Standing hay fields

[spotty_pony]

So I have a couple of fields of standing hay - the horses are currently in one of them. There is quite a lot of green grass underneath but the top is yellow and they have now flattened it all down. I am worried there is not enough to eat but there is still green grass underneath. All horses are looking well and are good doers, come in for a haynet (or two!) during the day and a basic feed including a balancer. I think they just preferred the summer field because the grass was shorter and sweeter but surely the grass will still be growing a fair bit with it only being October

Please note there is no ergot in this field as it has been thoroughly checked.

I may be fretting unnecessarily but just after some reassurance haha

 

[Polos Mum]

Maybe judge it on how they look / behave ?

Make a point of a proper 3 minute condition score each week and write it down so you can track - plus weight tape if you have one - just for comparison they are useless at actual weight

While they are in, do a poo count - if it's coming out it must be going in !!

And see how hungry they are for hay - if they come in a woof a hay net in the first 2 hours maybe the field needs supplementing - if they come in sleep for 2 hours then pick at hay for the next 3-4 then I would rest assured there's enough out there.

Here in Yorkshire it's 18 degrees in the day and 13 at night for most of this week - the grass is still growing rampantly here and the top yellow dead grass is effectively the same as the hay that you are feeding them in the day.

 

[Sprig]

No reason why that wouldn't be enough for them, especially now that the weather is so warm and you will be getting lots of regrowth too where they have grazed.

 

[L&M]

Standing hay/foggage never tastes as nice as sweet spring grass - ours have just gone onto their winter patch which has been rested since May and again a good length of green grass with a lot of longer dead grass that they don't seem so keen on.

They are coming in at night and wanting their hay so obviously not stuffing themselves on the foggage, which is good as should last them longer and not cause any weight gain.

I wouldn't worry.

 

[Antw23uk]

I strip graze my standing foggage ... very strictly, lol! I waste nothing!

 

[Nasicus]

They won't starve themselves. It's there, they just have to work for it a bit more so they're not going to be stuffing themselves silly, just eating what they need.
For what it's worth, one of mine LOVES her hay, if I put hay out she'll beeline for that before she goes off to eat the nice grass.
As PM suggests, keeping an eye on their poop output is a great way to tell if they're getting enough or not.

 

[spotty_pony]

Thanks for the tips guys - they are doing a massive amount of poo so as you say they must be getting a good amount to eat! Poo is not green though is more brown but I guess that’s because the grass isn’t so rich. They make me feel bad just because I have to walk them through the other field to get to this one and they drag behind as they want to be in that one. ? like you say though, they grass is there, they just need to forage a bit more to find it! They are eating a fair amount of hay when in, but aren’t standing at the gate to come in in the morning. I will keep an eye on weight but they are all carrying extra at the moment so not too concerned about that.

feel a bit better now - was beginning to think I should be putting hay out! ? but with these temps they grass should still be growing a lot after the rain and now the warmer weather again…

ok I am rambling, I just worry a lot but I will know when they are hungry. I have another field of standing hay but if I let them in there now by November there will be nothing with any length to it. Will
Keep going as we are then!

 

[splashgirl45]

you could also take a pic each week so you have a record of how they are looking,,