Ad-Lib Hay - Is it always safe?

[vels mum]

My horses are now living on a heathery hill, they will come in at night soon but for now they are rugged and fed daily.
I am thinking to get a round bale of hay and put it in their field.
Ive never fed any of them ad-lib hay.
Turk (26) and Dollie (4) are not greedy and will eat their hay nets slowly at the moment as there is still pckings of grass on the hill. Vel (2) is always exremely hungry, I wouldnt say he is greedy just eats a hell of a lot, tis a growing boy! Its mainly for him im thinking to get the round bale in.

Anyway is this safe? How long should a round bale last the horses plus 12 sheep (also live in the field).

[vels mum]

Also will I have to buy a cattle hay holder rather than a sheep one?

[black crow]

I dont like doing ad lib unless i know the horses are getting on. Seen too many groups of about 4 horses pig out and leaving the others without hay at all as they're bullied away. This is what happened to Scottie

I've seen small groups have hay in sheep feeders who have all got along very nicely without a problem, but i do think to do ad lib you need to be careful!

[vels mum]

I suppose if I used a sheep sized feeder ring it may prevent them gourging themselves, although id be scared they got a foot stuck or have problems getting their head in it?
I dont think any of them would be left out they share haynets and even let the sheep eat out them.

[black crow]

The ones ive seen im not sure if a horse would get their head in it, but it did make me cringe seeing the small shetties putting their heads in between the rusty bars, cant be good :(

[vels mum]

I phoned the local supplier today and he did say a cow sized holder would be better.

[CityLights]

if they all get on and there isnt going to be a fight it should be fine, all our babies and broodmares are kept in pens with free range to hayledge over winter, there is the odd scrap but we have taken out the one we found was a cow bag, she now has her on stable and get dieted cause she always got too fat, that will show her

we use ring feeders to keep them from trashing the bales, never had a problem with any of them getting hurt or stuck in all the time i have been there, we use the big cow ones, we have five big mares in one pen and they use a bale every two-three days when they are in all the time

[My Crazy Clan]

I do it, a round bale last me week with 6 horses.

As long as mine are well fed they do not fight, Magic is always hungry! the others eat what they need, we've been doing this for years without any problems, you could always spread a few piles around if it gets to that point but should be alright with 3 horses.

I mainly do it because mine are out 24/7, I like to know they are not hungry, this way they can eat when they want and what they want.

Its easier when its your own horses rather then others eating from it too.

I don't have the mental holder thing, I thought about getting one but sisco would end up in the middle:lol:

[vels mum]

Rhea - Do the round bales come with a cover? Perhaps that is just haylage/silage?
My only concern is hay laying out for a couple of weeks would get very wet and musty, perhaps it doesnt???
I think id have to get a holder as its so windy up here the bale would end up blowing away!!!!

[My Crazy Clan]

They come in a tight netting so its doesn't fall apart, some people leave it on but I wouldn't risky it, haylage comes in green plastic stuff.

Well if it rains it will get wet or if its hot its going to dry out on the top, nothing you can do about that really unless its under shelter, mine still eat it though and they are quite fussy horses, I find the inside stays moist though.

ps:I have see this word "Ad-Lib Hay" mentioned so many times but what does it actually mean :lol:

[Betseyboo]

Rhea - ad-lib is "as much as they like as and when they want it!"
VM - we use the round metal cattle feeders and it works a treat, no-one's ever got stuck and the hay stays in one place!! xxx

[My Crazy Clan]

Thanks BB! Learn something new everyday.

[vels mum]

Thanks guys, going to pick up a bale andmetal holder on Thursday, the hay is £42 for a round bale........grrrrrr

[My Crazy Clan]

Thanks guys, going to pick up a bale andmetal holder on Thursday, the hay is £42 for a round bale........grrrrrr


OMG! thats a lot! Mines £17.50, it used to be £10.

[vels mum]

Bloomin freight!!!!!!

[Betseyboo]

Flippin' eck that does sound steep! xxxx

[My Crazy Clan]

I don't think I could afford my lot if I had to pay that ever week! :&

[CityLights]

Thanks guys, going to pick up a bale andmetal holder on Thursday, the hay is £42 for a round bale........grrrrrr

thats crazy! i suppose most things will have to be brought over from the main land wont it

[torgrosset]

Blimey that's an awful lot for a round bale of hay.

We use both. We've always fed our big horses with those big round cattle feeders. Ours is a failry old one and the frame actually lifts the hay about a foot off the ground. The sheep feeders, well more like a hayrack with a roof is used for the ponies and sheep. They're great for the ponies, but not so good for large horses, hence getting the cattle feeeder. Our sheep feeders, like I said, are like a hay rack with a roof and are again about a foot off the ground and the mesh is like 2 inch square, so no chance of getting little hooves stuck and great for greeedy ponies. During the winter months we put a big round bale in the cattle feeder for the horses and it never goes off as they eat it!!! And the sheep feeders would take about a small sized bale. I wouldn't put hayledge in one though as it would go off.