horses who are basically designed to run on scrub and weeds.

You are going to have to sort something out viz hay and haylage, is there any way you can buy your own hay in and just stick to feeding that?

 

[Law]

Thanks for taking the time to read that horrendously long post Spans!!
I suppose it could'nt hurt to ask about buying in my own hay- that's a good point!
I should have said moving isn't really an option as otherwise the yard is great- nice arena, jumping paddock and buildings, turnout fields are big and single sex, farmer works hard to keep us happy in other respects. I will consider it if it gets worse but as it is all horses friends are there and together we are developing well and doing so much more than on previous yard. Also he is sooo sensitive that it would take 6 months for him to settle into another yard. Location is also good too and there aren't really any better yards around. Turnout is worse everywhere else. Farmer has said though that if there is no grazing there in spring we've sort of brought it on ourselves which is fair enough but a lot of horses on the yard are natives and could live off fresh air!

 

[Llwyncwn]

Poor horses, they dont know if they are coming or going. Im not surprised you are worried. Has the farmer any 'rough grazing' set aside that you could use (land which hasnt been worked or fertilized and is mainly old grass/scrub)? This would be much better for them, and ideally they need to stick with either hay or haylage. Sounds like their systems are upset having no proper feeding and grazing routine. If the farmer cant help you perhaps it would be better to find another yard. Best of luck.

 

[Law]

There isn't any rough stuff but I think enough of us will encourage him not to fertilise anymore.
I suppose the stupid weather hasn't helped either- if it was cold (like December should be!) then the grass wouldn't be such a problem as it would have stopped growing ages ago.
Thanks for reading!

 

[AmyMay]

Really feel for you - it's very hard looking after cob types on good grazing. Agree with Spaniel about trying to find a more suitable yard.

But in the meantime have you considered feeding a hay replacement alongside your haylage. Amy is a fatty and I feed small quantities of haylage with a tub of Happy Hoof (or HiFi Lite). It means that he can spend longer eating, and you will have less of a worry about his weight.

 

[Law]

Yes that is what i was thinking- like hi fi lite as there is next to nothing in it!
How do you 'feed' it. Literally I mean. Do you offer a set amount in a bucket alongside the hay? I'm a bit sonfused!

 

[suestowford]

Or you could try Dengie Good Do-er, has virtually no richness to it at all (mostly chaff). I just put it in his bucket and watch it disappear. It seems to go down better than hi-fi lite as it has a minty flavour.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you 'feed' it. Literally I mean. Do you offer a set amount in a bucket alongside the hay? I'm a bit sonfused!

[/ QUOTE ]
Well Amy comes in to haylage, and is given a big rubber bucket full of Hifi at last feeds (anywhere from 10.30pm to midnight).

However, if you don't have that option, then yes feed it alongside your haylage. Chances are after the initial excitment over an extra bucket of 'food' your horse will eat all his hay and then move on to the Hifi later.

As a rough guide I would go through a packet of Hifi a week - if not slightly under.

 

[Law]

Wow that sounds like a great idea! It always annoys me that hi fi lasts forever- ! maybe it won't now

 

[Thistle]

Been on phone to feed companies today.

Sugar levels
Hi Fi Lite 4%
Good Dooer 10%
Happy hoof 5 - 5.5%

Old hay 8 - 10%

 

[Law]

So hi-fi lite it is by the looks of it. I'm so glad that you guys have helped me.
Thanks

 

[Theresa_F]

I have used hi-lite with great success for my cobs. I am now feeding lucie stalks by Simple Systems as I have changed them to their diet.

Personally I wouldn't feed a cob hayledge unless they had breathing problems, but only feed hay. If he really is a fatty, try to mix it 50 - 50 with good quality oat straw.

Mine are kept on grazing which is never fertilized and so never gets really long and rich which is great - they have enough to nibble away all day but not gorge on.

Ours stay in one day go out the next in winter which works out well. They are on a routine and don't go too long without getting any grass so no gut problems.

 

[benrolo]

I have a Shire cross who was getting fatter and fatter (no bones to feel and a gutter down his back, a 60 inch girth plus a girth expander otherwise I had to use my teeth to get the girth to meet the saddle), the YO wouldn't give me restricted grazing so I had to muzzle him 24/7 in summer and keep him in at night during the winter as he put out large bales of haylage in the fields. it seemed to make no difference, he was getting no hard feed either.
In April we had the chance to move to another yard, he has lost a lot of weight and looks really healthy but now I am worried that I can't stop him losing weight, I am toying with the idea of bringing him in at night so he can eat lots of haylage, I honestly can't believe that I am saying this! Funny thing is the Welsh B who was in by November last year is blooming on the same grass.

 

[steve00932]

Hi#Just been reading your story how about sectioning a piece of the grass off so the grass is limited.
Plus you can get hay blocks which will take longer to eat and seem more satisfying for him.
good luck

 

[wizgirl]

I also have a cob who lives on fresh air and eats himself senseless and hence has a muzzle 24/7 which he has learnt to get off. Don't suppose you have any ideas how to keep it on? Anyway, my vet has advised that he should be out24/7 where poss with a very light rug/ or no rug on and no additonal feed to the grass as the mild weather and grass means that wiz is 75kgs overweight at present. This is working slowly but the vet says a key prob in weight issues this winter is over rugging. He also says should use soaked hay to feed which removed the goodness. Wiz is 605kgs and on 8kgs of hay daily