Re: [RC] Desperate Times for Horse Owners and for Horses - heidi larson
It's a little late for hay tips right now, but my husband, son and I went and bought hay out of the fields last year, first time for that. Got about 15 tons and paid an average of $3.27 per bale (60-65 lb. bales.) We were getting really good at stacking on the truck and the barn was jammed! It's paid off though, local hay is going for around $6-10 per bale (the same as mine) and the eastern hay is around $325 per ton. I'm in SW Washington and we had a great hay year. One farmer sold it for $2.75 per bale in the field, let me tell you, the trucks and trailers looked like ants at a picnic! The hay was completely gone in less than 2 days and there was probably 40+ ton on that field! As for tips now, just feed what will be eaten, no waste, good storage, a probiotic to help utilize all the food. I have cut out all
alfalfa except for one slightly hard keeper, I don't feed beet pulp except to the older horse (he's on an all soft diet though) as beet pulp is running around $12.00 per bag and when you're feeding 5, you can go through a bag pretty darn fast. Watch your local craigslist for ads on hay.
. o o o o . o_ \ \____ o_ \_\ . (*)~(*)\_______/ . / \ . \______/ / . \_______/\ /- . o-- /_/ \ / . / \ / / . o o o-- / . / \ . o o heidi larson
--- On Sun, 12/14/08, Jill Cohn <jillcohndc@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Jill Cohn <jillcohndc@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [RC] Desperate Times for Horse Owners and for Horses To: "Ridecamp (E-mail)" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Sunday, December 14, 2008, 5:46 AM
Hi Everyone,
I was just reading the email re. the giveaway of Queenie, who would
otherwise have to be put down. I'm so happy that's the alternative.
To me that's a compassionate, although difficult, solution.
Today I heard that around here--urban NorCal--people are "stalking"
trailers parked while riders are off on trail and tying their unwanted
horses to the riders' trailers with the hope, presumably, that they'll
be given a good home. It's a very tough time to be a horse. I'm
currently paying $18/bale of good grass hay and it hurts.
Do people have tips to keep costs down in horsekeeping?
Jill in Berkeley, CA
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