Who gives a grain ration? How much?

[goodcompanion]

@jac 18480 wrote:

Lynn Miller is quoted in his draft horse hand book that unless you grow you’re own horse feed, you may never benefit from the true value of draft horses.. I think he may be right.. I would like to think a team on 70cwt of grain a year would be used more than occasionaly but I see what you mean..
John

I was referring to a team I can see out the window right at this moment and they do about 4 hours of work every other week or so. They would be fed the same ration even if they weren’t doing that. I mentioned earlier, it’s not my team and not my place to dictate their care as long as it’s not my money feeding them. People’s grain practices are all over the map as are all other aspects of horse care: hooves, fly protection, dentistry, fashion attire, level of vetrinary care.

[near horse]

I am surprised at how my team thrives on grass hay alone – they do get to graze when the conditions allow it but nothing like the 6 months ‘Does Leap’ mentioned. Grass just grows great guns for a bit and then summer hits and no regrowth. I only use grain on rare occasion, maybe a subzero spell or a bit of haying/plowing. But these horses can put some good “bark” on them just on grass hay w/ a few hours grazing (can’t even see their ribs right now). Probably speaks to the need for more horse work but I’m like ‘Goodcompanion’ trying my best to utilize the horses between all the rest of life’s projects.

Believe it or not, awhile back (in the last 10 yrs) it was cheaper to feed low quality hay and supplement with grain than to buy high quality hay alone and feed that. As Erik mentions, people’s practices vary and if you’ve got something that you’re comfortable with and works for you/your operation/your team, then go with it.

Now – for our elderly riding horse, we feed the store bought “old horse” feed and give him shredded beet pulp (soaked for 15 minutes or so). At 30+ yrs of age, he looks and acts “alright” – no riding for him anymore, just hangs out with his sheep buddies.

[sickle hocks]

Looking through old threads and enjoyed the discussion here on the economic and sustainability issues of feed for workhorses. Growing my own feed on the farm is an important goal for me. I anticipate having to supplement hay with some grain while working….the point has been made that it’s easy to sow but equipment intensive to harvest.

in gene logsden’s small scale grain raising book he mentions an old way:

– cut oats when grain just hardening, a bit of green in stalks
– tie stalks in bundles, set in shocks to dry
– then rank the bundles in a barn, or outside like a double stack of wood with butts out and heads in to protect from rain (maybe on pallets with tarps??)
– feed the oats (unthreshed) by the bundle as needed

so i wondered if the two of us with good quality scythes with grain cradles couldn’t find a few days to knock down two acres of oats and try this out…low tech, not much equipment (broadcast seeder, roller/harrows, scythes, wagon), the horses get some roughage too and if they pick through the straw and leave some it could be recovered for bedding

crazy idea????????????????????

you’d sure have to fence off the stacks securely in case something got out..

[goodcompanion]

@sickle hocks 24688 wrote:

Looking through old threads and enjoyed the discussion here on the economic and sustainability issues of feed for workhorses. Growing my own feed on the farm is an important goal for me. I anticipate having to supplement hay with some grain while working….the point has been made that it’s easy to sow but equipment intensive to harvest.

in gene logsden’s small scale grain raising book he mentions an old way:

– cut oats when grain just hardening, a bit of green in stalks
– tie stalks in bundles, set in shocks to dry
– then rank the bundles in a barn, or outside like a double stack of wood with butts out and heads in to protect from rain (maybe on pallets with tarps??)
– feed the oats (unthreshed) by the bundle as needed

so i wondered if the two of us with good quality scythes with grain cradles couldn’t find a few days to knock down two acres of oats and try this out…low tech, not much equipment (broadcast seeder, roller/harrows, scythes, wagon), the horses get some roughage too and if they pick through the straw and leave some it could be recovered for bedding

crazy idea????????????????????

you’d sure have to fence off the stacks securely in case something got out..

I bet you can do it!

Knocking down is kind of the easy part. All that gathering and tying up, kind of a pain, you have to be bending over so many times to do it. I love my reaper-binder.

I doubt you’d have to worry too much about the security of your rick in the event of an escape. With the bottoms all pointing out it’s not easy for animals to dismantle, though they might nibble a little bit. By the time a rick gets built up and packed down it’s kind of like a little building–pretty sturdy.

[Mac]

Mine get home-raised corn, still on the cob. That way they get some roughage along with the corn and they don’t founder. Not that they’re likely too though. They work it off though. Here in the hills, I haven’t had much luck with anything but corn, cotton, cane, and a few oats. Last year I put in a half acre of oats and cradle cut them. I will never do it again. I don’t have the acreage or the time to bundle them after I cut them. Maybe if I had a binder, but I don’t. So its cotton and corn and cane til something better comes along.
Mac

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