Horse FP

[Burton Choinski]

Alex Koponen wrote:
>     True, horses can be expensive. However, as someone with a lot of
> experience with horses I believe that your estimate is too high. The amounts
> you mention are adequate for four (4) large riding horses or two very large
> draft horses. The primary difference betwen grain and grass fed horses is
> the grain fed ones will go slightly faster and a fair bit further when
> pushed to their limits. Horses can go (travel, not gallop) full days if fed
> hay in the mornings and evenings, this can be with or without grain.

So you are saying the amounts in book one are accurate?  One horse @
1000# eats only 33% more than a 185# man?  That seems a little odd.

Not to put down your first hand data, but from:

http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/ansci/g02807.htm
## Feeding Horses
## Wayne Loch
## Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia

"A good rule of thumb is to feed at least 1 pound of hay per day for
every 100 pounds body weight of the horse. A 1,000-pound horse would be
fed about 10 pounds of hay per day. Mature, idle horses in good
condition, fed excellent hay in increased quantities (about 2 pounds per
100 pounds of body weight) may do well without grain added to their
ration. Growing or working horses, mares during late pregnancy and mares
during lactation need grain and other concentrates in addition to the
roughage.

* Feed by weight, not volume. A gallon of different grains may vary 100
percent in nutrient yield.
* Do not feed grain until tired or hot horses have cooled and rested,
preferably one or two hours. Instead, feed hay while they rest in their
blankets or are out of drafts.
* Feed before work. Hungry horses should finish eating at least an hour
before hard work.
* When feeding hay, give half the hay allowance at night, while horses
have more time to eat and digest it."

That puts a good sized warhorse @ 1500# to needing at least 15# of hay,
plus grains. Assuming that simple travel is not "working", this would be
doubled for good hay to 30#.   I assumed that grain provides 2x the food
value of hay, ergo they can go with ~15# of grain.  Granted, they do
need the roughage, so you may go with 10# hay plus 10# grain.
Presumably, unless they carry hay bales with them they will need the
time to allow the horse to gather up 30# of hay on its own, which cuts
into travel time.  Hence the 1/2 distance per day when going
cross-country and foraging.

Again, this is not to diss you input.  I'm just pointing out my sources.
     -- Burton
--
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Burton Choinski
Principle Software Engineer, Quality Engineering
email: burton.choinski at matrixone.com

phone: 978-322-2135
fax  : 978-452-5764

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