What can I give my horses as a hay substitute for a few days?

[dianneS]

I'm all out of hay right now. We have way more, and very healthy pasture than we need. Our pastures are holding on pretty well and we haven't really needed hay. I've been supplementing with grain recently since the growing season is ending.

We're are supposed to have four days of non-stop rain! I can't have the horses in a run-in situation right now because of a fence issue. I've been putting them out in the rain until they get sick of it and want back inside.

I don't have any hay to give them in their stalls! They can go in and out of their stalls into a small paddock that has some grass. Otherwise they just stand in their stalls or under the barn overhang.

I've never fed alfalfa cubes or anything like that because my mare runs "hot" on sweet feed or concentrated feed, so I've been fearful of alfalfa making her nuts! What else do they sell that I could feed for a few days until I get a load of hay? (when this rain stops!!)

 

[ducks4you]

Alfalfa cubes WILL WORK but they're NOT cost-effective. I ALWAYS travel with them because I have have had most every trailer and travel problem over the years and I don't dare not have something to feed. Usually I have the problem with storage, sooooo...my 27 yr old is getting extra treats this week (the alfalfa cubes). Alfalfa cubes are fine in a pinch, AND there are no stems, so less waste.

Is there nobody/no place that will sell you enough hay to see you through?--I am ASSUMING that pasture isn't enough to feed your herd. Most horse-people buy more than they need (IF they have the room to store it,) OR have it delivered/go pick it up on a regular basis so you never run out. Don't believe anybody who tells you NOT to feed last year's hay--it DOESN'T lose any more nutrition after one year of storage. In FACT, I have bought year old alfalfa because it's less rich, but still good nutrition. (Straight alfalfa is hard on their kidneys, however.) Oat straw is also a good alternative--a U of I Vet swore that his father wintered their Shires on exclusively oat straw, and no grain. I've seen my horses eat 1/2 the bedding when it's oat straw, so I can believe it. If you want to take the time, you can also buy rained out hay and pick out the hot (if it's just been baled) or moldy patches. I'm kind of at a loss as to what to suggest--I have NEVER been without any hay at all for my horses in 24 years of horse ownership EXCEPT the Sunday we were out of town and the alternater AND regulater stranded us and 4 horses at a repair shop that didn't open until the next morning. We took them out and hand-grazed on their back lot for a few hours. Good luck.

 

[freemotion]

There has to be someone nearby who will sell you a bale or two to get you through this emergency. I have put bales in my car by using two big "landscaper" garbage bags, one each way on the bale. I can get a couple of bales in the trunk and 2-3 in the back seat this way. Most people will help you out in an emergency, especially if you offer cash and beg a little...

 

[dianneS]

We do still have plenty of pasture, that's why we don't have any hay. The horses just don't want to go out in all of this cold rain, even with rain sheets on.

I'm sure that I could get a few bales to hold us over, but no one (including me!) wants to load hay in this weather!

I figure that the horses will go out and graze if they get hungry enough, even with the rain, I don't think they will stand in the barn and starve! I would just like to give them something inside the barn so that they don't have to go out in the rain. I have just always kept them in their stalls on cold rainy days with lots of hay so that they don't have to get wet at all. Maybe I worry too much?

 

[lupinfarm]

Roughage Pellets.... Purina Horse Chow actually gives the reccommended feeding for horses that don't receive any hay at all (like for instance, for a horse in no work that is aboit 900lbs they suggest feeding 4 3/4 pounds of feed a day, replacing the entire hay part of the diet.

 

[freemotion]

If they are getting their winter coats and haven't been bathed in a few weeks or brushed too vigorously, they should have somewhat waterproof coats. With a "dirty" (clean-dirty! ) coat, the water often won't make it to the skin unless they really stay out for a long time.

Run out there when they come in from grazing, and part their wet hair, and you will....hopefully....see what I mean and feel better about it. Of course, this is far from 100% foolproof. They do get wet and shiver sometimes, especially if they have finer coats or if the rain is very heavy or driving.

I am loathe to change a horse's diet drastically (or any animal's diet), so would bag a bale, put on a raincoat, rubber boots and a hat, and ration that bale. Or just give in, shampoo up, and get that bale in a bathing suit....

 

[dianneS]

My husband got home from work early this afternoon and said that my horse was talking to him when he got out of his truck. I told him she wants him to make it stop raining.

Actually, I went right out to the barn after that, and my horses were asking to leave the small paddock/barn area and they wanted back out in the pasture, rain and all. I turned them out and they've been out ever since and have not complained or asked to be back in the barn.

My mare makes it very clear when anything is wrong in her world! If she wants in, she lets you know, if she wants out, she lets you know. So I can only assume that she is fine in the rain!

She's got a nice thick winter coat already. So does my gelding, but he hates being wet and comes in from the rain and promptly rolls in his stall until he's coated with saw dust, til he looks like a piece of breaded chicken! Its cute, but infuriating!

I think tomorrow, if the rain doesn't let up, I'll "horse proof" my goats run-in section of the barn and open that up to the horses too. The goats will not be happy!

 

[miss_thenorth]

If they have access to the pasture, but just don't want ot go out in the rain, --they will go out to get their bellies full enough, then come back into the barn to hang out. Our horses do that all the time if it is raining too hard. They don't NEED to eat 24/7.

 

[dianneS]

They are out on pasture now. I just don't have our usual run-in situation for them right now. They're either in, or out.

Tomorrow I'll work something out where they can get in out of the rain a bit if they need to!

Just thinking, if this rain keeps up, I can't get much done around here. Maybe I'll head up to the PA National Horse Show tomorrow!

 

[dianneS]

Well, my mare came in shivering last night, even though she wanted to be outside. I gave her hot oatmeal with her grain and rubbed her dry with a fluffy towel.

I just heard that its supposed to continue to be 26 degrees below normal temps and raining for the next several days! OMG I thought it seemed really cold for this time of year, but I had no idea that it was 26 degrees below normal!! I'm cold too! No wonder we're not adjusting well to the weather!

I don't know if I should let the horses out as long today. My gelding was unphased by the cold and wet, but my mare seemed bothered by it. She has a thick coat, but short and she's a thin skinned thoroughbred.

I'm going to track down some hay and or/hay substitutes today and try and keep them inside a little more for the next few days. This weather really is aweful!