Random questions/tips and tricks thread

[Equine_Dream]

Ok Im not sure if its just me but I often find myself thinking of random questions but they never seem worth starting a whole thread over.
So I thought it might be a good idea if there was one thread for all of them instead
Any small niggles or questions or random tips and tricks anyone would like to share please feel free.

Ill kick it off. Does anyone have any ideas about making hay last longer? My mare and my boyfriends gelding just seem to be inhaling it atm :/ Im not a huge fan of hay nets (ive seen a horse get tangled in one and it put me off for life). Any ideas?

 

[BBP]

Not suitable for shod horses but I'm having great success with one of the tiny hole haynets with the top tied and the tie up rope woven in and out of the net weave and then clipped with a small clip so it won't unravel then thrown on the floor of the field or stable. A hay cushion! Never had it come open or create a loop for feet to get stuck in. Keeps our little fatty companion pony and my sisters hay inhaler occupied for much longer.

 

[Yardbird]

Are they eating a ridiculous ammount? I mean, if they eat it they need it. Hay and livery and farrier are the basics, better to save elsewhere. Can you get cheaper hay if this is a problem.

 

[Equine_Dream]

Are they eating a ridiculous ammount? I mean, if they eat it they need it. Hay and livery and farrier are the basics, better to save elsewhere. Can you get cheaper hay if this is a problem.

Its not so much how much they eat. Its how quickly they eat it. Horses are trickle feeders so little but constant food is what their guts are designed for. Ive heard prolonged periods without grazing can cause ulcers (not sure if I heard right). We have them on DIY livery. I go up in the mornings and then OH does the evenings. Im concerned how quickly they are eating it which then means they are stood around for hours not eating. Ive tried putting more hay in but it still doesnt seem to last long.

 

[little_critter]

"Are they eating a ridiculous ammount? I mean, if they eat it they need it. Hay and livery and farrier are the basics, better to save elsewhere. Can you get cheaper hay if this is a problem."

I guess you don't own a good doer then!
Mine inhales her hay too given a chance. She is a native type good doer, if I fed ad lib hay so there was some left in the morning as is often suggested I would be slated for having an obese horse.
I soak mine for 12 hours and double net it.
I also understand the dislike for haynets but it's a toss-up between overworked neck muscles with the net or the pony eats her whole ration in 10 minutes (I exaggerate - but you know what I mean)

 

[JillA]

The hay cushions/pillows has worked well with mine for years, you just have to remember they will move them all around the ground and especially into any muddy patches Never had a problem with shoes - the most risky area is the heels and most horses keep the hay pillows in front of themselves, and it doesn't strain necks, they are eating off the ground as they evolved to do. Worth investing in small holed nets though.

 

[YorksG]

For good doers who go through hay at a fast rate, try adding straw to the feed. We have one who coliced if fed long straw, but did very well on honeychop plain oat straw chaff in a trug. Worked a treat.

 

[Identityincrisis]

Ok my stupid question that I'd like answered please -

Micronised linseed? What is micronising?! I have just ordered some (use it regularly) but I was delivered 'cooked linseed meal' which looks slightly different.......is it different?!

 

[ester]

grinding really small, it isn't cooked.

 

[Identityincrisis]

grinding really small, it isn't cooked.

Ahhhh right! So is cooking 'detrimental'? or is it still suitable for barefooted horses?

 

[saffytessa]

grinding really small, it isn't cooked.

You can get micronized barley. That isn't ground up.

Identityincrisis - I would say it is the same stuff, different label. I'd feed it to mine just the same, they are both barefoot.

 

[ester]

Micronised does literally mean to break into small particles (microns in diameter)

randomly for grains it seems to include cooking too so I suspect what you have is correct!

 

[Identityincrisis]

Wonderful!!!

Thank you both for clearing up my random question!

 

[JillA]

The thing about linseed is if you feed it whole, it passes straight through the gut because of the hard shell. It used to be soaked to soften the shell but when you add water it generates an acid which had to be neutralised by ensuring it was boiled. Dry cooking and grinding it up ensures that it can be adequately digested, so really it doesn't matter so long as it isn't whole or been soaked without boiling.

