Did you know that hay supplies in Victoria are running critically low this season?  With unpredictable weather patterns and increasing demand, this challenging situation calls for proactive measures to ensure the well-being of your horses.

Here are several strategies to navigate the upcoming months to ensure your horses receive adequate nutrition:

  1. Explore alternative hay options: If your usual grass or pasture hay is unavailable, consider alternatives such as lucerne, oaten, teff, or clover hay.
  2. Utilise fibre sources: In the absence of hay, integrate fibre-rich feeds like chaff, hay cubes and beet pulps, to maintain your horse’s nutritional needs.
  3. Monitor roughage intake: It’s essential to know how much roughage your horse requires daily. Weigh your hay portions to help track each horse’s consumption.
  4. Implement slow feeding techniques: Slow hay feeder nets not only extend grazing time but also help with portion control, reducing wastage.
  5. Understand feeding requirements: Horses require 1.5-2% of their body weight in roughage each day – approximately 7.5-10kg for a 500kg horse. Ideally, they should not go longer than 3-5 hours without food to mitigate the risk of gastric ulcers and colic.
  6. Consider the frequency of hard feeding: If feasible, opt for smaller, more frequent hard feeds throughout the 24-hour period.
  7. Bulk purchasing options: If you have storage capacity, consider buying hay in bulk. Many hay delivery groups on social media are collaborating to source hay from Queensland and New South Wales. Just remember to confirm the authenticity of the seller, there are many scams online.

In summary, recognising your horse’s daily roughage needs, practicing portion control, and utilising slow feed hay nets or more frequent hard feeds are vital to managing the current hay scarcity. Stay informed and ensure the health of your horses during this critical time.

For further information on this matter please contact the HRV Integrity Department using one of the following below:

HRV Stewards - Phone - 03 8378 0222

HRV Stewards Outside Business Hours - Phone - 03 9214 0650

Integrity Hotline - Phone - 03 9214 0651 or Email - integrity@hrv.org.au