Should I move to this barn? (new feeding situation)

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to change barns, so I can have a ring to ride in and so I can get Tara away from her boyfriend (I still don't know if I have the heart to do that...we might just stick where we are because they're so cute together and it would break my heart to make her leave )

At my current barn, I provide her feed and the owner feeds twice a day. She's out 24/7. When the grass up, it's fabulous, and when it's not he provides round bales (there's usually only three horses, so no problem with competition so far, and he keeps one constantly available).

I just contacted another barn about their options, and the best option seems to be for me to keep providing her feed, but for the owner to provide hay (I've never had to buy my own, and from what I hear, decent hay around here is pretty expensive). She would get fed 2x a day, and get fed hay 3x per day. At each hay feeding, she'd get 2 flakes, so 6 flakes total for the day. I haven't asked yet what kind of hay she feeds, so I'll just assume it's "average" for the moment until I find out.

For the morning and afternoon feedings of grain and hay, she'd be separate from the rest of the horses, and for the midday hay, she'd be with them and they'd have their own piles. I'm not too worried about her getting chased off it...if she wants it, she'll fight for it

So does this seem like enough hay for her? She's an easy keeper in the summer when there's grass. She really doesn't need the small amount of feed I'm giving her. But she tends to lose weight in the winter. She's always had free access to round bales, and I'm not good at figuring out how much forage they need daily

This new option would be cheaper, and they have a ring, so if the feeding situation seems fine, then I'll most likely move there.

Thanks guys! Sorry it's a little long

I think that to much hay unless your riding her really hard or she's a huge draft horse. She'd do just fine on 4 flake of hay per day (1 morning, 1 lunch, 2 dinner) that's how I feed my quarter horses and mustang, plus they get grain once per day and they're still chunky.

Just to clarify, is there no grass turnout at the new barn?

If there is adequate pasture in the summer, that much hay isnt totally neccesary. But a little extra doesn't hurt especially if she can be a hard keeper. In the winter, it might not be enough. It depends on the size of the flakes. To me, that is an 'easy keepers' diet and if she's not one, you might want to enquire about extra hay and how much that may cost.

Thanks guys! She said there are large, lush pastures, so I'm guessing it's like most places around here...great grass in the spring and summer, not great at all in the fall and winter. I think the 6 flakes is a "max" so she might get much less, if any, during the summer. If I move, I'll see how she does on 6 flakes once the grass goes, and adjust up if needed.

Ah, ok. I would say that is more than adequate - my easy keepers are turned out 24/7 and get nothing most of the year, and 1 biscuit a day, or 2, max, if there isn't much feed.

^ Would be plenty :]

K =D Now I have to tear Tara away from her boy =\ I really don't know if I can do it!

I may see if I can do the cheapest option where I provide feed and hay...even though hay is expensive, I probably won't need much, if any at all, during the spring and summer...then board would only be half the price I'm paying now, and I'd have that glorious, much-needed ring...

Okay, just read a story about a horse that moved to a barn that did separate hay feedings instead of free-choice, and the horses would go most of the night without hay (after they finished their evening feeding), so one coliced. I'm terrified of colic...what will she do in the winter when she finishes her 2 flakes?!

Will there be zero grass, or just a pick?

Our horses are out on pasture 24/7 and we are often in drought - Our guys only get one or two biscuits a day, which isn't ideal, but none of them have ever colicked.

When we get that dry again (Thankfully not this year) I am going to see if we can get some roundbales, but they have been fine up until now with just a sparse pick. Horses are designed to live off sparse and poor quality forage - It's only when there is nothing at all passing through the gut that you get issues.

Hmm..what is a pick? Sorry Does it mean just a little grass?

Also, I'm curious as to what a biscuit is. When I hear that I think a treat. Is that right? Totally wrong? =P