How much is 1 flake of hay?

[Lil Eowyn]

Hello,

I've always given my mini a small section of a square bale in the morning, and about the same amount or less at night. Even with her thick fur, she still looks overweight. Here's Éowyn right now:

http://s17.postimage.org/9g96obbxb/IMG_95292.jpg

http://s21.postimage.org/ftv8fy5kn/IMG_9527.jpg

When I'm standing over her her belly just looks wide/round. In some angles it doesn't look that bad but then again, she looks a little fat.

I googled it, and read to feed a flake a day. I've never really understood how much a flake was. How much hay do you feed your miniatures? Do you feed them anything else? If possible, pics would be really helpful. Most of her hay is timothy or a mix of timothy etc.

Once in a while I'll give Éowyn a small handful of oats, but she gets fat easily over those XD Any nutritional grain recommendations that I could probably find at my local feed store/fleet supply?

Thanks!

 

[chandab]

flakes very from bale to bale, so going by just a flake is really not very accurate or practical til you know how much a flake weighs. If you aren't very good with weights, get yourself a litlte scale til you have an idea how your hay weighs.

I get two different size small square bales; my FIL puts up 50# grass bales (somewhat loose bales) and I buy 70-75# grass bales (fairly compact bales), so the flakes in these two different size bales weigh different. I have larger minis, and probably average feeding them 3-5 flakes a day each depending on the weather and size of the flakes. [Right now I'm feeding off round bales, and just fork off a good size forkful or two per mini twice a day; but its winter here and quite cold, so I don't skimp on hay.]

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I always weigh my hay. It varys a lot. Most of my flakes weigh around a lil over 3lbs. On average my minis get fed 4lbs of hay a day, but I have a couple who eats more then that so it really depends on the horse.

What I would do is get yourself a fish scale and get a weight bag or find something cheaper and see what you get.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I agree with JMS, weighing your hay is the only way to be confidant that you are not over (or under) feeding.

How old is Eowyn? If she is still a growing girl I would be more concerned with being sure she is getting enough and less concerned about her being 'over weight' especially on hay. I feed all of my horses a grass mix hay (there is some alfalfa in it this year but not enough to count really ...less than 5%) and a ration balancer. I start at 2% of the horse's ideal body weight per day and increase or decrease the hay by 1/2lb increments based on how the horse is doing after a month or so on that diet. I always feed the ration balancer at the amount/weight ratio that the manufacturer recommends and that remains unchanged. Other than that my horses get a top dressing of flax on their RB because I love the glow it gives them.

I don't think Eowyn looks fat but pictures of horses in their winter woolies are very hard to judge unless the weight issue (fat or thin) is extreme. You will need to feel for fat pads on her hips, and tail head. Is her back flat or indented (a small groove along the spine means she is very fat , can you feel her ribs with a bit of pressure, is her neck thick at the top? All these are indicators of your horses weight and a far better way to judge than by just looking IMO. Good luck and don't worry, spring is just around the corner and we will all be able to see for ourselves how our horses look without all that wool

 

[Lil Eowyn]

Thank you all! =) I'm going out to work with her in a little bit so I will feel around.

 

[targetsmom]

I weight my hay, but then once I know how much it weighs, I just measure it out in a container for each feeding. For most of our hay, a square, white Strongid C 2X container (packed pretty tightly) weighs one pound, so we use that for a measure. We feed hay 4X a day so most get 1 pound at each of the main feedings. Most of our mature minis (based on estimates using the LB chart and formulas) weigh between 200 - 250 pounds. The pregnant mares get pretty much free choice hay.

Our weanlings - now yearlings - get proportionately less hay and more grain because they are growing and need the extra protein. Our hay is grass and tests <10% protein so everyone gets grain. We also weigh the grain but then use a one cup measure at each feeding.

 

[Rhondaalaska]

My vet has me check a few spacific places on Diva so I know how her wieght goes.

Check her neck for fat , is her shoulders defined or do they blend into the neck, how much of a cup is to your

Hand when you lay it across her back, and look at her rump to see if it is c shape.

