Re: Problem with stall walking mare

["Sullivan's" <greymare@jps.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bette Lamore" <woa@stormnet.com>


> Prefer pasture myself but in winter months, barn alfalfa is many times
> the only thing available or even affordable (@$150-160/ton!).  Forage
> mix in these parts (central CA) is getting increasingly harder to find
> now that everyone and their cousin has decided to become a vintner.

 What do you other Californians use when pasture is gone
> late summer/winter?
> Bette
>
>
Bette,

Several years ago I put up a metal haybarn, about 36 X 40, very tall.  I
could probably store about 40 tons, but last couple of years have bought
my hay in the early summer; about 22 tons total, for the whole year

Doing it that way, I can get great deals. I got alfalfa (nice, clean
alfalfa) for $130 a ton, grass hay for $120 a ton, and some totally
wonderful oat hay for $130 a ton, this is all delivered and stacked.

I generally try to feed all the oat first, as the mice can really get into
it towards the end of the winter.  I also feed more alfalfa in the winter,
when it is cold, and the horses not working so hard.  They pretty much scorn
the grass hay, but I feel it is essential for the easy keepers, and the
baby.
When I have to go out of town, I can just dump 4-5 bales of grass hay out in
the pasture, and the horses can munch away until I get back, with no danger
of overfeeding.

So, throughout the year, they pretty much get a mix of alfalfa, oat and
grass hay, with seasonal pasture.

If I wanted to go buy hay out ofthe field, load it myself, drive it home,
and stack it, I could save about $.50 a bale.  I did this for years, now I
just pay the extra, and let the strong, young men stack it!!

Oh, duh-this is Lake County, several hours north-east of san francisco.  In
nearby Potter valley, they have a great irrigation system, and we can get
irrigated grass hay, very nice and clean.
Karen