 

[SallyBatty]

The thing about linseed is if you feed it whole, it passes straight through the gut because of the hard shell. Cooking it used to involve boiling it but when you add water it generates an acid which had to be neutralised by ensuring it was boiled. Dry cooking and grinding it up ensures that it can be adequately digested, so really it doesn't matter so long as it isn't whole or been soaked without boiling.

That is a brilliant explanation. Thanks.

 

[Annagain]

The thing about linseed is if you feed it whole, it passes straight through the gut because of the hard shell. It used to be soaked to soften the shell but when you add water it generates an acid which had to be neutralised by ensuring it was boiled. Dry cooking and grinding it up ensures that it can be adequately digested, so really it doesn't matter so long as it isn't whole or been soaked without boiling.

So does that mean you shouldn't feed it mixed micronized with a wet/soaked feed e.g. fast fibre as it will then generate the acid?
My daft question.

 

[Identityincrisis]

So does that mean you shouldn't feed it mixed micronized with a wet/soaked feed e.g. fast fibre as it will then generate the acid?
My daft question.

This is what i wondered after reading that but I'm pretty sure as it's been cooked, therefore boiled, it will be ok to feed wet , don't know anyone who feeds it dry....

 

[Pearlsasinger]

"Are they eating a ridiculous ammount? I mean, if they eat it they need it. Hay and livery and farrier are the basics, better to save elsewhere. Can you get cheaper hay if this is a problem."

I guess you don't own a good doer then!
Mine inhales her hay too given a chance. She is a native type good doer, if I fed ad lib hay so there was some left in the morning as is often suggested I would be slated for having an obese horse.
I soak mine for 12 hours and double net it.
I also understand the dislike for haynets but it's a toss-up between overworked neck muscles with the net or the pony eats her whole ration in 10 minutes (I exaggerate - but you know what I mean)

Actually we have rarely had anything that wasn't a good doer! We find that giving ad-lib forage helps to stop them fixating on food. We neither soak nor net but find that if they are given plenty of forage they regulate their own intake, when they have got used to the idea that it is always available. Even one mare who had been kept very short of food as a youngster, and was very proud of her food for the 1st year that we had her, got used to being able to eat all night and had some left in the morning, when she realised that there would be some more the next night.

 

[JennBags]

Actually we have rarely had anything that wasn't a good doer! We find that giving ad-lib forage helps to stop them fixating on food. We neither soak not net but find that if they are given plenty of forage they regulate their own intake, when they have got used to the idea that it is always available. Even one mare who had been kept very short of food as a youngster, and was very proud of her food for the 1st year that we had her, got used to being able to eat all night and had some left in the morning, when she realised that there would be some more the next night.

This is very interesting, I've always taken the view that I'd rather give ad-lib, and in the first year of owning each of my horses, they've gorged themselves but as they get used to never being without hay, they regulate. I give my 17.2hh about 20 lbs of hay on the floor each night and that seems the right amount, but the first year I had him it took 28 lbs double-netted before I found anything left in the morning.

 

[Mike007]

That is a brilliant explanation. Thanks.

But in the finest traditions of this forum, entirely wrong. Microniseing means cooking with microwaves. Hence , micronised barley , maize and linseed.Absolutely nothing to do with grinding.

 

[Enfys]

Ok my stupid question that I'd like answered please -

Micronised linseed? What is micronising?! I have just ordered some (use it regularly) but I was delivered 'cooked linseed meal' which looks slightly different.......is it different?!

http://www.jamesandson.com.au/index.php/nutrition/micronising-feed

 

[ester]

Yup scientifically for rocks etc it is different to that used for grains just to confuse!

Re. the wet linseed, yes that is fine. Apparently it can get a bit sour in taste if left wet for an extended amount of time but mine is damp for 12 hours as breakfast is left out and doesn't seem to be a problem .