Re: Feeding alfalfa when it is cold

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Maureen Mathisen wrote:
> 
> Susan,
> 
> This may be true--I don't know.  All I do know is that the QUALITY      of
> grass hay and oat hay here in Northern Calif. is usually very poor(Oat
> is slightly better) and everyone feeds alfalfa hay because it is what
> the horses do the best on.  I try to balance it with  good Oat when I
> can.  I WISH we DID have  good  quality grass hay( as some regions  do
> )for our horses, but we simply do not.  From years  of experience this
> is what I've found.I do have several  acres so that in the spring and
> summer, we do have help from the pasture lands.(Before the sun burns
> them to a crisp!)  Maureen

Yes, I've heard from a number of people that grass hay is impossible to
come by up there.  Dunno why.  Anyway, I certainly understand that you
have to make do on what you can get, and I'll agree that good quality
hay be better than poor quality hay, regardless of whether it's alfalfa
grass or grain.

There was someone on the list (Connie B., was it you?) that had a really
good source of beardless wheat hay that they got from somewhere near
the  Bay area, I think.  Maybe there are some folks on the list that
have other sources for good hay.  I don't have a problem with feeding
alfalfa in alot of situations, but just think it's advisable to try to
avoid feeding it straight to most horses, if an alternative is
reasonably available.

Good luck with your guys (and I'd still trade having bermuda but living
in L.A. for no bermuda but living north anyday!):-D

Susan G