You didn’t ask me but this is the scale I use, I bought it on Amazon for $34. I hang a muck bucket on it to weigh the hay, it works great and is easy to use.
4 Likes
Yes! I even started breaking my dog’s chicken jerky treats in half to economize. Sorry pup, times are tough.
Good of you to take on the barn kitties.
1 Like
My board is going up $57 in April. BO warned that another increase is looming with the next shipment of hay (summer). Between our drought and fuel costs he knows hay will be going up…a lot.
I totally understand the increases but I just moved my horse from mostly self care (hay provided and fed 2x/day) to full care in November. That more than doubled the previous board. I might have to claim my SS to pay horse board 
.
Susan
I don’t know how you can even guess? I see prices being increased multiple times over the year as fuel prices rise( over and over) and then again when hay making season comes ( and producers know what it costs them to make hay).
Then if there is a short supply of hay it will add to the cost and we haven’t even gotten to the increase on crops and making feed that we all buy. It will be a rough road for a while and I would plan on board rising as often as the products the BO purchases to run the business does ( hay, grain, bedding ,etc…) as those costs will rise again and again.
The once a year rate increase that all are accustomed to may be out the window on this one.
4 Likes
Our barn is doing about a 12% increase this spring for board. We are also slightly raising lesson prices (probably not enough, honestly). I was curious, so I looked back to see when the last price increase was, and the last time board went up was 2015, and lessons in 2017. Most of the people are understanding of the price change, and several have even said that they have been waiting for the increase, and were surprised that it didn’t happen sooner.
2 Likes
Hay is definitely going up, even for small local suppliers. I was picking a load up yesterday at last year’s prices; I anticipate an increase of at least a dollar or more. (though, currently my local hay is underpriced: 5.50 for a 35 lb bale, Little Bales!) And a move towards round bales. The real fuel price for hay is in the cutting and baling process, less in the shipping. Creating round bales is that many fewer miles on the tractor.
Beet pulp, pelleted grass, is already up by two or three dollars. Complete feed is up by a dollar or two. Those increases have been so gradual it is a little hard to track.
I’m assuming a 10% increase in my costs for horses at home. I don’t think it will be that much, but I’d rather be safe!
2 Likes
I think the shipping costs are very variable. If diesel stays like it is, my hay shipped from NM to FL will absolutely go up, up, up. Agree there’s generally a lot more fuel cost in cutting, raking and baling though!
Absolutely it’s the 50 cents (for example) here and there on everything that adds up fast and sneakily.
1 Like
