Trickle Feeding Hay when stabled at night

G

Grey Haven

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 March 2014
Messages
73
Location
Bristol
Visit site
My pony is now on Equine Slimming World! He is a newforest good doer, but does have stomach issues so I don't want him to have nothing to eat for hours on end. He's stabled overnight (coming in around 3pm and out around 9am) on our winter routine. How much hay should I be giving him as I was giving him two massive Haynets overnight and there was just a little left at the bottom in the morning. He's around 520kgs and fat.

I was looking at the Martsnets ones that you can tie and leave on the floor? He's barefoot and I wondered if this would slow him down at all? Any ideas? Or tricklenets perhaps?
 
I would honestly say double net the hay - get two reasonably priced small holed nets and double them up. Slows them down loads!

How much hay he should have depends on how good the grass is that he's out on, and what else he gets in his diet? Also what kind of work is he in at the moment?
 
Hi Violet - thanks for replying! basically just gentle hacking at the moment, I need to up the ante and get him sweating! He's out on fairly poor pasture and just given a cup of fast fibre morning and night to mix in his supplements.
 
I use nibbleze nets, they come in different hole sizes and don't need the small holed one myself in the end but donated it to a fat welshie who was going through double nets tied up like no ones business same in this and he would get bits and still have some left by morning (not a lot but!). When it is on the ground they cannot 'tug' at it so makes a big difference to speed and also soo much better for their necks- it's more of a lip technique required when not anchored to anything ;) . I got them because I wanted to make the most of no shoes so that he could be fed from floor height without hay going everywhere.

They aren't that cheap but seem really well made and I've had mine about a year now, no holes or anything even though the net is soft (and not knotted on purpose).
 
Last edited:
I have a stocky New Forest who is about 100kg lighter than yours (and could lose more without looking thin).

Do you soak your hay? If not, I'd start now, for at least 8 hours. I'd also consider mixing it with straw which is what my vet recommended when my boy had laminitis, which has less calories than hay. Just make sure he has access to water at all times.

I use a green feeder haynet, which definitely slows him down more than a normal net. I was using an Elimi-net beforeally, but these are smaller holes still. He still has a little hay left in the morning, so he doesn't go without.

How much grass does he have access to? You might want to consider muzzling in the field or strip grazing if there is a lot of grass.

What else are you feeding him?

I found exercise the best thing to help my boy lose weight though.
 
I feel your pain and so will everyone else who has a good doer! For your pony to lose weight you should only be feeding 1.5% of his total body weight. I would weigh your nets and see how much you are actually feeding and adjust accordingly and then work out how to make that ration last the longest. If the pony has stomach issues then you don't want him left for more than 4hrs without forage. As others have said, soaking hay, using double nets or small holed nets and if possible putting 1 net in at 3 and Yo putting another net in on last check in the evening? I think frankie cob and a few others on here have used a hay ball and hay pillows with some success too! Keeping him slightly under rugged will also help with weight loss. Good luck, it's tough but worth it when you see them looking slimmer
 
I can't bear haynets, they cause all sorts of muscle problems and are an accident waiting to happen. My mare was obese when I bought her and was immediately put on a strict diet. I gave her a small ration of dry hay in the haybar and big trugs full of plain oat straw chaff.
It was easier for me because our horses live at home, so I could split her overnight hay ration into 2 or 3 depending on the time they came in, with the last top up being just before midnight.
 
I use trickle nets but I was finding the horses were getting frustrated when trying to eat. I found that putting some hay in a normal net and allowing them to take the edge of their appetite, before moving on to the trickle net really helped. I have greedy feeders and they have been pretty good, although expensive to buy in the first place.
 
I bought my gelding a Martsnet, he also has a big shires haynet as well which he will eat first, the Matrsnet means he always has a bit of hay left in the morning I wouldn't like him to only have the Martsnet and he is turned out for 6-7 hours with acesss to a large round bale then so he has plenty.
 
I have Tricklenets and Martsnets. I also give a normal haynet to satisfy hunger. My cob lost 100kgs when on a months box rest and was never without anything to eat.
 
How big is your forester?

My 13.3 chunky forester weights about 450 kilos as a comparison and he is not overweight but it is a constant battle!

This is the routine I have for my forester to keep him slim.

Breakfast at 7pm 1/3 scoop dengie molasses free chaff to mix with supplements. 7.30 -2.30 field with grazing muzzle on - lots of grass but fairly poor quality as more like standing hay but still he could easily eat loads in very short amount of time as very greedy.

Comes in between 2.30-3pm. Big haynet of steamed hay at about 4pm. Small dinner of 1/3 scoop of dengie molasses free at He has a navy blue haywell haynet with small holes and that hold 8.5 kilos of hay. http://www.smithshealth.co.uk/horsewell-haywell-horse-haynet-3-30-x-120-x-90cm-blue/ YO does a late night check at around 10pm and will top up hay if needed but he always seems to have plenty when I get there to yard after work at about 7pm.

I try and ride 5 times a week. Three times after work in school and then hack out at the weekend. It is a challenge to keep his weight under control as he is not only a very good doer who enjoys eating a lot but he is also a naturally warm pony so does not use much energy keeping warm either!
 
I would recommend taking off his rugs if he's wearing any :O soaking his hay, and upping his exercise. Soaking the hay should make a dramatic difference as it vastly reduces the sugar content, which means there's no need to restrict it. No rugging will awaken his metabolism, as will increasing his exercise.
I also have a NF, who has ems. He is out on old grass which is more like uncut hay, he also comes off this at night but is outside still, is unrugged, in work and has lost a lot of weight. Soaking the hay made the biggest difference, but now I only soak if I'm concerned about added sugar from frosty grass.
 
Last edited:
As well as the ration of hay in a net with holes that aren't too tiny, I've found that it helps ticklish tummies to provide LOTS of very fresh water and adding a good whack of loose salt in feed (be careful the salt type has a neutral pH.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top