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Thread Four: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1332664/posts |
Posted on 12/30/2004 7:01:16 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?
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. In the previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.
I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!
I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.
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. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.
I have occasionally sat down and refigured. The pellets usually don't come far off of hay and grain. The thing I like best is I get the same quality all the time.
Sometimes decent hay is just hard to come by here. I hated it when I'd break open a bale and it what have all that white (I always thought that was old mold that had died??) powdery stuff inside. Looks very unappetizing.
Becky
If I get any mold in mine I end up throwing out the whole bale because I don't trust it. It's a risk here because so often local hay hasn't been dried properly before it's baled. Our weather doesn't always cooperate.
Haven't found any mold in this lady's hay yet. Or the last batch from the two old Norwegians... There's wasn't moldy ever, it just varied so much from bale to bale... like their field had no consistency at all in what was planted there. Mostly Timothy in one bale... weeds and crap in the next.
4.00 hay would be on "average" then 8.33 a week in hay per horse.
That's probably cheaper then per week per horse then the pellets I use, but not by much.
I just like keeping up with hay prices. Make sure, I'm not really overspending too much:)
Becky
If you feel like it's still a good buy, I'd think the biggest benefit is storage space and consistency.
Yeah that happens alot here too. When I picked it up out of the field my self, I tried to get the middle of the field. I think you get the mixtures on the edges. That is if it's a good field to begin with.
It made me very nervous when I'd come across that white stuff in the bales. But I was "told" that when they looked like that it was OK to feed. It was explained that yeah the hay molded after being baled, but when it turns into that white powdery stuff, it is not "actively molding". It's only when hay is actively molding that it can cause problems for the horses. Once it's done molding and dies off, it's not as good a quality, but won't hurt.
I feed it, and never had a problem, but didn't like feeding it at all.
Becky
I think it's a pretty comparable buy. And I think my horses stay consistently at the correct weight.
It would be more difficult on the horses for someone to use them that couldn't feed 3x's a day. You have to feed at least twice using them. But 3x's is better.
Becky
Boy Duchess, you've got some PRETTY ones!
I wouldn't have bought that hay at all... Not sure I'd ever trust it wasn't still dangerous, or still molding, for that matter.
If we had a truck and flat trailer that could drive through and buy out of the fields, that'd be a good way to do it.... at least you know what the weather's been for the last week. I worry about hay that's been baled wet, both that it will mold... but also that it might spontaneously combust in my barn.
I walked into this lady's barn and took a big sniff... it smelled dry and clean, not like the pungent damp grass smell I've smelled before.
At the moment.... it wouldn't be a problem feeding 3 times a day. we currently feed twice, but we're home.
Having hay that was actively molding in our storeage building is what converted me to the pellets finally. We bought some out of the field, got it in the building and the next day when I went to get some, that stuff was "HOT". I couldn't believe how hot it was. We came real close to pulling it out. The guy that sold it to us came and had a temp. gauge for hay bales. He was shocked how hot it was, but wouldn't give me my money back. We landed up giving it to some guy that was feeding buffalo. We were going to get some round bales in exchange, but since I changed to pellets we never went and got them.
Becky
That would freak me out. I guess that's the benefit of buying it out of a barn a month after it's been baled. If it didn't torch their barn, it won't torch ours ;~D
I'm not trying to convert you to using them:), just curious. Could you get them? I actually had trouble finding a feed store that would carry them. Does your feed store carry Purina Feeds?
So few people know about them, or are willing to use them, that alot of feed stores won't carry them.
When I first started using them, the guy that owns the feed store I use now wouldn't get them in because he said he didn't think that was a good way to feed horses. That was over 15 years ago. That's the same guy whose horse I rode last summer:), when I told him how I fed he said that was great. I guess he's changed his thinking. He said they were very good quality roughage.
Becky
They sound like a good idea. What are they called?
Oh, and one other problem I ran into at the start. Was I would find a feed store that would bring them in, the problem was them remembering to keep them on hand. I don't know how many times I would go in and they'd be out. You talk about throwing a fit:) I could not get it thru their heads that if I didn't get my pellets, my horses went hungry. I don't know how many times I had to go thru the talk about I don't have hay. Then I'd get the gasps and shocked looks, and the talk about how important hay was...sigh...it was very trying.
Stan, feed store owner, and I went around and around on that several times. He now knows I'm very serious about him having my feed. Other people around here do buy it, but he always keeps enough for me on Fri.:) It took awhile to get him trained, but I succeeded.
Becky
Horse Chow 100.
You can get 200, or 300, they are just higher protein, which IMO, most horses don't need.
Becky
Morning yall.
I think we can get something like it... my friends that pack into the high country buy complete feed in preparing to go on rides there.... both as a feed while they are there, but also because some of the pristine areas require that the horses be fed only certified seed-free feed for at least a week prior, so they don't bring in non-native seeds with them in manure. I think that stuff would qualify... they buy something like it somewhere.
They do sell a type of complete feed at our feed store... their "Del's" brand. We bought it buy accident once instead of Bay's senior feed, which is a complete feed if fed in enough quantity.
Thanks Becky, Hay bales make me nervous too, If i decide to go over, do i gradually introduce it little by little?
(i buy all my feed weekly too!)
I posted them yesterday!. When you go to that show today see if they'll sell you some glasses.
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