Around here an 800 lb. round is pretty small and usually only contains about 17 to 19 square ones if that..so l'm not sure one round that size would last to long unless your also feeding a complete feed and limiting the hay..
Downsizing my herd.
- Thread starter heartkranch
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heartkranch
Well-Known Member
I'm not really either, but I can monitior more and I don't have to feed alfalfa as much as costal...
But if it lasts a month and a half I'll have money to buy two more. Hopefully if the fiance finds a job I could buy 4.
MajorClementine
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you are "free feeding" your horses. Any way you can just feed them a set amount twice a day? I know my horses can plow through a half ton bale in 5 days if I just put it out in the pasture but if I feed it off by hand I can get over double the feedings out of it. Horses eat when they have the opportunity. It's in their nature. So hand feeding them keeps them fed and happy without them just eating because it's available all the time. Hay prices are killing everyone this year. And they will keep going up because they are willing to pay top dollar for U.S. hay overseas.
Minimor
Well-Known Member
I find it makes no difference; I'm currently feeding 1200 lb round bales. Some horses have bales in their pastures so eat as they please, and some of the other horses are in paddocks not accessible with truck or trailer, so those ones I have to fork the hay out to them 2x a day. I find that 1 bales lasts the same amount of time no matter if 6 horses are eating free choice or if I am forking it out to 6 horses. Alfalfa, yes, they'll over eat, but grass hay they don't. They might overeat the first few days they start being fed free choice but then they get used to it & cut back.
I have no idea how you will get 2 bales (800) lbs to last 2 months--For an equivalent number of horses I'm using two 1200 lb bales per week, and my horses aren't fat on that. Alfalfa would stretch a little further, but not so far that I'd get 2 bales to last 2 months.
I hope you can make this work for you and your horses. It's sad to have to sell them off to feed the others, and sometimes tough choices do have to be made. Good luck, and we'll hope the rains soon come to help out with pastures.
I have no idea how you will get 2 bales (800) lbs to last 2 months--For an equivalent number of horses I'm using two 1200 lb bales per week, and my horses aren't fat on that. Alfalfa would stretch a little further, but not so far that I'd get 2 bales to last 2 months.
I hope you can make this work for you and your horses. It's sad to have to sell them off to feed the others, and sometimes tough choices do have to be made. Good luck, and we'll hope the rains soon come to help out with pastures.
Zipper
Well-Known Member
Just a idea but barn lease your show horse and that will give money for you to buy hay.
Good luck.
Good luck.
lucky lodge
Well-Known Member
hope you work it all out
heartkranch
Well-Known Member
I to are feeling your pain i used to have big horses but i had to sell them as it was costing to much plus nobody was rideing them so it was easer to sell ..but still very hard and broke my heart ....now i have only 4 minis and only costing about $25 a week to feed...have you thought of leasing some horse out for awhile till you get back on your feet..
hope you work it all out
I ride mine almost daily tho. So I don't want to. I put another add for training horses and have another coming to train. I might need to stop riding mine for the two training horses but the extra 900 a month and they are bringing their own feed is good.
