And it's time to stock up on hay. Hay is a major staple in an equine's diet. Before grains and concentrates, a horse, donkey, pony or mule must have long stem forage. In the fall and winter we rely on hay to provide this dietary requirement. Horse hay must be clean, stored in the dry, free of mold or dust. A horse should consume about 2% of it's body weight in hay each day. For the average 1000 pound horse, that's about 20 pounds a day. If the temperatures drop, that number is likely to go up because burning the hay in the intestine creates internal body heat. If the horse is in poor condition, as many of Horse Haven's horses are when they arrive here, the animal will need to be fed additional hay.
We currently go through about 12 large round bales a week. The horses have free access to the hay while turned out in our pastures. They also receive square baled hay and horse feed while they're in their stalls.
We feed a lot of hay. Thankfully, we now have a place to store round bales on the property.
It brings me joy to see this giant pile of hay because I know that this hay will keep our horses fed and warm in the cold winter months to come. For some of the horses in our care, those that arrived this spring and summer, this will be the first winter in a long time without worries about feed.
We're glad to be able to provide.
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