Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2009 21:11:52 GMT 1
I'd like to convince my YO to change over to ad-lib hay using something like a hay hutch. I have one horse and she has two, mine and one of hers are very good doers and we're both concerned about those two eating themselves to death before they learn to self regulate!
At the moment they get a haynet each morning and night in winter and nothing in summer (there are three of them on 10 acres), they're out 24/7.
Does anyone else feed hay ad-lib and how did you find/ manage changing over?
Thanks x
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Post by horsey2 on Dec 29, 2009 21:50:57 GMT 1
My boy is a good doer and came in at night this year for the first time in ages, I didnt want him to be without hay for long so gave him way more than enough, at first it would all be gone in the morning!! but now he eats what he needs and leaves what he doesn't so I think now he knows its there and won't run out he doesn't need to eat it all if that makes sense?
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Post by june on Dec 29, 2009 23:12:46 GMT 1
Ours are on ad lib hay in hay hutches in the fields in winter. They do self regulate pretty quickly. We don't feed hay in the fields in summer unless the grass has gone.
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Post by Mellymoo on Dec 29, 2009 23:50:14 GMT 1
Agree with others, they soon self-regulate once they know they will always have plenty. It took my lad about two days to sort himself out!
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Post by beany1 on Dec 29, 2009 23:52:22 GMT 1
Agree with above - they do as long as it really is ad-lib :-)
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big e
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Post by big e on Dec 30, 2009 12:33:51 GMT 1
i have 11 out together and they are eating 2 very large bales a week. I think because there are 11 they eat in 2 lots, the hierachy in the herd 1st and then all the fat little ponies 2nd so they self regulate, the little ponies arn't on it long enough to get too fat.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2009 12:42:58 GMT 1
That's good to hear it didn't take too long for some of you, I was imagining them all stuffing themselves for weeks before they got the idea!
Do you still provide ad-lib hay in the summer? ours don't have any from about May-October as there's plenty of mixed grazing for them, would taking the hay away in summer undo the benefits?
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Post by Mellymoo on Dec 30, 2009 17:26:01 GMT 1
Ours don't get hay from April to Oct, and it doesn't make any difference when they start coming in for hay.
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Post by julz on Dec 30, 2009 18:05:00 GMT 1
I wish for the time being with all this snow that the lady who owns the two shetties would give adlib... their feild is covered in snow, no grass at all and all they get are two haynets (shared between two shetties and a 15.1hh cob) it's no way enough!! once a day
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Post by portiabuzz on Dec 30, 2009 18:10:45 GMT 1
thats not good....
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gillmcg
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Post by gillmcg on Dec 30, 2009 21:05:11 GMT 1
Do you still provide ad-lib hay in the summer? ours don't have any from about May-October as there's plenty of mixed grazing for them, would taking the hay away in summer undo the benefits? I've worked out that 'ad lib' hay for my two is between 12 and 20kg per 24 hour period depending on the grass situation. They're on a modified track system most of the year although now it's so wet I'm resting some of it so they're up to the 20kg maximum. I do put it in nets though - in the barn and clipped into their hay feeder outside - or they trash it and waste too much. My TB regulates my PBA by being just a little bit bossy! I find the fact that they have hay all year round has meant their weight and diet remains pretty stable and I don't have the 'yee ha'/lami risk spring grass problems. Is that what you meant by 'benefits'?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2009 21:15:04 GMT 1
yes, I was wondering if we give them ad-lib hay in winter then take it away in spring, will they then stufff themselves again next time they get hay? Presumably if we start giving hay in autumn before they really need it then they won't be as interested so won't go mad on it.
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Post by june on Dec 30, 2009 21:24:17 GMT 1
Ours don't get hay in the fields in summer. They prefer grass to hay so if there is grass they'll eat that even if we do put out hay. We put hay out in autumn/winter as soon as the grass is looking sparse. They eat some of the hay but don't gorge and slowly switch to eating hay mostly when the grass is really poor.
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gillmcg
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Post by gillmcg on Dec 30, 2009 21:57:23 GMT 1
Just re-read your post and with 10 acres (appropriately rotated/rested) for just three horses I'm surprised they need any hay at all except when it's exceptionally icy/cold or there's snow on the ground. I'd be more worried about them gorging on the grass in the spring/autumn than on the hay in the winter.
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Post by ladynowak on Dec 31, 2009 11:51:17 GMT 1
If they are good doers and out on 10 acres for the three of them, I wouldn't start feeding them anything extra until you can feel some ribs.
Unless the ground is covered in snow or has been frozen for any great length or time, I wouldn't be feeding ad-lib hay so I would personally re-think the idea unless they aren't coping on that amount of grass.
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