Sharing hay costs

[pistolpete]

My pony is now in a field with three others. He’s 13.2 but a very chunky highland. The others are an ex racer mare 15.3 a sports horse 16.3 and a shire cross 16hands.
Would you expect to pay a quarter of the hay bill?

 

[coblets]

I think that's obvious. What else would you pay? 23.59% because that's his percentage of the four horses total weight?

A Highland is probably going to eat the same as if not more than the bigger horses anyway.

 

[nagblagger]

Yes I would to expect to pay 25%, unless I'm missing something?

 

[Cragrat]

My daughters 15.1hh Tb eats the same amount of haylage as my 16 hh Tb and 17hh Tb put together! ( But she needs far less hard feed - I wish mine would learn from her!)

 

[ihatework]

I’d completely expect to pay 25%

 

[pistolpete]

What about if it was just him and the shire cross mare? It’s just me musing. Appreciate your honesty.

 

[nagblagger]

Still 50% as it would be hard to suss out exactly what they ate ad lib in a field. However if I shared hay with another stabled and they were obviously using more than me I may question it, or buy my own.

 

[Jenko109]

I just wouldn't quibble over it. It's not worth it.

 

[Lurfy]

Yes I would expect to pay 25%. During drought years we had round bales regularly unrolled for the herd and owners were billed according to how many horses they owned. Size of horse wasn't a factor.

 

[SEL]

I've always just paid the same whether it was my Ardennes or the 13h pony.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Yes I would expect to pay 25%. During drought years we had round bales regularly unrolled for the herd and owners were billed according to how many horses they owned. Size of horse wasn't a factor.

Totally agree, Orbi eats a lot less than my friends 15.3 ex racer he is a horace

 

[Cloball]

My 13.2 native eats/needs more than the 15h horse she shares with (who lives on fresh air) I've offered to pay more but we just split it 50.50 at the end of the day it's probably the least expensive cost with horses

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Of course!

 

[Red-1]

Yes, who knows who eats more?

Might be different if stabled and weighed.

 

[pistolpete]

Thanks everyone. Thought it was right just checking. He can eat! Not camping by the hay as much as I thought he would luckily.

 

[EmmaC78]

Yes I'd just split it equally. The only time I didn't was when I had a miniature shetland and his contribution was 50% of the big horses.

 

[Fjord]

My 13.3 fjord can out-eat a much bigger horse easily, so unless your Highland is a fussy eater, I'd expect to pay 25%.

 

[AdorableAlice]

What about if it was just him and the shire cross mare? It’s just me musing. Appreciate your honesty.

Size of horse doesn't really mean anything. My 17.2 50% shire/50% cob eats less and is less gutsy than his 15.1 small hunter girlfriend. He is nearly 800kg and she is 580kg but in terms of shoving haylage away, she beats him easily.

 

[spotty_pony2]

Absolutely and if just two then 50%.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Always just split the cost of whatever we used in the field.

 

[dorsetladette]

Yeah always just divided by the number of horses. When done other ways it got political and nasty.

 

[Abacus]

In a field with a 16hh horse and an 11hh pony, I charge less for the pony. I know he eats less as the horse is dominant so I can give the big horse an appropriate amount while the pony gets a separate pile with less. When he runs out, he doesn’t get any from the horse. But in your situation I imagine he eats about as much as the others.