HOw much hay do you think I will need?

[Ashley]

So I have the option to get the last 6 round bales from the guy I got the others from . They are very nice grass hay, compacted, big bales. Trying to figure how much I need.

I am feeding 2 big horses, 2 ponies, 7 minis. I currently have about 430 small squares and 7 round bales, plus the round bale that they are feeding on now.

What you think?

 

[muffntuf]

Do you know how much your horses weigh? Depending on your feed program, location in the US, etc. They should get 1%-2% of their body weight. Do you know how much on average your square bales weigh? Figure in 10% -15% for waste on the big bales.

For instance two normal ponies weigh 500 lbs. each, that's 1,000 lbs. So depending on feed program - they could get 1.1% to 2% of their body weight in hay 2X's a day. So up to 10lbs. of hay a day per pony.

1% X 500lbs. = 5 lbs.

 

[Ashley]

NO I dont know how much they weight. I know the one big horse is about 1200 the other is smaller. I also know my ponies dont weight 500 each. THey are small and very refine. THe biggest one is 39" and the other is probably under 38". They havent wasted that much on the round bale, and after this one, I will be pulling it apart to feed it verses putting it out there for them to pick at.

 

[chandab]

When I was boarding my horses and only had dry lot for them, and bought all my hay; I figured on 3 ton per head per year (that's for full-size, I have B-minis, so figure about 1 ton per head per year for them). [i still figure the 3 ton per head, but we raise our own, so don't really count bales per say.]

 

[bingo]

You also have to remember aged horses sometimes need more then the usual amount of hay to stay in good condition through the winter.

 

[Miniv]

Ashley...........And as I just posted on another thread.........be sure to figure in feeding extra hay during the winter to keep them warm!

Pull out the calculator and add AT LEAST half again as much hay per head......We tend to plan on doubling the hay, just in case of a hard winter.

 

[jayne]

Ashley, I have been stewing over this very thing. I am wanting to get enough hay now while it's at its lowest price rather than run out in the spring and pay three times that. Your question made me actually sit down with the calculator and figure it all out. I'll run through all my math for you. The ranges are using 1.5% at the low end and 2% at the high end of feeding per body weight.

Hay needs:

Clydesdale - 1800 pounds - needs 27-36 pounds per day

Pony - 400 pounds - needs 6-8 pounds per day

donkeys together - 900 pounds - need 13.5-18 pounds per day

minis together - 700 pounds - need 10.5-14 pounds a day

so in total, everyone weighs 3800 pounds so I rounded up to 4000 pounds

4000 pounds of horses need 60 to 80 pounds of hay a day (we do not have severe cold weather like you do, so you will need to factor in more for that, especially if you do not bring them in.)

They can feed totally on pasture (not the minis) April through September so I need hay October through March, so 6 months or 180 days. This would mean I need between 10,800 and 12,800 pounds of hay for the season.

Hay I currently have on hand:

10 bales at 80 pounds each left from last year: 800 pounds

300 bales at 40 pounds each: 12,000 pounds

So I have 12,800 pounds of hay and that meets the high end of my requirement. Whew!

Just to be safe I will ask my hay guy to set aside another 50 bales for me (a ton at 40 lbs each). I also feed beet pulp in addition to hay, but not much, maybe three pounds dry, then soaked and divided amongst everybody. It's probably a couple of gallons once soaked.

Lastly, I believe that all but one of my horses is probably carrying more weight than they should and I don't want to continue contributing to that. So I am going to weight tape everyone every couple of weeks and keep a chart. This way I can see if anyone is losing or gaining so I can make a quick adjustment.

Hope that helps! Your thread sure helped me sort it all out and now I'm not going to worry any more!

Jayne