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Extra hay, good idea or bad idea?

4K views 21 replies 17 participants last post by  walkinthewalk 
#1 ·
Extra hay on freezing nights?
We feed roughly 10 to 12 lbs in the morning and the same at night.
We have been giving him a couple of extra flakes, maybe 5 to 8 lbs more on freezing nights to help keep him chomping and warm.

Good idea or bad?

Thanks
 
#6 ·
I always feed extra hay on the cold or snowy nights. Mine get between 67 and 80 lbs on a regular day (2 horses, 1400 lbs and 1000 lbs). On snowy or cold nights (like now) they get between 87 and 105 lbs of hay. When it's cold they will clean almost all of it up and it makes me feel good to come out in the morning to warm, happy horses and a flake or maybe two of hay left.
 
#9 ·
I agree with Joe. Especially, as in my case, my horse is on a dry lot with a stall so he does not have the luxury of grazing on grass during the day. I free feed hay and make sure it is in front of him 24/7. Yes he wastes some and it is a mess to clean up but we just use the left overs around our trees and shrubs ;) I just feel that since horses are grazing animals he needs to be able to go and "graze" anytime during the day or night.
 
#11 ·
if you dont have hay you dont have hay, but that doesnt mean its whats best. Horses are grazers, their bodies are designed to constantly be nibbling on grass and hay.
MLS, we've been through this before, if you wanna weigh and measure, and make excuses for rationing fiber, and think thats best go for it. I'll never agree with you, and am not interested in arguing the point.

To the OP, if you get up in the AM and every scrap of hay is gone, you didnt give them enough. If there is alot scattered every where you gave em to much. The horses generally will only over eat the first few days till they figure out plenty is there. Shouldnt take you to long to figure out a decent balance to throw out there.
 
#12 ·
please be careful not to over feed if your horse is already overweight, this can lead to equine metabolic disorder.
 
#16 ·
Our mares agree that there is no such thing as extra hay.



In the cold/wet of winter, they will eat a round bale to the ground in a week.

It you're worried about waste, using a hay rack/feeder for square bales or a hay ring for round bales will drastically reduce the waste.
 
#17 ·
YES! All the way. In fact, free choice hay is one of the healthiest ways to feed horses. Also, all that fiber will help keep them warm on those chilly nights. As long as it is grass hay, if it is Alfalfa, you will be feeding a pretty big protein imbalance.
 
#18 ·
Always extra hay during the cold - just came in a while ago from checking on/playing with my mare, and she has icicles hanging from both of her sides, some on her mane and tail, and not so much as a shiver. That internal heating system is truly amazing!! (Good thing, as we have about 6 months of winter here).
As Tigerstripes and mvinotime have mentioned, I also rake up any extra that gets strewn around and bank it along the inside of her shed to nibble at night, and place some around her pasture under trees. Gives her something extra to do and pass the time on a snowy afternoon. :)
 
#20 ·
I always give extra hay in the winter. I have a 22 yr old QH gelding that has trouble keeping weight on so I try to have hay in front of them at all times, or at least for most of the day. If they start leaving hay, I will cut back. But until they do that, I sock it to them :)
 
#21 ·
My horse is on a 60+ acre grass pasture with 11 other horses. Up until Saturday when we finally got our first good snowfall the horses were still grazing on grass. There is a round bail outside but they barely ever touch it, hence it gets moldy quick. But when they do eat it they pick around the mold. In the Am the BO brings square bails out and makes piles for everyone of the horses but when I feed at night I'll throw alot of hay in his stall and depending on If he goes back outside or if it's too cold/crappy out he stays in and I'll throw maybe 5-6 flakes in there. If he goes back out i usually let him eat like 2 flakes then back out he goes.
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