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Post by tina on Feb 6, 2003 10:35:34 GMT -5
I noticed a couple weeks ago that she might have looked just a little thinner to me but I decided to wait it out and make sure before I worried about it, but now I definately think she is dropping. She shouldnt be since I have her on the high fat feed, black seeds and vitamins. The only thing I can think of is that the barns hay is terrible and they only give each horse maybe 4-5 flakes a day when it should more like a bale a day each horse. I do give Tango extra hay but I am wondering if its just not enough with all this severe cold we are having. She is up to date on her worming, I do it myself each month. I think shes getting plenty of feed so I would think I need to up her hay right? That is where I should start right? I wish I could get better hay but right now I dont have any way to get it and money is a lil tight for me since I am paying the darn barn extra each month for the stall now. I am giving her 2 cups daily of the black oil seeds, I shouldnt up those right? Shes getting 6 coffee cans of the eqeutech sp? 10% fat feed each day and I dont want to have to up that if I dont have to. Part of the problem I think is that they have been keeping horses out at night a few times each week and only putting out a few flakes of hay for 5 or 6 horses. Its not every night but each time they do do it the horses arent getting what the should. Since I do Tangos pm feed I know shes getting the feed itself but then they go and put her out before she has a chance to eat all her hay, I find it in her stall the next day. I left them a message to not put her out anymore at night cause she doesnt get to eat her hay and she is dropping weight so hopefully they will leave her in. I did get my old guy hay cubes(I soak them till soft and he loves them) that are part alphalfa and I give Tango a couple as a treat but I am thinking maybe I should start giving her more of those. If I do give her the the cubes how many is enough, I have never really used them aside from treats once in a while. I give the old guy about 25 of them twice a day soaked in warm water, is that ok to do for Tango also. Its not like she is skinny or anything but I can notice shes lost some and I want to nip it in the butt now before it becomes more then just a lil wieght. So advice, ideas?
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Post by Big Tee© on Feb 6, 2003 11:16:06 GMT -5
How much do the bales weigh? Around here, average weight is 60 pounds, depending on forage crop: native hay weighs less per bale than crested wheat or brome. 4-5 flakes of a 60 pound bale would be ample hay for the average horse - figure 12 flakes per bale, and that is 20 pounds each; a horse can scarcely eat a whole bale, no matter what the quality, unless they are baby bales - 25-30 pounds. As to the other feed, how much is a coffee can full? Unfortunately that is not a measure, that should be in pounds, not cans (I feed by 'cans' , but I also know that my can of oats weighs 7 pounds). The key to feeding is weight: forage 2% of body weight, grain, and supplements are additional weight to the total ration, and are dependant on activity level, metabolism etc. If the weather gets bitter cold, up the hay. Even with the brutal cold here, mine are only eating 20ish pounds of hay each.
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Post by Smay on Feb 6, 2003 11:40:38 GMT -5
Is there any way you can weigh a flake of hay at your palce? 20 lbs of hay is about all a horse can eat during a day actually. My new hay bales weigh about 70 pounds and I was suprised to weigh ONE FLAKE and see it was an even 5 pounds... (heavy flakes! ) So this makes it easy on me, since I feed four times a day. I give each of the big guys one flake each time. Any more and they start to waste it. Now, my old hay was the first cutting grass and much lighter bales. Plus they wasted it all over the place and I had a much harder time determining what they ate. You can also give her the hay cubes as an upgrade to your poor quality hay...I am kind of afraid of those because of possible choke, so I would soak them for both horses...Most horses love those soaked a little into a mash or even a hay soup. You don't have to use hot water either - cold water is ok for soaking hay cubes. They break down really fast and you don't need to wait hours..
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Post by tina on Feb 6, 2003 12:20:28 GMT -5
most of the hay bales are so light that my 5 year old is carrying them. They are maybe 20 lbs each some probably less. Its all kinda like a light straw stuff, I have no idea what it is but its just nasty hay. When I was buying some hay 3 flakes lasted her all night but with this crap hay 4 or 5 flakes is literaly gone in an hour, there is nothing to it. Its not straw but it looks like it with thick hollow stalks.
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Post by Skye Pilot on Feb 6, 2003 16:58:26 GMT -5
I wish you could find a new place Tina.... This place seems to be hard on you and on Tango. It has been bitterly cold in MI and I assume in NY too. It sounds like Tango is burning a lot of calories up trying to stay warm and the flakes are small. My bales are 60 or 70 lb bales.
I ran out of beet pulp and Ultimate Finish this week and Diego started to drop instantly. Husbands truck is in shop and he is using mine. The weather is so bad it was hard to get to town. Heading to town after work tonight.. Sounds like she needs more calories... Good luck.
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Post by Audrey on Feb 6, 2003 19:48:32 GMT -5
Tina, I have to agree with the above, you really need to get Tango out of that place. I bet you are paying big bucks with all the extras you are providing. I am afraid that one day this barn may cause tango to colic or founder.
My bales are about 60lbs, Timothy Alfalfa mix, my horses eat about 10-15 lbs a day. Extra hay is certainly the way to go in cold weather but, with the quality your describing I am afraid Tango can't eat enough to gain weight. I wouldn't up the grain or seeds but, I would get her better quality hay and/or more of it. The cubes can be fed instead of regular hay but, I too worry about colic so keep soaking.
I hope something works out for you and Tango.
Audrey
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Post by renee on Feb 6, 2003 20:10:51 GMT -5
Smarty is dropping weight also and he's getting plenty of calories, the weather is consistent ~ COLD ~
Have you considered having her teeth checked? That's my next step with Smarty ~ although his previous owner did say he was a hard keeper in the winter!
Although it does sound like a hay quality issue, have you been feeding the same hay all winter? Or just changed to the lighter bales recently?
Sorry if this seems befuddled ~ I'm in the throes of catching a cold!
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