[newhorsemom]

I recently heard that it's a good idea to weigh your hay before feeding to make sure that you are giving the appropriate amount - approx. 2% of horse body weight. Have you done this or heard of it before?

 

[My Beau]

Yes, you should do that. 2 flakes from one bale can be totally different from 2 flakes from another bale. But, once you've got a pretty good baseline you can grab and go.

I weigh when we get a new load of hay because flakes will be pretty much the same in all the bales because they're from the same supplier, same field, same equipment, etc.

 

[iridehorses]

I don't weigh my hay and try to have it for them at all times they are in the paddock (which I don't see as a problem) but I always weigh my feed.

 

[Alwaysbehind]

I do. Not always anymore. I fill the hay bag and hang it from the way cheap fish scale I bought at Walmart. Works great!

 

[Maire995]

i normally give my horse a wheelbarrow full of hay morning noon and night! although my horse was on the skinny side when i got him first so he needs building up

 

[Scoutrider]

I used to weigh my hay, but my arm "calibrated" pretty quickly so now I basically tell by feel when I've fed enough, if I'm not feeding free choice. I do weigh grain daily, though. Even within the same bag I find that a scoop from the top of the bag can weigh differently than a scoop from the bottom of the bag.

 

[OdinsOwn]

I've weighed hay in the past for exact numbers for pony club record books, but recently its more of a feel... Its pretty easy to get a general idea of bale weight and then from there I go by feel of individual flakes depending on the bale... However my horses get free choice hay most of the year so I don't always feed a specific amount anyway.

 

[Solon]

I don't. The bales we get are so varied I just been able to figure out by feel what my boy should be getting.

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

I worked at a barn where hay was fed on the basis of weight. You eventually learn what a kilogram of hay feels like

 

[luvs2ride1979]

No, but I know how much our bales weigh. I feed according to that. If our bales weight 50-60 lbs (average for most grass hay around here), then I know I need to feed 1/2 a bale a day per horse for most of our horses (more for the bigger or more heavily worked horses).

I use round bales now though, so no need to weigh or figure weight. They're out in the pasture with free access to them. I need to work a few of my horses more though, as they eat more than they really need, lol.

 

[BLAZERIVERSONG]

I have always weighed my hay using a set of digital fish scales (before soaking the hay). I have been doing this method for 11 years and it bugs me as I still can not guess the weight just by hand. The scales sometimes runs out of batteries and I try to guess only to find out I am way out. So I really envy the people with this skill I am very jealous of you. LOL. Nor can I level something by eye. I also find it easy using the scales when I need to alter the food weight due to my old man being too fat (like at the moment) to on the lean side. All hay is different weight as well; I find Lucerne Hay is a lot heavier compared to grassy hay. Cheers.:lol: