In one of my posts, I talked about how badly I wanted to free-feed Calvin. He used to live with two dominant mares, so unless the other owners wanted to split the bill (which they didn't), I couldn't feed him extra unless I fed during grooming time. At my boarding facility, they feed alfalfa cubes 2x/day and with the mares, he wasn't even able to eat all of his cubes because the mares would take over.
I decided to move him in with Graf, a large Warmblood gelding, because his owner was open to free-feeding hay on top of the alfalfa cubes. Things didn't go so well at first and Graf chased Calvin away from the food so I would have to lug it to the other end of the pasture for Calvin to eat. It was a frustrating process.
Now I'm happy to say that Calvin and Graf are best friends! A new gelding moved in the other pasture next door, and ever since then Graf has been protective over Calvin and would even pin his ears at the new gelding. Ever since then, Calvin and Graf have been best friends. By best friends, I don't mean they tolerate each other, I mean they do everything together and are hardly separate. I don't understand the horse brain but I'm happy for the change!
Graf and Calvin eating together
Grooming time! This picture makes Calvin look really tiny, but he's actually on a downhill slope.
Free feeding has been going really well too, except that these boys eat SO MUCH hay. We go through probably a bale per week for two horses! I don't know who eats more as they both seem to be eating constantly. Graf is larger, but Calvin is growing, so it could be a toss up. Grass hay isn't really fattening, just very rich in nutrients and fiber. The problem with straight alfalfa is that it doesn't stimulate the "full" feeling in horses so they tend to overeat. Feeding both horses grass hay on top of alfalfa will trigger that full feeling and prevent any bad habits (i.e. neurotic behavior) stemming from the "hunger". Horses are rarely, if ever, fat on grass hay alone. Calvin and Graf get alfalfa cubes 2x/day and grass hay.
Two hay nets that maybe last 2 days!
Black bin at top of pasture so the horses are forced to walk to eat more hay. This keeps them moving and they enjoy jumping from the hay feeder, to the nets, and to the bin. This was also after I cleaned the pasture, much nicer!
My hay setup includes 2 slow-feeder nets, a black bin full of loose hay, and hay in the feeder. The best feeling was working around the barn one night and seeing all the hay nets full but the horses weren't eating. They were actually full! Every horse I've ridden my entire life has never been full and would dive at any opportunity to eat hay or grass on the trail. I notice a difference when riding too, Calvin isn't desperate to dive at hay on the trail and is more focused on me.
Free feeding also helps with boredom, Calvin and Graf munch on hay while the other horses in the pastures next to us watch or just sleep. It makes me feel sad for those guys, they just stand all day waiting for their food to come. Most horse owners think free feeding is bad and will cause obesity, but horses are natural grazers anyway so it's more natural and helps prevents ulcers. Therefore, eating small bits all day vs. 2 huge meals is actually better for them. Horse people are a strange bunch though, most don't want to listen to science but instead something someone told them 10 years ago.
I've also been cleaning out the pasture. My boarding facility believes that poop being left in the pasture is good for the horses. The barn manager even told me "It gets broken up and makes the ground softer for the horses to lay on!" and "moisture is good for their hooves!" Well that might be true, but before it gets to the dried and broken stage it goes through the wet and parasitic stage. Horses don't sleep in their own poop willingly! Also, clean moisture is good for hooves like water or mud, but not poopy mud or water! Since the management never cleans the pasture, I clean it out. I would rather clean out two horses poop than deal with a pasture full of poop every day. To give you some perspective, one day of poop from two horses fills an entire wheelbarrow. I dump it in front of the pasture and luckily the barn guys use a tractor and clear it away. It is more of a matter of laziness, anyone with an animal knows that living in their own feces is detrimental.
Most boarding stables clean stalls and pastures, this place is unusual in that regard, but there aren't many options where I live for pasture boarding and I think they realize this and take advantage. I guess the other boarders have the same attitude I do, because reasoning with the barn manager is out of the question. I can't wait until I can move Calvin to a better barn or maybe, if I'm lucky, my own property! In the meantime, I'll keep dreaming.
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