Posted on 08/07/2007 7:33:14 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
This is a horse chat thread where we share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share, usually about our horses, sometimes about our dogs, gardens and other stuff we do. :~)
I have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and MissTargets will ping everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list.
So... like the previous threads, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends.
Previous threads:
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - thread ONE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread THREE!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FOUR
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread EIGHT
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread TEN
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 11
New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!
Hello.
Hello.
It’s me again, i added a tag line and thought I’d send you another hello while I’m here. Hello. :~)
Hi :)
Hair, some information on hay :) because I didn’t want to get in an arguement on horse.com (which is easy for me to do)
And, bear in mind, if good hay is hard to get right now, feed hay cubes or a complete feed like Becky does. Anyway, this is from the perspective of a hay buyer but also - Bob raised and sold coastal burmuda grass hay for twenty years in NC.
Myth or Reality? “A little mold won’t hurt!” Myth! Beyond any doubt, the most important characteristic of good horse hay is cleanliness. Any hay (alfalfa, timothy, clover, fescue) that contains dust or mold will probably make a horse cough. Coughing is abnormal and not insignificant. Many horses develop permanent lung damage after consuming moldy or dusty hay. This chronic lung damage, commonly referred to as heaves, affects the horse’s ability to breath normally and impairs their ability to exercise. Once a horse has been sensitized to hay dust, mold or pollen, it may react even when clean hay is fed. Moldy hay may also have other negative health effects as well. Therefore moldy hay should never be used for horses. In general, alfalfa is not any more likely to make a horse cough than any other hay, as long as it is dust and mold free.
http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/Symposium/1998/Evaluating%20Hay%20for%20Horses.htm
Good quality hay should be free of mold, dust, and weeds and have a bright green color and a fresh smell. In some instances, placing too much emphasis on color may be misleading in hay selection. Although the bright green color indicates a high vitamin A (beta carotene) content, some hays might be somewhat pale due to bleaching and may still be of good quality. Bleaching is caused by the interaction of dew or other moisture, the rays of the sun, and high ambient temperatures. Brown hay, however, indicates a loss of nutrients due to excess water or heat damage and should be avoided.
Hay which is dusty, moldy, or musty smelling is not suitable for horses. Not only is it unpalatable, but it can contribute to respiratory diseases. Moldy hay can also be toxic to horses and may cause colic or abortion. Bales should not contain undesirable objects or noxious weeds. Check for sticks, wire, blister beetles, poisonous plants, thistle, or plants with barbed awns such as foxtail or cheat grass.
http://www.horsekeeping.com/horse_care/making_hay.htm
Check all forages closely for mold, which appears as grey/black areas and smells musty. Moldy hay or grain should not be fed under any circumstances. No feed is better than moldy feed.
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/recover.htm
and a PS
as a customer buying very expensive hay, you have the right to expect every inch of that hay to be good for your horses. If it’s not, you have the right to expect it to be replaced or your money refunded. You would not pay for and eat moldy vegetables yourself, your horse’s system is just as delicate. Only goats and cows can get by with bad hay.
Well take care. It’s bad here too. I saw yesterday that gusts up to 55 mph did some damage to our airport and mall. I’m about 3 hrs north on assessment and it was shaking my truck drivinbg up here yesterday.
He’s not yours?
Well I’m still here this morning. All the bad weather went south of us. All we got out of it was some really strong straight-line winds and about 3 inches of rain, which we really needed, so I can’t complain. It’s still in the 60’s right now, but the back edge of the cold front is moving through so our spring-like temps are gone for a few days. I hear Robins chirping outside the window right now and they don’t seem concerned so hopefully it’ll be a short-lived cold snap.
It looked like the top edge of the worst of it came across your area. I hope y’all made it through without any problems. Let us know how it went.
Hey Jenny! I love the tagline! That one could really apply to me too. I seem to leave my brain at home most of the time.
Becky
Fun!!! Bah-humbug:)
Becky
Good grief! What a winter wonderland!
Frog... glad you’re OK this morning :~)
And Duchess, thanks for the info on hay - I know mold is bad, Certainly if it was moldy inside I’ve taken it back before and wouldn’t have even wondered about it. It’s just this stuff was right on the line between good and bad, having just this crusty layer on the bottom. I think I’ll probably take it back. There is no shortage in the area. It’s a great hay year, it’s only expensive because it comes from across the pass.
Good morning everyone... Trying to kick a headache I woke up with ;~\
The farrier is coming today - I finally called a different one since the one my daughter had lined up has kept us hanging for weeks.
That picture of Barkley in the chair, with the saddle, bridle and posters/pictures on the wall is very cool. Sort of looks like it came from a magazine. The lamp effect just sets it off. I really, really like it!
Thanks :~) He just looked so cute sitting there I thought it looked like a hound lounging after the day’s hunt myself :~)
Well, he showed up promptly at 9:00 and did a great job.
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