How much hay please?

Keysmum

New Member
Dec 2, 2008
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This is not for me, it's so I can tell my friend....

Can anyone please tell me how much hay for a 14hh cob, good doer, turnout with very little in the way of grazing, ridden at weekends.

At the moment he is only getting about 4lb hay in the morning and the same at night, plus a handful of happy hoof, balancer and a few carrots. He gets a couple of slices of hay in the field at the moment because it's just like a mudbath.

the thing is, he is eating his droppings and I think it's because he's hungry. She hasn't really increased his feed for winter but the grass has all gone and I think he needs it.

I would have said he needs about 7 - 8lb hay morning and night. My friend is frightened of him putting weight on, but he is a cobby M&M sort, good feet, yes he is well covered but I wouldn't say fat.

Thank you.
 
My 14.2hh Welsh D x (very good doer) is out all day on very little grass and in light work. She is on dry hay and gets a large small holed net overnight (which weighs around 8-9kg, is about 4 sections) and she isn't leaving much.

She is maintaining weight, not losing (but also not exactly overweight but I'd like her to be slightly lighter - hoping that will come when she is re-clipped).

I try and feed hay ad lib, she always has some left in the morning :)
 
Mine is 15h3 and gets 4 sections of hay a day. He has it soaked but it is just enough for him.....there is also not a lot of grass in his field.

This seems adequate for him and if stabled during the day he gets 2 more slices during the day.
 
If there's no grass in the field I would think he would need about 3 to 4 sections during the day and around another 3 at night.
I totally agree with ad lib hay -horses aren't designed to be stood around not eatting! -if she doubled nets his night hay it might slow him down a bit but at least he'd have a constant supply;)
 
A 400kg cob should be getting about 8-9kg of hay per day. The fact that your pony is eating his droppings is a sign that he isn't receiving enough fibre, which is essential to keep him warm. If he is at a good weight then I would give hay ad-lib, considering the time of year and weather.

x
 
My horses will eat almost a full (small) bale each when in at night :eek:

Unless weight is an issue then they can have as much as they like, if a little on the podgy side I will soak or (as some fussy buggers wont eat hay if its wet!!) give them a limited amount spread out in a couple of areas in 2 haylage nets (one inside other, uses lots of haynets but keeps them busier)
 
How much does this horse weigh?
What is the hay quality like?

Assuming he is around 450kg ... 2kg of happy hoof and 8kg of medium quality hay would provide over the required MJ of energy per day

but that was just a quick calculation!
 
My two get 6 HUUUUGE hay nets between them - and theres NEVER anything left!
They are soooo fat so get no etra feed,...its been below zero here, so I put rugs on them for 2 nights now.....
they are both over 16hh though

ETA - They did have ad lib hay....I until a few days ago, I'd provide a huge round bale and just let them munch, but they got through it FAAAAR too quick, and the rest they just poo'd and wee'd on....the 6 HUUUUUGE hay nets are an experiment to see how it all works - if I dont provide enough to occupy them, then they break out of the field - no regards for electric fences, or any other sort of barrier!

They really are such piggies. Theres always something going on in the field, and theres always something to play with - they are neither bored, nor hugry, just GREEDY!
 
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so how much hay would an overweight 10 hands pony need per day. on bare paddock but gets balancer. forgot too mention, at the moment he gets a haynet full at night and we have round bales so i just give him a heap to share with another pony. i was just wondering exactly how much he needs.
 
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My 15hh cob gets 3 sections of hay at night but I double up his haynet so it lasts him longer. he is out for 10 hours a day in a feild with pretty good grazing. I would say he's about 15kgs overweight so I'm strip grazing him while the grass is still good. I think if he wasn't a really good doer and was the correct weight I would feed him ad lib. It is important for horses to get their full fiber requirements.

If your friend is worried about her pony gaining weight she could try soaking hay to get rid of some of the calories :)
 
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