tight purse strings... forage amount info please?

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akashapachamama

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Purse strings are tight and i cant afford ad lib haylage for the neddies this year.:(
how much haylage do you feed so that they keep the weight on but aren't so spoilt that they are wastful and trample the vast majority of it into the mud.
I have a scale so I can measure.

Asking for a horse and pony, both good doers who live out, and a very poor doer horse who's stabled at night.
Grass is good/average (no mud baths yet) but obv will worsen as winter sets in.
 
If you're worried about them trampling it into the mud, and want to slow down the speed at which they eat haylege, it might be economical to invest in some sort of a container or feeder.

See http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/slow+feeders to invent one of your own. Obviously be careful your horse can't get his/her feet trapped in it, as with some of these.
 
Ours are in at night and get between 3 and 4 sections in a small holed haynet per night and always have a small amount left over but hardly any is wasted as what falls to the floor is refilled into the net.

If feeding outside I'd put in a container or net as feeding straight from the floor wastes so much?
 
This may sound harsh, but if you can't afford ad lib forage then I don't think you can afford to keep a very poor doer... sorry :(
 
Thanks Naturally.
My 2 who live out are on a paddock paradise and I have looked at making a hammocky net thing to use as a feeder just wasn't sure how, especially as my pony is a 10hh with teeny hooves which are easily caught.
that site is brilliant. I will have a browse for ideas. Thank you!
 
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MrsMozart said:
So what do you suggest the OP does with the horse?
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I was attempting to imply (perhaps poorly) that for a very poor doer ad lib forage really is essential. So to keep the horse (in good condition!) she needs to find a way to provide what it needs. Just my opinion.
 
For your poor doer, the cheapest chop, cubes, sugar beet and if possible home boiled barley rather than barley nuggets.
I will have the same problem for my field horse, what good quality hay I can get supplemented by the above.
I'm fortunate that my livery yard supplies fab haylage in the livery contract but my problems start getting hay out to the field horse, if I could I would get a big bale up there but access is s£$%e.
 
I started this post for advice about quantities others fed because due to 2 very large vet bills and the need to purchase a new saddle my funds are not as fluid as i would like at the start of winter.
However of course, if my poor doer needs ad lib haylage, he'll get ad lib haylage. I was mainly asking with regards to my good doers. Thanks to naturally's postand link I have some great ideas for a slow feeder to prevent waste in the paddock.
Maintaining the comfort and condition of my horses is my highest priority which is why I asked!
Thanks everyone for your advice.
 
Tbh, I always weigh forage! That way I don't overfeed or spend more than I need to :)

I have a good doer, in light/medium work. She weighs very slightly over 500kg at the moment.

She gets fed 2% of her body weight per 24 hours in winter (so 10kg), and 2.25-25% when it's really, really cold. In summer, I reduce this down to 1.75%, or even less. She holds her weight just nicely at this feeding rate, although still puts on weight v easily over summer if allowed :o

She is turned out on ok grazing for 12-14hrs a day. Her grass intake (according to the reasearch I've done) is likely to be around 5kg/11lb.

So she has a 5kg/11lb smalled-holed hay net over night, or 7.5kg/16.5lb haylage (due to the higher water content).

She gets no hard feed at present, besides 1/4 handful hi-fi with a scoop of Equivite. If I was feeding hard feed, I would reduce her forage accordingly. Obviously the amount I feed is tweaked up or down, depending on condition, weight loss/gain, increased exercise, extreme weather etc.

For a poor-doer, I would be looking at ad-lib haylage though. Or at least feeding in excess of 2.5-3% of his body weight, probably more, to keep the weight on.

Hope it helps! :D
 
Have you though of putting a rubber mat down under any piles of haylage ? Makes it a bit easier to keep the haylage seperate from the mud. It neednt be an expensive mat, you might even be able to use a lump of old carpet (not foam backed) with a few pitchfork holes through it to help it drain. Just a thought...

I feed ad lib hay at a rate of 50lbs a day, all year round (poor grazing). I use small hole haynets (from shires I think) .I also feed soaked lucie nuts form simple systems as a bulk feed (It lasts ages !) to which you can add some chopped apples and carrots (or parnsips). If you ask round at your local market, they might let you have spoiled veg at the end of the day for a lot less money than your saddler.

Youd be surprised how you can economise !! Equilbrium feeds often do a months free trial of thier mixes if you ask nicely, might make all the difference to your poor doer !
 
Doncella said:
For your poor doer, the cheapest chop, cubes, sugar beet and if possible home boiled barley rather than barley nuggets.
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Click to expand...

Yes agree with above. You could try cutting your hard feed costs by giving home boiled barley a try, which might be good for the poor doer. We used to boil our own, and mix our own feeds. Costs can be reduced, but a bit more faffing about and effort may be required.

Also, remember to keep the poor doer really, really toasty and warm! That will help maintain his weight a great deal :)
 
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