The Art of Natural Dressage

Hi

At our new barn they just feed their horses one time a day, in the evening. In the morning they get hay and also again in the evening.
They give some kind of food with a lot of herbs (brand Pavo). But we are both used to that she gets food twice a day.
Is this one time enough for a horse?
Durin the day she is in the field.
Thanks
Regards

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I wish I knew your world

I have always fed oat to my horses only once a day since I have them. I know that tis is not ideal and that a horse should be fed two or three times a day, but my horses have always been healthy with just one ration. They can eat as much grass as they want every day and night. So maybe feeding several times a day is especially important for horses who don´t have permanent access to hay or grass?

Hi Romy

Thanks for your reply. It is already great to read that you feed your horses once a day and they are in healthy condition.
During the night the horses can't go in the field, they live in some kind of paddock then. That is why they feed them in the evening.
I don't know how the fields will look like during winter, maybe I'll ask that they feed her twice a day then. Do you feed them twice a day in the winter?
Regards

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I wish I knew your world

No, I don´t. In the winter they have full time access to hay, so they surely don´t eat much less than during the summer.

Mine also have free access to hay. And now in summer they get so little oats that I feed only once a day. But in winter I feed two times...

(oats and sunflowerseeds - only oats now in summertime. Herbs sometimes, garlic in the summer, turmerac sometimes. And vitamine/mineral mixture, free access the whole year - but it would be better to separate them and not feed the mixture. But I am too new and uncomfortable with that yet...)

Grass is the super food and if horses have 24/7 grass and herbs (real gras, not artificial man made cow meadow), then that is absolutely the best.

You can give some extra grain if you feel you need to.

I give Equifyt as it is without artificial addings and pure, no gen tech etc..
(pavo is really not very natural I have to say...)

Unfortunatly I have not quite enough grass for my three warriors so I try to give hay all day long and ones or twice Equifyt, all sorts.

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Mine are out on grass 24/7 so they only have a very small feed purely to give them thier magnesium and milk thistle seed powder suppliments.

So they get a handful of ready mixed horse food (approved by the laminitis trust) with a little speedibeet to dampen it along with thier suppliments. Not more than a couple of mouthfulls really as the grass (and other herbs etc in the field) give them all they mainly need.

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Waw thank you for the great replys.
It reminds that I still have to learn a lot.

But we already did a long way to arrive where we are today.
From never ever outside, 2 meals a day and a little bit of hay

To
outside all the time, during the day in the field, at night in the paddock, a lot of hay and 1 meal a day. I know it is good for her, but I have to get used to it too and I just need to know if she gets everything she needs because I never want that she gets short of something that is of basic need.

And she has to get used to it too, because I went one time in the morning and she was asking for food so I gave her a little . But she is always hungry for food.

I am still quite doubting about our new stable, there are good people, with a good heart for the horses, but it is a huge adaptment for both of us. And I am worried the most that she gets not enough or something... Yeah that me, worrying all the time about her. But she just means everything to me .

Regards

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I wish I knew your world

When she needs something she will tell you

so when she asks for food, just give her, hay, carrots or some grains, why not?

So no worrying

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My 2 horses have been outside 24-7 for the last 2-3 weeks. I give them about 2 bales of hay a day plus they eat grass (not too much left). Once a day I give them each 2 cups of pelleted hay with multivitamins (unfortunately from the vet). Magik gets a scoop of glucosamine (sugar-free supposedly) and Corado gets Devil's Claw. that's it.
they don't work very much so as I've been told they really don't need anything but good hay.
When I buy my hay at the end of June (for one year), I'll have it analyzed and depending on the results, will give them supplements (or stop the vitamins already being given).
If I wet the hay, Magik won't eat it. Even if it is left out in the rain, they won't eat it. Maybe that will change when they're home I don't know. but I'll continue giving them hay in their shelter and outside of their shelter.
They seem very healthy and no more hoof problems. They do have deformities (Corado - unbalanced feet; Magik:club foot and pigeon-toed) but they are not lame (anymore).
P.S. 3 days before my horses are home for good

Josepha, you are right, thank you for your encouragemt words.

I saw that she already lost some weight, but not much.
When I moved her last time from her huge pasture to a new barn she lost a lot of weight very quickly.
I hope that she will be able to stay there and call it home. I can understand that she is tired of moving, I am too

Thank you
Regards

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I wish I knew your world