# Round vs square bales and how many?



## Wallee (Mar 7, 2012)

Jacksmama said:


> I have one horse that will be in about an acre pasture. We're fencing it now and the grass in nice and thick but of course that only lasts so long lol. My question is, with only one horse, occasionally 2 when we move horses around, should I go with round bales or square? I am concerned that he won't be able to get through a round bale before it starts to get icky. I would purchase a round bale feeder if that's what I choose. If I do go with round bales, how many for a year? I've always been told that a horse averages roughly 100 square bales a year, do you think that's accurate?


 
Back a long time ago when I had just one horse(now I have 7!) I was feeding 75 through the winter months of square. and about 50 or so through the summer fall times. Rough guess but its close. Now I have a few acres fenced with 5 horses on one lot who get round bales and they go through a 800 pound round bale about every 5 days!


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

I like SQ. I can control how much they get and know it wont mold just sitting there. I plan about a half bale a day per horse. And maybe alittle more when it gets really cold here.


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## bnayc (Jan 3, 2012)

I really prefer square bales. It's easier to separate into hay bags and troughs. Also when you break off a few flakes, you can notice mold. Even if you just bought a round bale, you never know how it has been stored. So many of my neighbors have set out a round bale and noticed a week later that it was moldy on the inside.


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## bnayc (Jan 3, 2012)

Also, you need a good size tractor with the right attachments to move round bales.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

If you have a big barn where you could put a round bale inside and peel off what you needed to feed that would work. With one horse the bale will get icky before it's finished if exposed outside.

I fed round bales this winter to 3 and I've several bales out there that were wasted. In my case it was from multiple freezing rain storms that turned them into haycicles before they got too far and they stopped eating them. Mold doesn't grow much when it's subzero but the moment it thawed it started going funky. Big waste.

I am now the proud owner of more mulch hay than I can use for the next several years.


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## GoWithTheFlow (Mar 9, 2011)

Take it from someone who has only fed round bales ... Get the square bales ! Soooooo much easier ! The reason I can only feed round bales is thats all we bale .I really want a square hay baler ! I've had countless bale wasted !


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## Wallee (Mar 7, 2012)

I find round easier to feed but with 7 horses all in one pasture I find it hard to feed square. Wont be long I will have my stable built and I will switch to square then. I put a cattle ring around my round bales and there isnt too much waste on them. Guy I get my round bales from gets them out of his barn and they are good and dry so no moldy stuff.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

It's really going to depend on the hay and the horse - bales can vary so much in weight, and horses in their necessary rate of consumption. 
I just placed my order for this coming year's hay so our hay guy can make sure he has what we will want/need -- for our two I have requested 20 rounds and 100 square. The rounds last our girls about two weeks and we supplement with square when needed (ie someone has to be kept away from area where round is at, they do the magician act with the last 1/3 of the round and make it disappear overnight and it'll be a few days before we can pick up the next one, etc).
When we had just our TB and were feeding squares only (at this point the hay we had were 60-70 lbs), I figured for 1/2 a bale per day for her on the hay we had at that time - but she is a hard keeper, so we were keeping food in front of her face 24/7. An easier keeper would require less hay and the bales would have lasted longer. 
We use rounds now and I really like it. For our TB, it means there is ALWAYS good hay (I love our hay guy and have not had a single bad bale, round or square, from him yet) there for her to bury her head in (and she does).


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## Jacksmama (Jan 27, 2010)

This is kind of what I was thinking, plus Jack is one of those horses that will stand and eat until he looks like a tick and waddles away from the hay lol.


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

I have fed my friends horses square bales


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