Yes! I have searched the internet and the archives first. I understand that beet pulp, hay cubes, and hay pellets are another way to get forage to the horse. That isn’t actually my question today.
So it’s official. My 33 year old can no longer eat hay. He can, however, eat grain and graze on pasture. However, we don’t have any pasture over the winter in Indiana, and we have more horses than acreage. Additionally, this horse has foundered once, possibly twice, before I owned him 15+ years ago, and again in 2013. He has Cushings disease, like many pony breeds. For many years we battled obesity and had to muzzle him on pasture. The last two years we have not. This last winter (2016-now,) we found that he did not keep on small amounts of grain (less than a full ration) and dropped weight suddenly. (We were not vigilant enough and didn’t catch it soon enough, I will admit.)
This horse LOVES to eat. So I was pretty sure he was having issues eating off the 800 pound bale of hay since he was skinny. All horses are on turnout with the option to come into the open former-cattle area of the barn.I put him in the stall to give him space and reduce the energy he was spending walking around trying to graze on dead, nipped short grass. I gave him our best hay from our square bales and he never even ate half of it in 2 days- normally in the hay manger without a slow feeder he would’ve eaten in in a couple hours. The vet said this would come.
SO. He CAN exist on two daily feedings of complete feed. However, when there is no pasture, what can I do to give him munchies while I’m at work and school? ( 20 credit hours of college and two jobs- my degree can’t come soon enough.) I looked into automatic feeders, and the cheapest I can find is over $300, not including installation, which I don’t think my father will help me with. He says the horse isn’t worth the money because he’s old and is going to die. Thanks, Dad.
If I soak hay cubes he’s just going to eat it all until it’s gone and then stand there all day. Has anyone played around with like a jug or something that they can play with and get grain out of? I feel bad because once he eats his grain, he has nothing until several hours later. The little rolling toys wouldn’t give out much feed, and I don’t see how it would work with thick stall bedding. Any suggestions?
Thanks!