If people would pay “not dramatically different” prices for hay last year before the drought, I have no doubt that SOMEWHERE near Aiken someone is charging $11.60 for small bales of grass hay. The prices quoted would panic the HECK out of me, my guys charge $4.50/bale delivered and stacked for straight alfalfa.
Jennifer
A trade off of living in the warm climate here in the south, is that we can not grow alfalfa, timothy, and orchard grass hay here. Unfortunately we have to ship it in. The truckers have to put fuel in their trucks to get it here and we have to pay for it. I’m sure the hay we sell here is probably $4.00-$6.00 per bale where it is grown, but we then pay anywhere from $4.00 to $6.00 a bale to get it here. This is the reality of living in the south- we have beautiful weather and fabulous footin year round. We have been extremely impressed and grateful that our hay brokers have worked to hold the line on the price of the hay this year despite the temptation to raise prices because of the drought. The cost of freight impacts us all across the board from the price of hay to the cost of a gallon of milk at the grocery store. I assure you that the reputable businesses selling hay in the South, do the best they can to provide their customers with quality hay at the best prices they can get. We are simply trying to assure people that they do not need to worry that they will get to Aiken, and have no hay to feed their horses.
aikensaddlery - Thank you for letting us know you will have plenty of good quality hay this winter. I stand corrected on the tax for hay and feed in SC, there was tax charged on other items on the bill. I did indicate that shavings and other feeds and supplies were plentiful. In prevous years I noticed some of the “Snowbirds” already bring a trailer of their own hay with them.
However, I was charged $11.65 for small (2 string) bales of NY Orch/Alf in the Aiken area. I was told by the guys loading my hay that “you wont like it”, and on another occasion, “this load is completely spoken for”.
It appears I’m not the only who was led to believe that hay might come in short supply this winter…
[QUOTE=RunForIt;2914348]
This is true to the max all over the south. RBP, get your hay sources dedicated BEFORE you leave Maine - even if you have the money to buy hay, it’s not available. :no:[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=aiken4horses;2914936]Leave the shavings at home, no problem getting them here, but if you’ve got hay bring as much as you can. At least that’ll give you time to get your name on the “hay” list.
Again, don’t want to panic people. Everything else is plentiful - feed, shavings. Call ahead to get your shavings delivered for when you arrive so you don’t have to bring them.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=naters;2921055]To all:
Unfortunately we aren’t asking folks to bring hay because of the prices being high, we are asking them to bring hay because there isn’t any here.
Can’t get it.
Trailers full of hay sold out well before they hit the state line.
So no matter what you are willing to pay, bring your own hay.
It will save you a lot of trouble finding it, and it will help the locals not get further into a crunch.[/QUOTE]
Just curious - who mentioned that you might run out?
BTW - it was interesting to hear what everyone’s paying all over the country.
Well, I’m only three hours northeast of Aiken, and there are several farmers near me who grow absolutely lovely alfalfa for $4-5/bale. Maybe I should haul hay to Aiken once the drought is over…
Jennifer
. . . . of Coastal. Many of us only feed local hay and we saw a shortage coming back in July. I was assured there would be T/A and there is, and always has been if you pay feed store prices, but my horse wont touch that stuff:)
Last year people went crazy when the Coastal ran out, but wouldn’t buy the T/A hay even though it cost the same. They learned to buy a years worth in the fall. Most snowbirds wont feed Coastal.They want the T/A. There is always T/A and or T, .
ThirdCharm–Alfalfa hay has never been that cheap around here for the 20 years I have lived here. The race trackers and show people will willingly pay top $$$ for it, so price was never an issue. Its actually CHEAPER now than it was in the 80’s at $10 a bale. Bring some on down and I’m sure you can sell it:) But what do you mean after the drought?
I only go to the feed store once every 2 weeks, so I went today and mentioned that there were people in Aiken who were having trouble finding hay. I read the threads and wondered is they were out? Since the gals at ASS work very hard all year to make sure hay is avalible, I thought they deserved a chance to let everyone know they had planned well and could provide for all our hay needs–except Coastal:)
I was pretty sure ASS had hay becuase. . .well. . .they always have hay. . so I checked and they posted before I got home. Its good news!:yes:
just want everyone to know that aikensaddlery PMed IMMEDIATELY after my post with prices, sizes of bales, and availability. OUTSTANDING! :yes: 
THANKS!!! (now, can anyone find diesel at a price that makes hauling to Aiken ok with husband??)
thought I would bring over this post I made from another similar thread…glad to know there’s hay out there - even 2 1/2 hours away! :yes:
A public reply to the PM that I just received from Aiken Saddlery:
There is no panic being caused by a prudent discussion on hay shortages, even in this area. There is a great influx of folks that come in for the winter, and as you should know, it will put an even greater strain on the amount of available hay.
It would be in Aiken Saddlery’s best interest for folks to NOT bring hay, obviously. It is also against the rules of this board to solicit business through the BB, its in the rules.
It is PRUDENT and RESPONSIBLE to make visitors aware that we are facing the same issues that the rest of the country is. We, too, are facing hay issues in Aiken County (see http://www.state.sc.us/scda/ for the hay exchange program, set up to deal with the hay shortage issues in the state) It would be responsible for folks to bring what hay they can fit, so that:
I am glad Aiken saddlery are telling folks they have plenty of hay…now.
Unfortunately, recently, when I was in Aiken Saddlery I was told that there was no coastal hay, and you did not know when you would be getting it in. You also said that when you did get it in, it would be “very expensive” and you did not know when you would be getting more…
I have all of my hay receipts from the last several years, filed neatly in my office. I can verify that your hay prices have gone up more than you quoted me in your PM.
