Can you bale hay with horses?

Horse owners can consider the use of haylage (bagged or wrapped) and/or preservative-treated hay. These alternatives will allow producers to bale during unpredictable weather conditions and thereby ensure higher feeding values rather than waiting for suitable drying weather before cutting or having hay rained upon.

How long does it take a horse to eat a bale of hay?

Ideally a large round bale would be consumed within seven days. This is usually achieved when four or more adult horses feed from a large round bale.

Is it OK to feed horses fresh cut hay?

Any hay that has been properly cured and dried before being baled should be stable and can be fed as soon as needed. There are no nutritional advantages to storing hay for weeks or months prior to use.

Can I make my own hay?

You don’t need a tractor and big farm equipment to make hay, it’s extremely easy to do on your own. All you need is access to grass and somewhere to dry and store it. If you have poultry I’m going to assume you have a backyard of sorts, but you can even dry hay inside your own house you are so inclined.

How short can you cut hay?

3 to 5 inches
According to Gelley, the general rule when mowing lawns is to remove one third of the total leaf area. For hay production of cool-season pastures, mow or graze before seedheads develop, and down to 3 to 5 inches. For warm season pastures, mow or graze down to 8 to 10 inches for proper regrowth.

Why do horses put their hay in water?

By wetting his hay before he eats it, he reduces the forage’s scratchiness, making it more like grass again – the better to slide down a sore or inflamed throat. Soaking the hay also douses excess dust, which may bother a horse with heaves or other respiratory distress.

How many bales of hay should a horse have a day?

A horse can eat anywhere from 15-25 pounds of hay a day, which generally equates to a half of a 45/50-pound square bale of hay per day (~15-30 bales per month).