Ad-Lib Hay - Is it always safe?

vels mum

New Member
Jul 1, 2008
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Shetland
My horses are now living on a heathery hill, they will come in at night soon but for now they are rugged and fed daily.
I am thinking to get a round bale of hay and put it in their field.
Ive never fed any of them ad-lib hay.
Turk (26) and Dollie (4) are not greedy and will eat their hay nets slowly at the moment as there is still pickings of grass on the hill. Vel (2) is always exremely hungry, I wouldnt say he is greedy just eats a hell of a lot, tis a growing boy! Its mainly for him im thinking to get the round bale in.

Anyway is this safe? How long should a round bale last the horses plus 12 sheep (also live in the field).

Also should I buy a sheep size or cow size feeder?
 
There is a mare and foal (well she must be nearly a year) next to my stables and they have a round bale about every third day!!! Admittedly there is no grass but they can really scoff that much down easily! They dont look fat at all.
 
ad-lib hay has always been available at my yard and it has never casued any problems. only problems may be if they fight to get into it. It lasts at my yard about a week. But not sure how much sheep eat!
 
I would think you would need to buy a ring to keep the bale in. Otherwise it may get struin everywhere, and when its nearly finished it will get trampled on??? We obviously use them with the sheep but i dont know about horses. The ponies at Black gait have a silage ring for the hay to go in.
 
Lucy has ad lib round bale. I don't use my ring feeder as she scratched her mane off on it ;). I'd rather cover the cost of lost hay haha .... She and her 16hh warmblood buddy go through about a bale every 10 days at the moment (sparse grazing but warm weather). When the weather turns it will be one a week.
 
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