How much is 1 flake of hay?

[disneyhorse]

We have big three string bales here and a flake is seven pounds. Big saddle horses eat about two flakes a day... So it's best to weigh your hay. 1 or 2 percent of their body weight preferably!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I agree with the "weigh the hay" thing, even though I have never weighed my hay! It has to be the logical place to start- then you need to know what % protein it is and go from there....

 

[HGFarm]

Here in the southwest, where the hay is usually alfalfa, a 'flake' is usually the chunk that easily seperates off from the bale- could be an inch to 3 or 4 inches- where ever it comes off the bale- that is a flake. So the weight/amount of a flake can vary greatly depending on the size of the bale, how tightly packed it is, moisture content, where it breaks off and what kind of hay it is. You cant feed by a 'flake' because of the varience.... you need to go more by the kind/quality of the hay, its weight and the size/weight of your horse. Also one horse might stay fat on a certain amount of food and another might barely get by on the same amount.

You just have to 'eyeball' each one and adjust feeding depending on what works for them. Also, is the horse idle most of the time, or is it worked hard daily?

Many things to figure when refering to a 'flake' of hay.

 

[lucky seven]

Chandab, Seven is a 9h grade gelding. I really think he has some shetland in him somewhere from his dam's side. He has big bones as well. I do feed him more, he gets his morning feed at dawn and if he's hungry at noon I will give him a small snack. He is fed around 4 pm again and a very small snack when he's put in his stall. He also gets 3/4 cup of grain twice daily. I'm going to try to post a photo of him sometime soon so that I can get some feedback on his weight after he is shedded out.