They are now in the top part of the field and the other half is being rested and as been for the last few months. The problem with the field they are in is the bottom half gets water logged .
The people who live at the very end of the field as a very large garden and they have a lot of very tall trees. Before we moved into the field, they cut the trees that lined the edge of the field and their garden and pushed them over into the dike with their old fencing blocking the dike and flooding the field in the winter months! I just wonder why people would do this instead of getting rid of it the right way and expecting others to clean up after them. Because of this half of the field is water logged in the winter and I have to push the bale of hay to the top end of the field.
The big round bales of hay have more then doubled in price this year. The farmers are changing £40/45 for one round bale!
Last year I paid £18 for one but I did have to buy 18 bales and have them all delivered at once. It cost me £324. I was over the moon because I knew I wouldn't have the trouble like the year before that. getting one or two delivered each week was a nightmare.
This is going to be a very hard winter. I cannot believe the price is so high and it is all down to not having enough rain through the summer.
It is always in the best interest for the horse to eat from the ground otherwise it can cause problems for your horse. They will start having problems with their jaws and then the dental
problems start when they have haynets or raised feeding buckets. So by feeding from the ground it ensures correct alignment of the jaw. It also helps with the back muscles, which is very important for, Ollie, with him still being young.
It also helps with their respiration, It allows the horses airways and their sinuses to drain freely and this cannot happen when eating from haynets.
The grass is still green but there is not much goodness in it now. Plus the nights are drawing in fast now and that means the grass will start to turn yellow and lose a lot of the green.
The farmer left the bale of hay right next to the gate, right at the other end of the field. I did try to move it but it weighs so much I couldn't even tip it. This is when I wish I had male help more often.
My dad is in ill health with his legs at the moment and cannot push anything. It takes me back to last year when me and Lee had to push the round bales of hay down the lane and into the field. It is back breaking work and shatters you. Lee and Shanti had to do it when we had the snow. I didn't have the strength at times to push it through the snow. I'm dreading this winter! Still can't complain, we have had a lovely mild winter so far.
Analysis of grass conservation
Hay. Grass varieties,
Ryegrass is also used for cattle (Silage) as well as for horses. It is high in protein and is a tasty grass which makes it excellent hay for horses and also cows
This is the most common hay that is used for horses.
There is a high suger content when it is first cut in the spring which makes it sweet. It is much better on the second and the third cut for the horse as It is high in fibre when cut late.
The 2nd cut is very rich in nuturients. It is also greener than the first cut. It
Growing Timothy grass for hay does requires nutrient rich soil.
This hay is also used for, rabbits and Guinea pigs.
Haylage also as a higher water content so you do need to feed more haylage then you would hay.
All of my horse do tend to gain weight very quick so I now stick to hay as there isn't so much goodness in hay as there is in haylage. I do try to give it a good watering to take the dust and dryness out of the hay. Horses can start to cough when eating hay through the dust it holds.
Always check the packaging for holes. Mice tend to nibble through and once this happens to haylage, it goes mouldy. If it isn't to bad it can be feed to cattle but shouldn't be fed to horses. Once you have opened the packaging, it should be used up within that week because it is now exposed to air meaning is now the potential for moulds to develop. You will spot this seeing white patches.
If you do have to use haynet to feed your horse, you should make sure they are safe for the horse. Many foals and young ponies have had their legs caught in haynets and had to be cut out of them and have caused damaged to the horses legs and some legs can be broken through haynets. This is when they have been hung to low but when hung to high there is a danger of the horse getting hayseeds in their eyes, plus they are having to hold their head to high to eat. I did write above about this, when they have to raise their heads to eat they do damage over time to their necks, back, jaws and does not allow any moisture in the nasal passages to drain naturally.
Aways check that the draw string is strong and pull as hard as you can on them when hanging them up in the stable or yard. Many have broken off through wear and tear and when the horse pulls on the hay, the haynets fall to the floor and the horse gets their hoofs caught up in the haynets. This is very dangerous and the horse could spend hours over night
caught up in the haynet!
Silage is not for horses but specifically made for cattle and can cause colic in horses and also cause death.