Feed my horse enough hay?

Question

Is it mean to make my horse dig through the snow for food (there is lots of long grass under there). I only get out to feed her a 1/2 bale every 2-3 days as I don't live near her right now. I don't want to give her a couple bales at a time as she tends to overeat and get fat, and apparently foundered before I got her (the bales are 50% grass and 50% alpha).

Answer 1

first...it do not really matter the breed you need to find out the weight of the horse...and the make a diet plan for it depending on if its over or under weight.
second ... its not bad for a horse to dig through snow for grass.actually its good for them.
and last unless you horse is being taken care of at a stable where he could be put up you should see him more often so you can groom him properly its better to send trim on him before he gets hurt or sick then to pay a lot after.

Gina

Answer 2

Yes, this is mean. Like I said in the reply to your other question- switch hay types Feed grass hay - get rid of the alfalfa, which is high protein and can cause problems. Don't you eat every day? If it is snowy, then y our horse won't suffer from being too fat. That will help keep it warm! Get this horse a round bale of regular grass hay. That stuff under the snow has no nutritional value and you are being cruel to your horse. Do you make it eat snow for water? Come on. Horses are grazing animals designed to graze all day long. A half bale every two or three days is inhumane. How can you sleep? I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude but your post makes me angry. The only way regular grass hay can founder a horse is if it gets impaction colic, which usually hapens only in older horses or miniatures. If your horse is a regular, reasonably healthy horse, give her a round bale until the green grass starts coming in. She may waste some but it is better than her going ungry. Do you want her to eat things she shouldn't out of hunger, like wood? Try going three days without food and see how you like it.

Answer 3

It's mean to have nobody check on the horse for days, especially in the winter. Half a bale of hay to last a horse 3 days is not enough food. She can dug out some of the grass but that's hard work. And when it's so cold it's snowing, she'll need all the extra calories she can.

Who is giving her grain and checking on her??

What if her water freezes?

What if she colics? Will she just lie there on the snowy ground in agony for days until hopefully someone sees her in time?

What if she has another problem with laminitis? She will be standing there parked-out with painful feet for 2-3 days before you notice...and if you don't notice it the first time she'll go another 2-3 days.

Why not board her with someone over the winter? This way she'll have someone to check on her each day, and they can help you with your diet questions. Many boarding stables will let boarders work there a day or two a week to pay the bill off. Please reconsider leaving her out, alone in a field, with nobody to look after her.

Answer 4

This is the answer I got from one of the leading animal nutrition experts at the USDA. He has been doing this work for over 30 years and travels all over the world giving lectures on this very subject.

Yes it is cruel!!!!! The horse need 3% of her body weight every day. Consumption can be higher with colder temperatures as they need to consume high quality forages to generate heat for warmth. The forages under the snow are already cured and more than likely a lower quality than needed by the mare. Either shorten the feeding period or put enough out there to meet the minimum. I don't expect the founder was caused by eating too much roughage. If enough roughage is provided and she is not exercised she will get fat. This is why horses in pastures get fat bellies, but usually does not occur during the winter.

Answer 5

Yes and no. Winter grass is not enough to sustain a horse throughout the season, however they can still graze. One of the things you want to watch out for is what type of snow covering there is on the ground. The layer of ice that could be on top of the snow may very well cut your horse's feet. Also, be careful about feeding too much alfalfa to a horse that is prone to founder because it is rich and can cause them to founder again. Try to locate a source of grass hay that has none in it. Not only will this be a source of nutrition but it will also replace the grass that is lost to the season. As long as she is not visibly losing weight then hay should be fine as her only feed. However you may want to give her access to a mineral block. I had a mare that got fat if she so much as looked at a blade of grass and she was fine on hay and a mineral block. Please please please though find someone who can check your horse for you when you can not make it. I know you'd feel bad if something happened to her between visits.

Answer 6

Please consult your county ag agent about equine nutrition. A horse requries more than hay and pasturage in the winter is not sufficient to sustain a horse. If you cannot arrange to tend your animal every day, the county ag agent can put you in touch with a 4-H Club member who will do it for you. If the obligations of ownership are just too much for you right now, you might consider donating the animal to a 4-H'r who would take good care of the horse as a part of his or her 4-H project, or donate it to a group that does equine therapy for handycapped children.

Good luck...I hope you make the best decision for the horse.

Answer 7

You need to feed your horse much more often than that. I don't know what breed your horse is, but it needs to get at least a half a bale once to twice a day. If you can't feed her more often, than you shouldn't have a horse. That is called responsibility. Would you do that to a child as well?

Answer 8

Horses need to be looked at every day and fed every day.
If you do not have time you need to make arangements with someone who can put their eyes on this horse at least once per day. What if something happened to her and you did not see her for two days. That is a very dangerous situation.

Answer 9

the grass under the snow lost its nutrition becuase grass goes dormant over the winter it sends its energy under ground to store in its roots -allowing the tops to die off.. there for making them less nutritions.. so making your horse dig will not be the best - I would continue to feed when you can or have somebody else do it...

Answer 10

I would have to agree with the young lady who stated that if you don't have time to take care of the horse, then you shouldn't own it. Horses need to be fed daily, and watered as well. When you ride them, grooming should take place, which consists of wiping them down, brushing, and cleaning their hooves. They need to be examined by a vet on a regular basis. It's sad that people, some people think that they can purchase a horse, and then not take care of them.