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Originally Posted by AndreaOllendick Also, someone told me that round bales waste a lot of hay. I was told that square bales are better? Is it true that round bales waste a lot of hay and would a round bale even be worth it for only two horses? Posted via Mobile Device |
Great advice from everyone and yes, I should've stated that not all horses will lick from a salt block and you may have to give them loose salt in a pan.
Varying opinions on the round bales. I have four horses and refuse to feed roundbales. Even with four they can't eat it down fast enough before a lot gets wasted from the weather/rot/mold.
Then there's the rodents that oftentimes move in (at the very bottom) and leave filth on the hay, thus wasting even more.
With only two horses, it is more economical for you to feed smalls squares and be able to control what they eat.
Again, be sure to put out 3 - 5 piles and place them far apart so nobody gets kicked. It's the horse version of musical chairs.
Sounds the Hafflinger is the dominant one, so you will have to keep feeling the barrel of the Paint to be sure it's not losing weight because the Hafflinger won't let it eat.
Here's video by a vet at the University of Kentucky that shows a horse owner how to do body conditioning scoring.
What's Your Horse's Body Condition Score? | Video | TheHorse.com
It's something that is very helpful in the winter, when all that hair may be covering a thinning horse.
I think I already commented that it's a fine line between having a horse that's too fat and suddenly finding it's too thin
If the link won't open for you, Google "horse body conditioning scoring" and look for veterinary or .gov or .edu articles so you get credible information.
Some horses are hard keepers in the winter, so it's important to know how to assess their body condition