When should I start cutting out the hay?

sandi_84

sandi_84

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 November 2011
Messages
4,124
Visit site
Stupid question really but our grass is just starting to peek through so I know it's coming up to the time when I should be able to cut out the hay soon.

Can someone give me a rough guideline as to when I should do this though?

Sorry I know it's probably pretty difficult to judge not knowing the horses and the field they are in but I'm happy to provide extra info if you need it.

Also would it be prudent to keep a bale handy when we do cut it out just in case?
 
I ususally cut mine out when they no longer seem interested in it - ie leaving it as would rather eat the grass.

My grass is still slow to come through, so anticipate feeding hay for at least the next couple of weeks, then will see where we are at by the beginning of May.
 
Sidney said:
I ususally cut mine out when they no longer seem interested in it - ie leaving it as would rather eat the grass.

My grass is still slow to come through, so anticipate feeding hay for at least the next couple of weeks, then will see where we are at by the beginning of May.
Click to expand...

My lad is a super greedy cob though :cool: if it's possible to get maximum food with minimum effort he will :rolleyes: so I'm not sure if he could bring himself to ignore an easy food source in hay?
Mum's mare ignored the hay yesterday and just grazed though.

Arg first year on our own is going to be a massive learning curve and super stressfull I think, I was completely freaking out over the possibility of abcesses last night! :eek: At least I'm not the type to be obsessing over rug/lack of rugs yet ;)
 
If your mums mare is less greedy i would use her as an example. So leaving it yesterday i would prob not put any out now.
My tb has been living out 2 weeks now in midlands no hay out. I can tel they don't need it as never waiting at gate even for his token feed Im having to walk over to him.
Depends where you are but at our yard all horses are doing green poos so grass is definitely coming through. Although it is old dairy land so very rich anyway.
 
Aarrghimpossiblepony said:
Related question if I may butt in OP.

Our's get hay in the morning and evening. When we start to cut down, which would be better to cut, morning or evening?
Click to expand...

Feel free :D That's a good point though, ours are still getting ad lib... mostly because they can reach the bale over the fence with their go go gadget necks :rolleyes:

Nice farmer man is coming to dig out the ground next to the gate this week so we can put the bales away from the fence because the darlings have snapped the top wire :mad: and OH is coming to fix that on monday for us and give Loki and Pippa a trim.
 
Dizzydancer said:
If your mums mare is less greedy i would use her as an example. So leaving it yesterday i would prob not put any out now.
My tb has been living out 2 weeks now in midlands no hay out. I can tel they don't need it as never waiting at gate even for his token feed Im having to walk over to him.
Depends where you are but at our yard all horses are doing green poos so grass is definitely coming through. Although it is old dairy land so very rich anyway.
Click to expand...

Brilliant, thanks! :D
I think I'll have a poop check when I go up today too just to make sure. They are getting moved to the greener paddock either today or tomorrow too (the bottom of the field has been rested for the last 2 months so has more grass)

Should I keep a bale for emergencies?
 
Well worth having a bale or two for emergancies, the temp is forecast to drop a lot over the weekend which will stop the growth a bit.

I cut it out when they stop hanging around waiting for it, if when they see me they race over and look lovingly at me - they get hay, if they glance up and carry on stuffing they get none.

My field doesn't look like there is much on it - but they are doing big green poos and plenty of them - even without hay for a couple of weeks now.

And obviously keep an eye on weight - it's easy to put a bit more weight on a greedy cob if it drops but harder to get rid of it - so less is more IMHO
 
Ours are only getting it in the evening now. They aren't that interested in that tbh. Saturday they go in their summer field which has tons of grass, so will stop hay altogether then. I've kept a huge round bale spare for shows etc
 
Mine have been on evening hay only for about a week and when I arrived yesterday there was still loads left from the night before - unheard of with my bunch of greedy cobs! I poo count as I pick so I left them without last night and I'm going to count again today to see if not having it made much difference to their intake.
 
I started reducing it a couple of weeks ago, mine get some all year round but only a tiny amount in the summer but they also have straw to eat and I've started cutting that back as well.
 
Well we popped them in the first paddock today - enticed them with wheelbarrows of hay. Put the hay out for them and they ignored it completely, they were way more interested in what the green stuff was ;) We've got a tiny bit of hay left of the last two bales, it'll probably do the weekend if that. We ordered 2 more bales earlier in the week so they can be our weaning and emergency hay :)

Thanks for the advice everyone! :D
 
We're in the process of winding down. A bit difficult, as a thin TB and two good doers. The good doers just have very small haynets now (they are all out 24/7), just enough to make them feel loved. I shut the TB in for a bit with a big haynet. Like others, the final cut-out for me is when they are interested in the grass and not the hay.

And yes, definitely keep a bale or two in hand for emergencies - horse in for an injury etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top