24/7 forage

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

I remember once saying that this would NEVER work for me.

Well due to various things, i ended up having my lot out for a while. When they came in, i would stuff the nets with as much as i could, cause i knew my dad would throw hay over the door and make a mess...so if they still had hay in nets then he would not. Thats how it started.

Months on, and i have to say, my horses don't stuff themselves! My little "fat" mare is slim. My gelding is slimmer, and my stallion is perfect weight. Preggo is fat but slimmer.

I've been watching the camera and the mares barely eat, they mooch about and eat for a few mins then mooch some more. Mama had a sleep for a good 45mins. Mares tend to not have anything left in the morning, but the boys always have enough to last them until the evening, so a full 24hrs of food. Mares are bigger in height though so will eat more.

But yeah...ad lib is working and i don't have horses the size of houses!

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Oh and, the mare who eats more, is slimmer one. She bullies the preggo, so eats more than she does haha.

 

[amysue]

I think that my horses do well when they are always munching and keeping their digestive tracts going. I cannot afford to give them unlimited hay but, they always have some left.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

If they always have some left, they are getting unlimited really.

I've been watching mine for about 6 hours now. They sleep...aLOT. More than i ever thought they do. They barely spend any time eating. I wonder how all the hay goes hahah

Another thing is how they favour nets. There is a small hole net, thats hard to eat. A large hole net thats easy. My brood mare, likes the small hole net.

 

[Specialk]

I have two overweight horses that I went to 24/7 hay access with this winter using freedom feeder hay nets with the 1" openings. My two overweights lost just a little bit of weight!

The other horse who was just slightly on the thin size gained a little. Attitudes changed the most. Everyone is much calmer, less fighting, and they are not just thinking about meal time when I am working with them.

 

[Max's Mom]

I have seen a huge difference feeding this way- constant access with a slow feeder. He eats when he wants to, and seems to spend more time doing other things, knowing that the hay will be there when he wants it.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Yes I notice mine spend a lot more time doing other stuff. Grooming and sleeping and playing.