It sounds like you have the equipment to handle round bales and it sounds like you are free range feeding your horses round bales sitting on end in the mud but feeding them square bales when stalled. Or are you mixing two different stories?/QUOTE]
Yes, that is correct. We have both.
If you have room to store good, round, never wet, rolls in your barn and place one or more on end on pallets in an isle next to the stalls (no more space required than your two pallets of square bales) you can unwind the string from it and pull off your feeding portions for the stalled horses with a pitch fork and save money over using square bales, which you say is an issue with you.
I have worked at barns where this was the practice and one that I totally agree with. I actually thought to mention it in the original post. The money is not an issue for me (I am not burning it for fun, but I am not cheap either) and I am sorry if I came across that way. When I mentioned it I was trying to explain that a round bales are more cost effective if and need less gentle storage than the squares which by design are more delicate. Also, that losing all the hay bales on the bottom of a square stack more expensive then letting a round bale sit on dirt.
Feeding the horses inside gives you control of how much hay they are receiving rather than having their pecking order control how much wet muddy tromped in hay they are getting from your outside rolls standing on end in the mud.
Yes, I totally agree. My guys field has no bale to fight over they are constantly grazing and the number of wound (bites, kicks, etc) are significantly less. Also, I have taken (and continue to) take efforts to reduce muddy spots in the fields (by adding proper drainage around the water troughs and removing wasted hay). On an additional note, removing old hay cuts down on the flies.
Hopefully your stalled horses have access to an outside area
most or all of the time as well, or you will find them chewing on the barn from boredom.
I hate vices therefore I strive to have my horse out as much as possible, when the weather is nice I do have him brought in to be fed his balancer (6 oz a day), looked over and then turned out for 24 hrs. All other times, he is out 12 to 14 hours a day. Also, referencing back to your last point on field feeding, I want him to have alone time to eat and digest without worrying about other horses.
Hopefully money for hay is not such an issue that your horses are not getting shots, dewormers, and proper hoof care. Some folks think the only cost of owning horses is from some hay and a little supplemental grain mix. There's a whole lot more cost to it than that.
Haha, once again it is not and you have just listed the basics. Dental care is the one that I see that is neglected after those, I don't know how many times that has been the root cause of weight loss, attitude, food dropping, hay cudding. I do recommend looking into fecal counts versus the 6 wormer rotation. You still have to deworm for tapeworm twice a year, but the pesticide resistance to dewormers is less when this method is used.
Your best solution in regards to the horses well being is to find a supplier that you can trust and buy the same type hay from him every time with an agreement that you will continue as long as the hay remains good quality. (Good quality doesn't necessarily mean it is bright green). Buying hay from here, there, and everywhere based on price is not good. As you said horses have a much different digestive system than other animals.
I miss Ol' Steve, the farmer that I worked with. I wish I could help with the hay selection for this farm. The rounds right now are nice, but the squares are so-so, reason I am looking at the custom haying this field.
Correct feeding is an age old argument and will continue to be as long as people have horses. A lot depends on climate, amount of work, breed, and the individual horse. If you overfeed an "easy keeper" or under feed one that is not, you will see the results in a few months. If you are talking about pleasure horses, which it sounds like you are, spring and summer grass consumption is a big part of the equation. If you have ever had to walk a horse for hours on end to keep it on its feet because it has a stomach ache from too much spring green grass you will learn proper feeding in a hurry.
Enjoy your horses..as we do ours.
After a year of animal nutrition for my degree, one semester of equine and one semester of everything else... Did you ever wonder what your digestive system would look like if you only ate fish (or krill) and how I know that camels and cows are similar, haha? Feeding is not easy and overfeeding grain and underfeeding forage is the biggest problem across the horse industry. That is why I love hay and grass talk. I have a Oldenburg Cross novice level eventer that is ridden 5-6 days a week and is only on a small amount of balancer (6 oz a day) and a fly supplement. I would reduce it more but the balancer allows me to feed him his antihistamine tablets easily. After having colic surgery on my first horse, which the hospital said was directly related to lack of available forage, I have a vested interest in making sure that he has grass in the fields and as much hay as he will eat.
I really do enjoy my critter, I attached a picture of the hay burner.
Sorry for high-jacking the thread Blueriver, back to your wonderful haying operation and more knowledge you have for us.
