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Hay! Glorious hay...

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  • 03-09-2011 12:03pm
    #1
    mrsbear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23 ✭


    I'm trying to calculate how much hay I'm going to need this coming winter.

    I've a 14.2hh mare, a 10hh mare with a 4.5 month old foal at foot. None of them are in work. They are all native types. They'll get fed one scoop in the morning and one in the evening along with hay at each feed too.

    I don't have very much storage for hay and I'll have to cart the hay across the road so I'm hoping to get square bales.

    Last year a big round bale would last us a month for just the two, now we've three I'm wondering how many square bales I'll need for the three? Would one square bale be enough or two?

    The small grey 10hh mare is food aggressive so I have to put the hay into three or 4 piles and feed the hard food miles apart!

    Any advice greatly appreciated! ;)


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    #2
    Angelmangle
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Angelmangle


    As a rough guide two sections of hay per pony morning and evening depending on your grazing, whether they are rugged etc as well. It depends really on how well they are coping with the winter but that is what I would roughly recommend. Roughage is more important than hard feed for condition, keeping them warm etc during the winter.

    Hope that helps :)


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    #3
    doctor evil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    Whats in the scoop? If they are hardy types and not in work do they need it?


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    #4
    mrsbear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23 ✭mrsbear


    Thanks @ Angelmangle - Last year they were given about that twice a day. I'm just not sure how many bales I'm going to need and don't want to be stuck during winter. Last year I had the large round bales, which was grand as we got one delivered when needed but this year I have storage and they're hard to move but the small square bales seem expensive compared to it.

    The 14.2 mare was rugged, the 10hh wasn't (can't catch her) but she's very hardy anyway. I think I will see how Foaly is going but I think I will rug him.

    I'm glad I gave them hard feed last year as the 10hh was in foal and we didn't know (the 'rescue' never told us).

    @ doctor evil I was giving them a scoop (handful) of Gain Cool 'n' Easy twice a day...

    Thanks for your replies! :cool:


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