Most of us will need to supplement our horse’s grazing with hay at points throughout the year. But what are the best ways to hay a herd of horses? And how can you keep the hay as tidy as possible in muddy conditions? Keep reading to find out.
Hay for groups of horses
If your horse is in induvidual turnout, it is often easier to provide extra hay for your horse. You can just supply 1 source of hay for them and that’s it. But when you have multiple horses in the same field, you have to make sure there is enough hay and space for all of the horses to get some without fighting.
Multiple Hay Points
Seperating hay out into multiple supplies is important in herds to ensure all the horses have access to the hay. The general rule is to have at least 1 hay point (pile/net) per horse, ideally with an extra one too. This means that the horses at the bottom of the pecking order always have hay available if they get pushed off the one they were at. The points should be well spaced out to prevent fighting.
Spreading the hay out into multiple piles/nets can also be good for horses in induvidual turnout as it encourages them to move around a bit more, rather than just stand still.
Large Hay Sources
If you are putting large bales of hay out in the fields, it might not be an option to have 1 large bale per horse. So you need to think about how well the horses in the field get along. 2-3 horses of friendly horses can usually share a round bale at a time without any fighting.
However, for larger groups or groups with a particularly dominant horse who doesn’t like to share, you might need to break the bale down, at least until the novelty wears off. In big herds, you can role the bale, letting the hay unravel into a long strip along the floor. For smaller groups, you can peel off the hay to create a couple of hay piles. But most horses seem happy sharing larger sources of hay, even if it takes them an hour or so to start sharing.
Top Tips to avoid wasting hay
One of the biggest problems with putting hay out in the field for your horse, particularly in muddy conditions, is how much hay is wasted. It gets blown across the field and trampled into the mud.
1. Avoid putting hay in muddy areas
One of the best ways to preent wasting hay is to avoid putting it in muddy areas, such as gate ways. Try to place it in the driest areas of the field. Not only does this mean there is less mud for the hay to fall into, it also means your horse isn’t standing in the mud eating it.
2. Haynets/Bags
Another really easy way to avoid waste, is to stop the hay from flying across the field or being dropped all over the floor. Putting your hay in a haynet or a hay bag can keep it together and off the floor. Small haynets and hay bags should be tied to a fixed point, high enough so that the horse’s legs can’t get caught in it. (The same rules you would use in the stable) Although some haybags are safe to use on the ground, untied.
You can also get large haynets to go over big bales of hay. These are great when you are putting large bales straight out in the field as horses tend to pull a lot of hay out onto the floor and then treat it a bit like a bed/toliet.
3. Hay Box
Finally you have hay boxes. These come in many different shapes, sizes and materials. Sometimes they are also combined with haynets. But essentially they are boxes you put the hay in to keep it in a tidy area the horses can’t walk over.
Last Updated on 10/01/2025