Unrugged, snow, out 24/7, not on adlib hay

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Daisy2

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So am I being cruel. They are overweight cobs with woolly coats and I am now taking advantage of the sustained snow on the ground. I can see they are getting to the grass and I give them a section each hay morning and night, they are on 13 acres of semi well grazed land not bare.

I know if I give any more, come spring they will be still over weight and I will struggle and worry about lami etc - your thoughts please
 
No, mine are similar types to yours and live in the same conditions. I haven't upped their hay in the snow as they really don't need any more, and snuffling about looking for grass under the snow keeps them mentally and physically active, better for them than standing gorging all day :) Overfeeding is what would ultimately be cruel .
 
13 acres is a lot even if covered in snow,are they digging for the grass? If they are over weight and you want them to loose some weight ,I am sure that they will.Just need to keep an eye on their weight. I have a large h/w cob if he gets hungry he will destroy fencing to get to more food . might be worth baring that in mind.
 
merlin12 said:
13 acres is a lot even if covered in snow,are they digging for the grass? If they are over weight and you want them to loose some weight ,I am sure that they will.Just need to keep an eye on their weight. I have a large h/w cob if he gets hungry he will destroy fencing to get to more food . might be worth baring that in mind.
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Yes they are digging for grass, they were strip grazed and muzzled until late November! The field has been grazed by sheep and now they are given free range of the whole field to finish off whats left through the winter.. and I am having a break from micro managing but give them a little hay just to give them a break and something warming (human response) so far I have not gone soft but just wanted to check that I am not pushing them too much, it is nasty out there, they have a shelter but never use it:rolleyes:
 
My two fell babies are out on less land, they get 3-4 sections at night between them in the slow feeders (so they have full tummies through the cold and dark) but other than that they are on their own!! They thrive in this weather, dry and cold - they need feeding much more when it is pouring rain. I keep an eye on them through the day, and if they are hanging by the gate all day then they get fed more, but they spend all day down the far end eating something and don't bother coming to mug me so I don't worry. Every so often I give them a bale and monitor it over 24hrs, but they rarely eat any more than I give them anyway, so would rather it stayed fresh and encouraged them to graze and be proper ponies.
 
Ive got 2 16+hh - theyre getting a small bale in 24 hours, netted, half in a morning half at night. Theyve always emptied the net but have got grass under the snow and I refuse to give anymore as worried about weight/spring/lami.

Theyre not underfed, starving or cold so tough poo im afraid.
 
No not cruel at all! I have an overweight cob who only gets a rainsheet on when it rains or snows. They are given a couple of sections of hay morning and night while there is snow on the ground, but apart from that they have to dig down to get to the grass. It's a good opportunity to get weight off these chubby ones!
 
Ours are all native types, the winter field is about 5 acres and although they are getting a small feed as well, they only get 2 small bales between the 4 of them. Like you we are trying to get the little darlings a bit trimmer for spring. One is only 11.2 the other 3 are 14.2 - 16hh.
 
My pony survived (and actually gained weight) through four months of snow and freezing temperatures a few years ago. She got a handful of chaff a day and was turned out 24/7, unrugged, on about ten acres of good grazing under the snow. No hay, no other feed - she dug for grass and got on with it. One day, it was minus 21 when I checked her and she was toasty warm under her fur! Native ponies are tough.
 
My welshie is out every day in the snow un-rugged with no hay at all! I move his elec tape each day and he digs through the snow for the grass. He is managing just fine and looking like he needs some exercise soon!
 
I wouldn't want mine to dig for what little grass there is under the snow for the week we've had the snow for, so they have been having two slices of small bale hay in the morning between two 14hh ponies and 3 or 4 at night. The rest of the day and night they get on with their digging. Mine seem to have lost some weight since before Xmas as their girths can go up an extra hole or two. Still need to lose a bit more so resisting the temptation to give more hay and once snow gone might not give any.
 
So glad you wrote this!!!!!

Mine is being kept the same, apart from he get's a large, small holed net at night and still has a bit left in the morning. I'm giving him 4 small sections in each net, a cup of Pure Easy with supplement and I think it's the best he has looked.

I'm hoping like OP that he will be a nice thin(ish) weigth for spring, going to set a track up in the summer field and hopfully will not have to use a muzle :)

Oh yeah forgot he lives out 24/7 and as soon as the snow starte to melt the hay will be stopped again :)
 
You don't say how big theses 'cobs' are but I would say they will be fine... though I might be tempted to give them a little more - particularly at night when the temperature drops... that said, they're getting to the grass under the snow so will be getting their fill...
 
I'm sure they will be absolutely fine OP, but I couldn't do it myself tbh. It does depend on how deep the snow is and if there is any 'perma-frost' underneath it.

Mine are ad-lib haylage but the intake hasn't increased significantly since the snow so there must be grass under it.

As long as you check them regularly then that should mitigate things.
 
I think it all depends on the individual horse - so how thick their coat is, and how well they hold their weight. If there is plenty of grass under the snow I dare say they'll be fine! My two were living out before the snow came but are in at night now, BUT they live on an exposed hilltop high up in the Peak District, so as well as freezing temperatures they have to cope with arctic winds. There is actually plenty of grass in their field and the Welsh D might cope out if he was rugged up and given ad-lib hay (he is an ideal weight but loses it quite easily) but I just wouldn't want to risk having the other one out overnight atm. I don't think Arabs are really designed for this sort of weather! And although she does well out during the day, she is getting on a bit and has cushings and arthritis, so I don't think it would be fair on her. On the other hand, my YO has two shetlands who live out unrugged, so it can be done if you have the right kind of horse.
 
We have 4 turned out 24/7 on roughly 3 - 4 acres but the grazing is fairly poor. I think it really varies on your grazing and how your particular horses cope. We have a 16.2hh, 16hh, 12.2hh and a shettie. They have a few sections of hay each horse/pony morning and evening and a small feed as well. They are all a good weight on this regime... plenty on them but they are not fat at all. The big horses eat faster and push the shetland off after they've finished their piles of hay, so he naturally gets less (but obviously he requires a lot less anyway) but he is not so fussed about the hay anyway. He generally eats a bit and then goes digging. The 12.2hh is in a separate paddock and is an old boy who struggles to keep weight on, so he gets his bit to himself.

I find that this amount of hay is enough to keep plenty going through them (so to speak!) but also means there is still time day and night where they have to keep active and dig in the snow to find grass for something to do. If in doubt I would always rather give extra forage than too little just to keep their digestive systems in check, but if yours can access plenty of grass, seem to be coping well and are warm and happy then I don't see a problem.
 
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