This video should help you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

WWW.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn1_CChs5dw

Ok I fixed the address . If you copy and paste it you should be able to find it.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Excellent video Rhondaalaska. That poor mini needs some attention to his diet (more what he eats than how much I suspect) ... looks pregnant but he's a boy lol

 

[Rhondaalaska]

Ya I thought so as well, but I learned a lot from it and that is how my vet lookes at Diva as well

So the video helped me remember what my vet was talking about.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I fill a manger and when it is half empty I fill it up again. Works for me and I never get hungry horses- they tend to eat less when they can "graze"

 

[Rhondaalaska]

For winter my girl has a round bail in her padock.

I found she actually eats slower and less because it is always there when she wants it.

It lasts her two months in the cold winter, it is warmer this time and looks like

It is going to last longer this time.

You may need to wait to see how your little one measures after all the woolys are gone.

So you can feel her better.

If I remember right they need 2% to 2.5% of thier wieght in food every day.

More if they work hard. I think the 2.5% is for when they are worked

 

[Jill]

So much room for variation. What's the weight of the bale? Are there 10 or 12 flakes in it? What kind of hay? Has it been tested for nutritional value? ... I think it can really vary a lot from place to place / farm to farm.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

I don't know how many flakes are in it because I don't know what a flake is XD

I bought the hay from the same farmer--some bales are timothy, and some is grass. Some are fairly light and some, heavy. idk

 

[chandab]

I don't know how many flakes are in it because I don't know what a flake is XD

I bought the hay from the same farmer--some bales are timothy, and some is grass. Some are fairly light and some, heavy. idk

here's an answer from wiki: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_flake_of_hay

Just so you know, timothy is a type of grass.

Here is another forum wiht a discussion on what a flake is:

http://forum.horsetopia.com/health-nutrition/34721-okay-what-exactly-flake-hay.html

 

[Jill]

If you are looking at / handling a bale of hay, 1 flake is a "slice" that should just easily separate from the rest of the bale. It's usually "sliced" into 10 or 12 flakes. A flake should simple separate easily from the bale when you grab it... If the flakes are not coming away very easy and recognizable as a "flake", I'd wonder if the bale is very old or possibly moldy (neither is good, but moldy is dangerous).

 

[Jean_B]

Feeding by weight helps...but ONLY if you know what the QUALITY of that hay is. What type of hay is it? (there is a huge difference in nutritional value and digestability between the various types of grasses/hays) Was it cut when it was "young", soft, supple, and full of nutrients? Or was it cut late, tough, stemmy with little or no nutritional value (which can lead to a bloated-looking hay belly)? When in doubt - have it tested. Most county ag extension offices do (should) have the capability to test it for nutrient value and digestability.

 

[lucky seven]

I read all of your responses with interest. I was told to feed seven a poung and a half of hay twice daily by the person I bought him from. This amount doesn't seem to fill him up in the summer as he is always begging for more or breaking boards to get to the grass. He's on a dry lot. I worry so much about founder that I really do limit his time on grass.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

Thank you for all of the answers--helped a lot =)

 

[chandab]

I read all of your responses with interest. I was told to feed seven a poung and a half of hay twice daily by the person I bought him from. This amount doesn't seem to fill him up in the summer as he is always begging for more or breaking boards to get to the grass. He's on a dry lot. I worry so much about founder that I really do limit his time on grass.

How big is he? 3 pounds a day doesn't sound like very much hay, unless he's a very small mini. The only horse I have that eats that little is my 175#, 31" senior stallion; he gets 1.5# senior feed and 2# chopped hay (he doesn't always eat all his hay, but its available to him).

 

[Rhondaalaska]

I went through the same thing when I got my girl lucky seven.

I was told to just give her a half a flake to one flake aday.

That was so wrong my girl dropped weight fast.

I uped her to two flakes aday with 2 cups of pelets and 5 cubes of alfalfa

Now she free ranges on her hay,

She no longer gulps her food and just grazes when she wants to.

During winter I kept up with the pelets and alfalfa,

But now it is warmer and I give her less of that but unlimited hay.

She is in better condition now than when I got her.

Even my vet who knew my Diva before I bought her is impressed with how well she is doing.