|
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
 
Location: Sweet Home Alabama | So me & my friend were discussing feeding our horses on a daily schedule. I normally go out to feed mine sometime between 6:30-7:00 every morning & every night. I told her sometimes it was a hassle but I thought it was better for their system -- no scientific evidence just my personal opinion. She disagrees & feeds hers whenever. Just got me to thinking what everyone else thinks |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 310
Location: Ohio | If we want consistent horses then a consistent routine is best imo. Routine is everything. |
|
| |
|
 Midget Lover
   
Location: Kentucky | I feed mine on a schedule. I've heard that feeding in a set schedule prevents colic. |
|
| |
|
 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| We really try to feed about 6:45 in the morning and about 7 at night. Basically 12 hours in between to keep their tummies happy. They do have a small amount of grass to nibble if we are late. But we usually try not to be too late. |
|
| |
|
  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | If you have more than the horses you haul and you compete it's not really possible to stay on an exact schedule all the time.
During the work week I can stick to a schedule in the mornings and usually feed at 6am. But there have been many times I've pulled out of the driveway before 6am to go judge a horse show somewhere or haul to pleasure show where I had to be in the ring early and had to feed at 4am.
By the same token, it's not uncommon to leave at 8am and not get back from showing until midnight, or later. There's no one home to feed at their usual time in the afternoon so they have to wait until I get home.
If I'm showing and their class is their ususal feed time, they have to wait then too.
My usual feed schedule is 6am and 6pm through the week. Weekends they're fed between 7-9am and 5-7pm if we're not hauling somewhere.
In some respects, I think sticking to a strict schedule can be more harmful because they know to expect their feed and will stress and act out even ahead of time. I saw that happen in a large barn that I worked at. At the same time, I don't think it's good to be completely off schedule all the time where you feed at 8am one morning and then noon the next day.
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: lone star state | I feed on a schedule. If I'm gone to a show I take grain with me so my horses stay on schedule.
Growing up on a dairy and beef operation schedule is everything in maintaining healthy profitable animals. I have also shown cattle. The more strict schedule you maintain the more success you have in the show ring. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Feeding a horse only twice a day is asking for colic and ulcer trouble. Horses produce stomach acid 24/7 unlike humans who produce it only when we eat. Horses are supposed to eat all day long at will. So my horses have have grass hay in front of them 24/7 and grain twice a day at the same time. |
|
| |
|
The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | My horses are kept on pasture 24/7 or have hay in slowfeed nets if they are stalled - so they have forage in front of them ALWAYS.
Grain.... They get it when they get it. I usually stick to anywhere from 6-9 AM (they only get it once a day). I'm not obsessed with a grain schedule, and neither are they. The reason I don't stick to a strict schedule is because when you haul, you never know what time you might be feeding their grain, and the last thing I want is to be on a horse needing to do business and he's tapping his watch and saying "um, grain lady?" |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | when I'm home by boys get fed three times a day and get a several hour turnout session as well, I try to feed at 9 am before class snack before work at 2 pm and then turnout in the evening (roommate kicks them out for me) and light dinner after work at like 9-10 pm
I feel like their mixed schedule and the fact that they get fed several times a day helps me out because if class runs late or i don't get off work on time or we're at a show they haven't spent 12 or more hours being hungry and bored and stressed and they generally always have something in their tummies as an ulcer preventative/mood stabilizer. Nobody likes to be hungry! I know I get very grumpy haha |
|
| |
|
Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Always feed on a schedule. I feed twice a day but try to keep hay in front of them always - I would love to feed 3 times a day but can't because I have a JOB. |
|
| |
|
 I Am Always Right
Posts: 4264
Location: stray dump capital of the world | I feed twice a day. Mornings between 6-7 and evenings 7-8 depending on work. Mine get turned out on pasture dring the day and stalled at night. They get coastal & alfalfa with their feed at night. |
|
| |
|
 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I do, between 6:30 and 7 in the am and around 4 in the afternoon. Mine are out on 80 acres during the day, 10 acres at night and stalled for weather. I don't feed grain, just vitamins and minerals with renew gold and soaked beet bulp- amount depends on the calories they need which right now is none so they are only getting about 2 cups all together at each feeding. |
|
| |
|
 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | I've actually heard that feeding on too strict of a schedule is bad for them because then if something comes up and they don't get fed when they "expect" to be fed it can stress them out. And like someone else mentioned when you're competing and especially if you're hauling a lot, a set schedule can be just about impossible.
Mine get fed in the morning and at night and are out on pasture 24/7. They are usually fed before 9am (sometimes super early if I have to be to work in the morning) and no later than 7pm at night. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | Mine are fed their bit of grain at about the same time more or less in the morning and in the evening. I'm not watching the clock and neither are they. But it ends up being within a couple of hours window each time. They aren't upset when I'm getting home late...they are out on pasture and/or free choice hay depending on the season. I don't think these two have good internal clocks. I can be out working in the yard and lose track of time. They don't even look at me or give any sign they are waiting for anything until I go to the feed room and start getting it ready. Other horses may be different. Mine are laid back about most things in general.
Now...the cat is another story. She KNOWS what time it is. She will come into the bedroom and jump on me to tell me it's time to feed her breakfast. She makes sure she is impossible to ignpore. And she is almost always spot on at 5 am. (Less than plesant on the weeknds than on work days)  |
|
| |
|
 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | livexlovexrodeo - 2014-05-19 8:49 AM I've actually heard that feeding on too strict of a schedule is bad for them because then if something comes up and they don't get fed when they "expect" to be fed it can stress them out. And like someone else mentioned when you're competing and especially if you're hauling a lot, a set schedule can be just about impossible. Mine get fed in the morning and at night and are out on pasture 24/7. They are usually fed before 9am (sometimes super early if I have to be to work in the morning) and no later than 7pm at night.
ditto... when I used to have a set time they would walk the fence and stress out .and I would to if I was 30 minutes late.. No more... unless they are stalled.. then I stay consistent.. I think things come up and Id rather them not be on a alarm.... now its within a few hours each time and they are out on lush pasture or have hay all the time.. |
|
| |
|
 Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | Everything we have is on pasture or full feed hay ... we do try to grain at the same time (or very close) everyday but the big thing is they have access to hay/pasture at all times. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 238
| Mine are on slow feeders for their hay. For the majority we only feed in the evening. Evening can be anywhere from 4pm on. They get their grain and the slow feeders are filled with hay. The hay will last anywhere from 16-20+ hours before they run out. This means they may be without some type of feed for up to 8 hours, but that's better than being fed twice a day and standing for 11 hours twice a day without feed, IMO.
The special case horses that do get breakfast grain, the rule is "anytime before 10."
We left last Sat at 4 pm to run. I grained the horses before we left. We didn't get home until after midnight and the hay feeders didn't get filled until then. That is extreme, but it can happen. The 3 horses left at home had to wait. The horses we took with were able to eat hay in the trailer. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 204
Location: North Louisiana | I feed at 9 and at five because I am too sorry to get up at earlier!!but yes on schedule !! |
|
| |
|
Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | I feed grain and soaked alfalfa in the mornings sometime between 7-8 am and then the same at night sometime usually between 8-9 pm...but if we're gone together he'll eat after he gets home. If I go somewhere in the late morning I will usually just feed the grain (7-8am) and let him have some alfalfa in the trailer. He's an extrememly sllooowww eater so he has to have plenty of time to take it in.
He's out on a grass lot (rotating lots) 24/7.
|
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | I have big slow feeders, so they have access to hay 24/7, but I try to grain around the same time everyday. Usually 6:30-7 pm. |
|
| |
Folks on-line