Should Horses Have Free Choice Hay?

Horses naturally self-limit intake when ample supplies of food are present. High fiber, low sugar and calorie hay can safely be fed to most horses free choice.

Is free choice alfalfa good for horses?

In the case of mature horses, free-choice alfalfa hay will certainly provide enough protein to satisfy requirements. As a practical recommendation, select alfalfa hays which do not contain extremely high levels of protein (greater than 17% crude protein).

Should horses have unlimited access to hay?

Some say horses should have access to hay all day, every day to keep their digestive tract working consistently and properly. Others recommend feeding a few flakes of hay at meal time is sufficient for most horses.

Should I free feed my horse?

Absolutely not. Horses with a healthy body weight restrict their food naturally and do not eat 24/7. The leptin resistance and increased appetite that makes EMS horses overeat has nothing to do with how often food is available.

What is the best type of hay to feed horses?

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

How do you transition a horse to free choice hay?

Most horses will self-regulate after a few weeks, but there are some who don’t even learn to moderate their intake.
Some ways to ease the transition to free-choice feed include:

1. Feed hay in a slow feeder.
2. Make sure hay does not run out.
3. Consider having hay tested.
4. Pay attention to the horse’s behavior.

How much hay does a horse eat free choice?

Give the horse hay equal to 1.5% of his body weight, keep him in confined small space much of the day so he can’t graze and he loses weight! And if he doesn’t, reduce the amount of hay to 1% of his bodyweight!

What is the disadvantage of free choice feeding?

Unfortunately, “easy for owners” and “good for pets” are frequently at odds with one another. Dogs that are free fed are at a high risk for becoming overweight. Who among us hasn’t snacked when we’re bored, even if we’re not all that hungry? Dogs will do the same thing.

Should horses have hay at all times?

Because we like to think our horses follow the same schedule that we do, many people think that horses need less hay at night because they’re asleep (and therefore, not eating). However, that’s a myth. Horses need access to forage at all times of the day.

Can horses overeat on hay?

Yes, you can give a horse too much hay. Horse overeating is, unfortunately, a circumstance that has taken the lives of horses in the past. One factor that may cause a horse’s feeding behavior to tend toward gluttony is if your horse is bored.

How many bales of hay should a horse have a day?

A horse can eat anywhere from 15-25 pounds of hay a day, which generally equates to a half of a 45/50-pound square bale of hay per day (~15-30 bales per month).

What are the 10 rules of feeding horses?

Horse Feeding: The 10 Golden Rules

• Provide fresh clean water at all times.
• Always weigh feeds.
• Feed little and often.
• Use quality feeds.
• Feed according to bodyweight.
• Make changes gradually, including forage!
• Feed at the same time each day.
• Feed according to work done.

How much hay should a horse eat in 24 hours?

The first thing to know is that an average fully-grown horse weighing from 1,000 to 1,100 pounds (453.5 – 499 kg) should eat approximately 15 to 30 pounds (8 – 3.5 kg) of hay daily. That amount is about 1.5 to 3% of the horse’s body weight.

What hay is not good for horses?

Bahiagrass: This grass hails from the southern coastal plains. It’s typically found in pastures, so the stuff they make into hay is not that great for horses. Overly mature Bahiagrass hay can cause ergot poisoning, so buyer beware.

What hay should horses not eat?

Types of Hay for Horses—What to Avoid

• Perennial ryegrass and rye.
• Dallisgrass.
• Argentine bahiagrass.
• Johnsongrass, Sorghum grasses/Sudangrass.
• Switchgrass, which causes photosensitivity, peeling skin, mouth ulcers and liver disease.
• Foxtail Millet (aka German Millet) and Meadow foxtail.

What hay is toxic to horses?

Endophytes present in tall fescue and ryegrass produce mycotoxins that are toxic to equines. Endophyte-infected fescue hay can cause reproductive problems resulting in dystocia (foaling difficulties) and poor milk production.

What is the 20% rule with horses?

The researchers found that an average adult light riding horse could comfortably carry about 20 percent of their ideal bodyweight. This result agrees with the value recommended by the Certified Horsemanship Association and the U.S. Cavalry Manuals of Horse Management published in 1920.

What is the 20% rule horse riding?

The 20% Rider Weight Rule
The 20% weight rule (ride and saddle) is a good starting point for considering how much weight a horse can safely carry. Generally, ponies will be able to carry a bit more than 20%. While tall horses will only be comfortable carrying a bit less.

What is the best hay to put weight on a horse?

Alfalfa
Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse. If your horse tends to be wasteful with his hay, he may eat more when offered alfalfa hay cubes or pellets.

Can a horse gain weight on hay?

High fat, high protein grain combined with a rich alfalfa hay can quickly put weight on a horse, if there is not an underlying medical condition.

How much hay should a 1000 pound horse eat a day?

fifteen to twenty pounds
The average thousand-pound horse who relies on hay for all their forage typically eats fifteen to twenty pounds of hay per day. Most hay is dispensed in flakes; however, the amount of hay in a flake can vary greatly, depending on the size of the flake and the kind of hay.