How much hay does a horse need daily?

Generally01

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Loading....
I know that for a cow they estimate 3% of body weight, but what is it for horse?
I know it also depends on what type of hay and the condition of the horse.
Basically i want to know how much approx they need so as to minimize waste, horses anymore unless you are a breeder/racer/rodeo guy they really don't make much money for you.
 

Hfd Cattle

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Hereford
If your worrying about the amount of hay a horse wastes then you really can't afford to keep one . As above the cheapest part of horse ownership is the hay !
 
I know that for a cow they estimate 3% of body weight, but what is it for horse?
I know it also depends on what type of hay and the condition of the horse.
Basically i want to know how much approx they need so as to minimize waste, horses anymore unless you are a breeder/racer/rodeo guy they really don't make much money for you.
Rule of thumb is 2% of bodyweight for leisure horses. No less than 1.5% for fat horses and you can bulk up with oat or barley straw if they're still hungry.
 

Cowgirl

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Ayrshire
I have had horses all my life. We currently have a horse and a pony. Horse gets 3 fat leaves of a small conventional bale of hay at night and pony 2, but they are turned out during the day. If stabled all the time they would get the same in the morning. All my previous horses have had the same. If working or in poor condition get hard feed in addition but mine have never really needed it. Not sure what weight this is but can easily weigh it. Lack of mould more important than nutritional quality - horses won’t eat mouldy hay and gives them respiratory disease. Ours rarely waste any unless it smells of mould.
 

Cowgirl

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Ayrshire
Rule of thumb is 2% of bodyweight for leisure horses. No less than 1.5% for fat horses and you can bulk up with oat or barley straw if they're still hungry.
Horses are always hungry, hence obesity very common as horses rarely get enough work nowadays. Other old wives tale - horses like timothy hay - mine hate it. Sweet smelling meadow hay with lots of different grasses are what mine have always liked.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
They won’t waste much feeding from a heck over a trough; but feeding rounds in the field under a ‘hay bell’, jeez oh, anything pulled out is trampled into the ground and there is a considerable amount lost.
Feeding rounds also crosses a line between the horsey lot taking care of their own jobs, and the dumb farmer (me) having to do their bidding with the loader when it suits them, not me. It’s a PITA.
 

Generally01

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Loading....
They won’t waste much feeding from a heck over a trough; but feeding rounds in the field under a ‘hay bell’, jeez oh, anything pulled out is trampled into the ground and there is a considerable amount lost.
Feeding rounds also crosses a line between the horsey lot taking care of their own jobs, and the dumb farmer (me) having to do their bidding with the loader when it suits them, not me. It’s a PITA.
Another reason i want to know how much they need is so i could estimate how much he will need this winter without overestimating or underestimating.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,292
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top