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Post by tina on Feb 7, 2003 15:21:01 GMT -5
 ....I was able to find a much better quality mix hay at a really great price, 50 bales for $100. Its getting delivered tomorow, hooray. Since the barns hay loft is mostly empty I can use the far end for my hay storage, its far enough from theirs so no one will get CONFUSED and take mine instead of thier crap. I took a bale over for Tango before and she loves it, it smells real nice and weights about normal, I had trouble with just my hand hand. I stopped and bought a huge hay net that will fit about half a bale or so and that way its up off the ground and she will have it all night to much on as she wants. I was able to figure out the weight on the feed she is getting and shes at about 9-10 pounds per day fed twice a day, had to figure out the coffee can thing LOL. I figure with the better hay she will be getting probably 20+ pounds a day now instead of half that or less. As far as her teeth go they are fine, I had them checked this fall when she saw the vet, he said they had been done before I bought her. I did do an extra worming today also, the place isnt the cleanest in the pastures so I figured why not. I really think that its the lack of good hay that caused her drop in weight. The hay the barn had a couple months back was nasty also but not as bad as the new stuff and I figured out that about when they changed to this new hay is when I noticed her weight dropping, it was about a months time or so. I also stopped and got my old guy some more cubes since he just loves them, not sure if its helping him keep his weight on since he is so thin but if he enjoys them then thats great. Thanks everyone for the advice and ideas, althou I do think I panic at times and get worried a bit to easily. It seems no one else seems to think Tango is at all thin but I can see a couple ribs where I didnt before so to me its a weight issue even if no one else does LOL. Does anyone have any idea what kinda time frame I can start looking for a lil weight gain with the new hay? I figured within a couple weeks I should see a lil gain right? Another thing I have thought of is that Tango has been being put out with 2 other mares that she doesnt get along with all that great, she isnt being put out with her normal buddies. They are doing this cause her the horses she was always out with arent coming in at night all the time so they are down in the bottom pasture and the horses that are in at night are in the top, Tango comes in at night now. I am going to have a talk with them again about her not going ot with these other mares. I think she is just to nervous being out with them and I noticed shes being hyper and moving around all the time to keep those other mares at a distance. Ok well thanks everyone for advice and thoughts on my worry wortness LOL....
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Post by CatB on Feb 7, 2003 16:36:25 GMT -5
I wouldn't leave the haynet in her stall, no matter how high you have it tied. My gelding got his HIND leg caught in his haynet one time, had to be cut down, and it was wither high. It's actually more natural for her to eat from the ground, anyway, especially if she's not eating with any others. Just my two cents! |
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Post by Smay on Feb 7, 2003 16:50:00 GMT -5
Jeepers Tina, you had a long post there! I guess your question is how long to notice weight gain from hay? Right? Well, I think that over the course of month, with a good hay quality and 20 lbs of it per day, Tango should show weight gain. It's not quite as fast as adding lots of grain or adding fresh spring pasture... but it will work don't worry!
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Post by tina on Feb 7, 2003 21:18:27 GMT -5
Yeah to much coffee...  . I figured I wouldnt notice anything for at least a couple weeks or so, I hate waiting. Its got to be the hay thou since after I sat down and thought it all out its about the time the new crappier hay came. Cat...Im not a great fan of nets either but Tango doesnt like to eat off the ground all that much, theres not much else I can do right now. Shes in a 24x24 dirt floor stall that has a big wood post in the middle and I have a hook for the net up on the post. I feel a lil better that the stalls as big as it is and shes not crowded in a smaller stall with a net but I do know what your saying. There is a hay rack that was up on the wall but it was to loose so I took it down. I have to get help to get it back up and then I can use that instead. |
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Post by Big Tee© on Feb 7, 2003 22:02:04 GMT -5
Rather than a hay net, take a large grain bag - one of those woven plastic jobs - and thread some twine through the top (just poke holes and stuff the string through), and thread another piece of string through one of the bottom corners. Stuff the bag full of hay, tie off the top with the string, and tie the string to screw eye, and the string on the bottom to one down lower. Make a hole in the bag, and pull some hay through, let her eat out of that......safer than a hay net. I use them in the trailer on long hauls.
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....I was able to find a much better quality mix hay at a really great price, 50 bales for $100. Its getting delivered tomorow, hooray. Since the barns hay loft is mostly empty I can use the far end for my hay storage, its far enough from theirs so no one will get CONFUSED and take mine instead of thier crap. I took a bale over for Tango before and she loves it, it smells real nice and weights about normal, I had trouble with just my hand hand. I stopped and bought a huge hay net that will fit about half a bale or so and that way its up off the ground and she will have it all night to much on as she wants. I was able to figure out the weight on the feed she is getting and shes at about 9-10 pounds per day fed twice a day, had to figure out the coffee can thing LOL. I figure with the better hay she will be getting probably 20+ pounds a day now instead of half that or less. As far as her teeth go they are fine, I had them checked this fall when she saw the vet, he said they had been done before I bought her. I did do an extra worming today also, the place isnt the cleanest in the pastures so I figured why not. I really think that its the lack of good hay that caused her drop in weight. The hay the barn had a couple months back was nasty also but not as bad as the new stuff and I figured out that about when they changed to this new hay is when I noticed her weight dropping, it was about a months time or so. I also stopped and got my old guy some more cubes since he just loves them, not sure if its helping him keep his weight on since he is so thin but if he enjoys them then thats great. Thanks everyone for the advice and ideas, althou I do think I panic at times and get worried a bit to easily. It seems no one else seems to think Tango is at all thin but I can see a couple ribs where I didnt before so to me its a weight issue even if no one else does LOL. Does anyone have any idea what kinda time frame I can start looking for a lil weight gain with the new hay? I figured within a couple weeks I should see a lil gain right? Another thing I have thought of is that Tango has been being put out with 2 other mares that she doesnt get along with all that great, she isnt being put out with her normal buddies. They are doing this cause her the horses she was always out with arent coming in at night all the time so they are down in the bottom pasture and the horses that are in at night are in the top, Tango comes in at night now. I am going to have a talk with them again about her not going ot with these other mares. I think she is just to nervous being out with them and I noticed shes being hyper and moving around all the time to keep those other mares at a distance. Ok well thanks everyone for advice and thoughts on my worry wortness LOL.... 
. I figured I wouldnt notice anything for at least a couple weeks or so, I hate waiting. Its got to be the hay thou since after I sat down and thought it all out its about the time the new crappier hay came. 