Unfortunately, Aiken Saddlery does not receive the majority of my business anymore. During my years in Aiken, I can honestly say that I have never been treated more poorly in town than at Aiken Saddlery (where I have spent quite a bit of money in hay and feed). It would be prudent for Aiken Saddlery’s employees (Donna) to understand that with more options for hay/feed in the area now, the way you talk to your customers is going to be very important. (I honestly have been wanting to tell her that for years now. Glad I finally have the opportunity).
The first time we walked in years ago, on my first day living in Aiken, my mother was treated very poorly and rudely. It was something I never forgot. Now that I am enjoying the boarding life at a local BNT’s barn, I get treated quite differently at Aiken Saddlery - but most of my money now goes elsewhere because I never forgot how I was treated before I was at “so-and-so’s barn”.
To all of the Snowbirds coming to Aiken:
Can’t wait to have you all in Aiken, I get to see lots of friends that I normally don’t get to see through the year. Please bring hay, we will buy it from you!
You will probably see me scribing a lot, let me know what you want your scores to be 
Kidding!
A couple of resources for hay/feed/supplies for folks coming this way, with good customer interaction are:
Aiken Complex - always supplys our barn with high quality hay, at reasonable prices, and good customer service: http://www.aikencomplex.com/
Southern Saddlery (right up the street from Aiken Saddlery) (803) 641-0990
Aiken County Farm Supply - Pace Kneece is always very nice, helpful, and has great hay/feed/supplies. He treated me like a BNT, even when I was only buying a couple of bales of hay for one horse: http://www.aiken-explorer.com/ad-aiken-farm-supply.htm
Tractor Supply Company - http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreLocatorSearchAndResultsView
Boots Bridles and Britches coming soon to Aiken! http://www.aikenstandard.com/2007redesign/news/378498341793429.php
This is being moved to the HAY forum.
And the advertising is being removed as well as the argument.
Hopefully, we’ll have enough hay storage next year to get a tractor trailer load - then we can sell it back to the Snowbirds when they come
We USED to live in CA - and paid $22 for a bale of Tim/Orch!!! Yikes. The south is definitely cheaper but I’ve watched our prices climb since the summer.
Hopefully, we’ll have enough hay storage next year to get a tractor trailer load - then we can sell it back to the Snowbirds when they come:lol:
South Florida!
I’m in South Florida and I pay $33.50 a bale (Timothy)
I’m about to head up to you guys and get a trailer load!!
OMG :eek: :eek: :eek: !!! Mr. RFI MUST read this! :winkgrin:
[QUOTE=LittleWhiteLie;2917898]
I’m in South Florida and I pay $33.50 a bale (Timothy)QUOTE]
help…choking… on dinner…!:eek:
Yikes. I think our current plan is to load all tack/travel stuff in the middle seats of the car and hay in the trunk and to the top of the tack room in the trailer. It’s amazing how much 2 thoroughbreds eat in 10 days.
Hay in Washington is $14+ for a bale of orchard grass! In CA we’re looking at prices upwards of $23 a bale! Sadly, at the boarding facilities in CA, you have to supplement the 1-2 flakes your horses get at their 2 feedings. Even grain prices are lower on the East coast and midwest!
[QUOTE=tbeventer;2918331]
Sadly, at the boarding facilities in CA, you have to supplement the 1-2 flakes your horses get at their 2 feedings.QUOTE]
Yeah, I remember boarding in CA included 1 (one) flake am and pm, no grain. Don’t know any “working” horses who could survive on that little amount. Coming from the East coast, and used to turn-out and grazing daily my BM was horrified at how much hay I wanted fed. Of course I paid for every extra flake (and extra for noon feed), and just to confuse them even more, I requested 2 different kinds of hay be fed. CA barns normally feed ONLY Alfalfa, which has it’s own set of problems.
Glad when we got to move back East again (and I’m a CA girl!)
Huh. I pay ~ $16.00 a bale for grass hay in CA, and I feed free choice. The bales are so much bigger than the ones I had when I lived in VA, that I figured I’m only paying about $1 more. Plus, they stack the hay in the barn for me, a service I never got in VA. My horses are also on full turnout all year 'round, but I’ll admit there isn’t a ton of green grass in the summer, LOL.
Before you paint all of California into some kind of horsey gulag, please note not everyone horse keeps the way they do in LA. :winkgrin:
Prices in Charleston are dreadful. I pay $14 a bale for Timothy. I refuse to feed solely coastal because the quality has been so bad. I also heard that the price is likely to increase soon 
I’m not even going to tell you all what it costs in Hawaii (where I’m from)…and the speed at which it grows mold…needless to say, our horses only saw hay as a TREAT…they got hay cubes instead.
Have fun in Aiken! What more you pay in hay will be worth it in the access to lovely footing, warm weather and lots of great horse people/events around.
Yikes. And people wonder why I stay up here in the frozen North. One thing you can say about Ontario – hay is almost never in short supply, and it’s generally of excellent quality. Which is good, because we can only really depend on pasture about 7 months of the year.
A friend of mine who recently visited her family in Tryon was practically drooling at the hay I had in my barn over Christmas, and was trying to figure out how to strap one of my big squares (200+ lbs.) to the roof of her Saab! I feel for anyone who can’t get good hay, so I’m in the process of trying to get my supplier to send a tractor-trailer load down to Tryon for her friends and family. It’ll be pricey by the time it gets there, but from what I understand, people are willing to pay just about any price necessary for the good stuff, so I hope it helps.
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