crabbymare
Well-Known Member
I would not be worried about them not being turned out until late, but they would need hay earlier in the morning until the owner gets there.
Agree with this, I absolutely cannot stand to see horses left in without forage, just bad management and unacceptable in my opinion, but you see it all the time. Horrible for a horses digestion and mental wellbeingMine live out 24/7, so this is not an issue for me, but surely the real problem is not the time that people are turning out, but the fact they're leaving their horses without adequate forage? Whenever mine do need to be in, for box rest or some other reason, my golden rule is that this is never, ever allowed to happen.
Agree with this, I absolutely cannot stand to see horses left in without forage, just bad management and unacceptable in my opinion, but you see it all the time. Horrible for a horses digestion and mental wellbeing
So how would you deal with the overweight horse on restricted hay? I had the vet out to my mare today and the subject of her weight was raised. He told me she should be having no more than 4.5kg of soaked hay at night! Even in a small holed net that wouldn't last her more than a couple of hours. She comes in around 5.30-6.00 pm and gets a feed and a small haynet around 7am. Her hay is most likely gone by 8-9pm! She is bedded on straw so can nibble if she chooses though if she does it's not much.
So how would you deal with the overweight horse on restricted hay? I had the vet out to my mare today and the subject of her weight was raised. He told me she should be having no more than 4.5kg of soaked hay at night! Even in a small holed net that wouldn't last her more than a couple of hours. She comes in around 5.30-6.00 pm and gets a feed and a small haynet around 7am. Her hay is most likely gone by 8-9pm! She is bedded on straw so can nibble if she chooses though if she does it's not much.
People do get het up about this, and indeed it goes some way to explaining why there are so many obese horses. The fact is that some horses, like mine, simply cannot be given ad lib anything, which means that they are going to have to just lump it and not be stuffing their faces 24/7. This is one of the many reasons why I prefer straw bedding as it means that there is always something to nibble on. I have never fed horses ad lib, and I have never had a colic (in 50+ years of horse keeping) under this regime. My horses are either out or when in get fed hay 4 times a day. Overnight they will be without hay for at least half the time they are in. Tough.
So how would you deal with the overweight horse on restricted hay? I had the vet out to my mare today and the subject of her weight was raised. He told me she should be having no more than 4.5kg of soaked hay at night! Even in a small holed net that wouldn't last her more than a couple of hours. She comes in around 5.30-6.00 pm and gets a feed and a small haynet around 7am. Her hay is most likely gone by 8-9pm! She is bedded on straw so can nibble if she chooses though if she does it's not much.
I get round this by cutting hay(lage) with straw, so mine always have forage in their stables (when they are in) but it's never particularly high quality or hugely appealing to gorge on. I am slightly tempted to one of these hay ball type affairs but haven't had them in to consider it seriously yet.
So how would you deal with the overweight horse on restricted hay? I had the vet out to my mare today and the subject of her weight was raised. He told me she should be having no more than 4.5kg of soaked hay at night! Even in a small holed net that wouldn't last her more than a couple of hours. She comes in around 5.30-6.00 pm and gets a feed and a small haynet around 7am. Her hay is most likely gone by 8-9pm! She is bedded on straw so can nibble if she chooses though if she does it's not much.
In my opinion, horses are not just a pet.
So how would you deal with the overweight horse on restricted hay? I had the vet out to my mare today and the subject of her weight was raised. He told me she should be having no more than 4.5kg of soaked hay at night! Even in a small holed net that wouldn't last her more than a couple of hours. She comes in around 5.30-6.00 pm and gets a feed and a small haynet around 7am. Her hay is most likely gone by 8-9pm! She is bedded on straw so can nibble if she chooses though if she does it's not much.
For me its not just about the forage, its about checking they are ok too. Horses can injure themselves overnight, get colic, get caught up on something. If they are field kept someone is more likely to notice, not that I would personally rely on that. There are some yards near me where there is no-one on site and the stabled horses are regularly left until after 10 am in the morning. They are none of my business but I do still worry whether they are ok. One new years eve one of them got colic and died, I'm not saying this wouldn't have happened anyway but leaving them at 4pm until after 10am the next morning its less likely they are going to get medical help in time. When I was younger, yards wouldn't allow people to leave their horses until late, now the livery yard owners don't have the same level of authority because they are providing a service to their customer and its much more difficult to say something.
I remember one of my liveries didn't come till 11am on a Sunday and her horse would be the only one left in. I offered to turn out for a very small fee and she refused saying he was fine to be left in so long. Some people will always put themselves and their own needs first and others will put their family / friends / horses / other pets needs first
Wanda Mare-There are some yards near me where there is no-one on site and the stabled horses are regularly left until after 10 am in the morning. They are none of my business but I do still worry whether they are ok. One new years eve one of them got colic and died-------
Do you know this person who owns these yards near you? Maybe you could do a good deed and offer to pop in or take their number so if anything happens (thinking the arson in kent the other week) you can contact them. I know you said 'none of my business' but at the end of the day-its all about the horses isnt it?
People do get het up about this, and indeed it goes some way to explaining why there are so many obese horses. The fact is that some horses, like mine, simply cannot be given ad lib anything, which means that they are going to have to just lump it and not be stuffing their faces 24/7. This is one of the many reasons why I prefer straw bedding as it means that there is always something to nibble on. I have never fed horses ad lib, and I have never had a colic (in 50+ years of horse keeping) under this regime. My horses are either out or when in get fed hay 4 times a day. Overnight they will be without hay for at least half the time they are in. Tough.
I'm the same. My cob would eat until she exploded if she had ad-lib forage of any kind. She doesn't self-regulate at all. It's really difficult to keep her at a reasonable weight and last time the vet came out I was chatting to him about it as I was worried about how little I gave her at night and therefore ulcers. He was firmly of the opinion that the risk to her health from ulcers was considerably less than that of obesity. I think I agree with him in her case.
I'm the same. My cob would eat until she exploded if she had ad-lib forage of any kind. She doesn't self-regulate at all. It's really difficult to keep her at a reasonable weight and last time the vet came out I was chatting to him about it as I was worried about how little I gave her at night and therefore ulcers. He was firmly of the opinion that the risk to her health from ulcers was considerably less than that of obesity. I think I agree with him in her case.