How much hay to give per day?

Maggity

Do I just feed ad lib in this cold weather or is there a guide for quantity? I have two 14hh ponies I give them a big armful - prob about 1/2 haynet in the morning. They're in the field then during the day and I give them a bit of hay there as the snow is very thick here. I give them more hay at 5pm when I put them in at dark, then recently I started checking them at midnight to find no hay left again and I give them some for overnight. I have gone through half a round bale in 10 days and they are rugged up with turnouts by day and stable rugs by night. Is this too much? They just seem to eat constantly at the moment.

fits

I'd give them as much as they'll eat to be honest. They need something to munch on when its cold like this.

Maggity

Thanks for that. I can't decide if they should get some beet or cool and cooked, maybe some soaked cool cubes, to up the quantity if they are hungry or just keep giving hay....

I'm worried about colic if they eat tons of hay since they aren't drinking a whole lot more than usual. They are good doers so I have never had to give anything other than hay / pasture. It's years since I had anyone who needed hard feed of any kind.

I know I'm dithering but we lost a pony two weeks ago who was over sedated and got cast in the stable during the night after collapsing. I found him with a broken back in the morning and I am naturally super cautious at the moment. I dread finding a colicking pony in 9 inches of snow with no chance of a vet getting to me easily....

finbarrk

Ponies never seem to stop eating. I'd say you are giving them enough. Especially when you have them well rugged up.

fits

If they're well covered they probably dont need hard feed. Just feed them hay ad lib, they'll be grand.

And they're probably not drinking much because they're eating snow.

Chicken Run

mine's a 14.1 unclipped - gets about 4lb haynet first thing in the morning, turned out to suck what grass he can off the field (not rugged unless it's wet) then gets a slice of hay when he's brought in at teatime then a haynet in the evening stuffed as full as I can get it for overnight.
He's a good do-er and carrying a bit extra weight anyway...doesn't appear to be suffering.

Water's a real problem though - buckets freeze within moments of being put out - even the one in the stable...

Ave Sodalis

It sounds as if they are getting enough. I would go by weight as a rough guide. If they are gaining weight, you are giving too much so slowly cut back. If they are losing weight, I would feed them approx. half a scoop of corn with quater scoop of beet pulp each. This is just a guide and I would feed more or less depending on the horse. You know your horses better then I do, so know how much they need better then I do.

I don't think they need anything at midnight. Give them a good bit as a last feed at night and it should do them until morning if they are rugged and stabled.

As for the water, just make sure it's broken every time you go up to feed.

Hope that helps

Maggity

Thanks all for advice and opinions....

They seem to be ok actually. Soaked two mugs of beet pellets last night added a few chopped carrots and apples to it this morning and they were licking their lips. We got a new bale of hay yesterday and it's dreadful all stalky and weedy. Beet will give them the calories though and the hay tho crap will give them fibre to munch all day.

Can't understand the water issue...they're not drinking at all really. Thought this morning it was cos water is too cold so dragged a big trug of warm water out to them in the field filled from bath taps nice and warm as it'd go cold in minutes. They haven't touched it all morning. Beats me, bringing a horse to water but not being able to make them drink and all that!!!:):)