Feed Ratios

[nicmac74]

Ok..I must take the prize for the most asked feed related questions here. lol.

Now I can weigh everything out..it makes it much more accurate. I weighed out a pound of alfalfa hay cubes- it looked like a lot for one feeding. Is a pound of cubes normal for one feeding?I know a pound of cubes equals a pound of hay. I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that it is approx. 1 pound per 100 pounds of body weight?

My mare is 31 inches (plump and a little cresty, 6 years old) and the gelding is 34 inches and rangier (only 3). Right now they get:

1 pound of alfalfa cubes, soaked- am each

Lola gets 1 cup of Omelene 200 with Super 14

Scampy gets 2 cups Omelene 200 w. Super 14

1 pound each Orchard hay in the pm.

plus about 5 hours of turnout and play and pasture grazing during the day.

They are both on good worming schedules and have their teeth floated. Does this sound like a pretty good diet?The little mare seems to be getting a bit plump but is also much fluffier then Scampy. He is a little thinner (his teeth were really bad when he was floated- it was the first time). I will post some pics, I think!Sorry for rambling post..their diets are taking up lots of my thinking time!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Just a query...why feed the pellets at all?

Why not just give more hay??

 

[nicmac74]

The only reason is because they were wasting so much alfalfa hay. Lots of stems (they were thick ones) were left behind and some leaves. It was a good quality alfalfa. They did the same to the Timothy hay as well. So...nice soft orchard hay works very well and it is good for them. I like to feed a little alfalfa for the protein.

Just a query...why feed the pellets at all?Why not just give more hay??

 

[Taylor Jo]

Nicmac, My filly is 2, 32" and she gets .5 lb hay in the morning along w/ the same for my geldling 4, 34", they now that it's winter in the am they get a cup of beets .5 cup of grain and .5 cup miniature horse pellets. Plus, they get about 6 hrs pasture time. PLUS, at night they get .5 of miniature horse pellets and they get .5 lb of hay just before they go to bed to help them get through the night. They're VERY well fed. They usually get worked 3 times a week in the round pen about 15-20 min. So it just depends how much you work them and their habits and how active they are. Right now MINE are on the plump side. I put my harness on my gelding yesterday and had to move it down 2 notches, so I know he's gained weight since show season has ended and I know that isn't hair, he's FAT!!!!!! TJ

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I honestly cannot see the point of giving half a pound of hay, it's more trouble than it's worth!!!

I'm sorry but when I feed hay I put in a bale and when they have eaten it I put in another....so far, in over thirty years, no-one has exploded!!!

I have too many horses to be dancing around like that...sorry!!!

I would get yourself a feeder and give you horses a decent amount and as long as they need to eat it, or you could just do what I do and leave them out all the time.

Again, no exploding horses!!

I do not, however, have coyotes or bears, (whatever the horses say) and do understand that some people like their animals in a barn at night for safety's sake.