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!
Hay here this year is going to be $235 a ton, about 17 bales per ton. That’s $14 per bale for alfalfa hay. Grass hay is a good bit more per bale. An average bale will last an average horse 4-5 days. To buy enough hay to get the horses we have through until next hay season will be $10,000. We can not afford that, period. And that doesn’t include the cost of the additional grain that they get.
Prez has not been able to have hay or alfalfa cubes for several years due to his choke. He is fed senior feed, alfalfa pellets and beet pulp twice a day. Health wise, weight and looks - he looks as good or better than any of the other horses.
The other horses get grain and hay, hay twice a day and grain once or twice, depending on who it is. Those working hard and babies and mares lacating get it twice a day. Their hay ration at each feeding lasts about 1 hour. Essentially, then, they have 2 hours per day that they spend eating. We have only dry lot here - no grass or pasture at all (we’re in the high desert.)
So - we are considering switching everyone to a complete feed, with additional alfalfa pellets and beet pulp, until we can sell or give away most of the horses. Either that, or declare bankruptcy right now :) We are feeding eleven horses right now. We plan on keeping only two of them.
Anyway, I know Becky feeds only complete feed with great success. I’d appreciate any opinions, pro or con - or any suggestions - or anyone else’s experience feeding only complete feed. And, thanks everyone.
Hay will be very expensive here also. Not only the price of fuel, but it has been raining almost every day for the last week or so. No one has been baling. We have enough for a week :(
Its funny that the grass hay would be more than the alfalfa. Opposite in these parts.
I think that’s why so many people here in the west feed alfalfa. We were surprised when we moved out here because in NC, grass is also much cheaper than alfalfa. This is alfalfa county though. Alfalfa/grass mix runs about $2 more per bale than straight alfalfa and straight grass is $4-6 per bale more. The really odd thing too is that so much grass is wasted by the horses or blown away in the wind. Really bad hay, mostly weeds and stickers and not even good for cattle is $10 per bale.
The price increase is outrageous though. We paid about $6000 for hay last year. That was 42 ton and too expensive then.
Our grass hay is about $15 a bale now, but we aren’t feeding as many. Right now I’m only feeding hay one meal a day and I might be able to get away with none, I just like to draw them in to the paddock at night. I think it’s gas prices coming from Eastern Wa, I think our crop should be good.
But on your main question, I think Becky’s your gal... it’s been working for her for some time now. I think she likes them to have a little forage, but you might be able to get away with far less hay, if you can’t eliminate it altogether.
Alfalfa is a couple bucks cheaper than grass here too...
I keep thinking that if we switch them gradually there shouldn’t be any problems but I don’t know. Bob thinks that feeding just concentrated feed without hay will increase the likelihood of colic. I don’t think Becky has had any problems with it though unless Rocky cribbing is related. Indy will crib given half a chance and he’s had hay his whole life along with his grain.
Thanks for pinging me!
Here in south-central Texas I am paying $7 for grass hay p[er bale, $70 per round bale and $12 for alfalfa.
We have had a horrible dry winter and no rain in sight.
I am putting a round bale on my pasture since they have about devoured everything on 30 acres, 2 horses and 1 donkey.
Boy, I’d give my right arm just about for prices like that again. :) A couple of years ago we were paying $7 per bale for alfalfa.
We pay 25. or 40. per round bale @ 1200 lbs. It's all good hay, farmers keep it inside.
LOL - my thoughts exactly. Nobody around here even puts up round bales. A lot of our hay is going out of state I think, and farmers are citing fuel prices as a reason for the increase in price but I don’t think that really accounts for the large increase. If I’m understanding correctly, the cost of delivery is $25 per ton, versus $20 per ton last year. So over 3-4 years, hay has doubled in price but delivery costs have not.
I know the state has paid some not to grow this year, citing water conservation, but it sure seems like farmers are price gouging. I know it’s led to a lot of free horses, $500 horses, and horses just turned loose to fend for themselves (which is not possible in this area).
Your hay prices are shocking!We have been selling top quality Timothy hay and orchard grass for 4-6 dollars a bale and I feel guilty charging that price.Our fertilizer cost 752 dollars a ton and diesel fuel is 4.28 a gallon,so I’m not exactly getting rich here either....
Rains every other day here so I have not baled for 2 and a half weeks,got to make another 70 acres to finish.
Well, I’m in the part of the country that grows trees, not hay. It has to be trucked across the mountains. We do get some local hay but it’s usually pretty low quality and light bales. The Eastern WA Orchard grass we’re buying are at least good, heavy 110 pound bales. A bale would last six days to a week if I was just feeding one horse.
So - how close do you live to me :)
You two need to talk :) You’re both in the same part of this great country I think.
Both Ohio, but I think Farmer is on the West side of the State. I am in the North East, close to PA line.
Hay is anywhere from $2.50 to $3.00/bale. Not sure if that is last years or not. It has been raining all over the State. We use about 400 bales with four head and feed hay year round.
I heard of a couple of horses that were left, at one of the horsemans camps. That's crazy!
Dang girl, no wonder you cant retire!
Exactly. Once you add in grain, supplements, shots, wormings and farrier, the horses take my whole paycheck. In fairness though, five years ago it took us less money to feed 22 horses than it’s costing now for the 11.
I’m not sure what happened but I’m glad you are ok.
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