My "easy keeper" is looking underweight... feeding help! UPDATE # 127

[SusanO]

The other aggravation with hay is that it takes up so ding dang much room to store. And I am in the South where the feed stores all run out of hay in February ( unless you want straight alfalfa). In fact one of the feed stores ran out last Thanksgiving. So barn owners have to secure as much hay as they can early and try to make it last unless they have tons of storage space. Depending on the weather the next year’s cutting may be in June.

I was literally down to my last bale before I could find some good hay in 2020. Feeding Standlee Grab and Go at $22 for timothy for three horses was not sustainable. I could buy more in the winter but no place to store it. I can’t imagine having enough storage space for 20-30 horses.

[sportyspicepony]

So true!! The barn I used to ride at, she would drive to Aiken every few weeks to fill her entire truck and trailer with hay that they have shipped down from Canada / Ohio or wherever. This barn I’m at now I think just buys their hay once a year and they have a pretty nice hay shed to store it in, it’s a smaller facility. If I was on my own I don’t know what I would do because driving to Aiken just for hay seemed brutal!!!

[lenapesadie]

I’m also in the south, but the good feed store here has run out of hay only once in the past 20 years. The price does go up like mad when everyone else is running out of hay.

Storage is a big deal. It’s a hidden cost of hay.

[Simkie]

@sportyspicepony

The only real way to rule it out is with a blood test right?

Usually rectal palpation. A blood test is sometimes used but can sometimes be challenging to interpret if you’re not sure how far along she is.

[stressgirl37]

Have her teeth been checked? Sorry if this was mentioned already.

[walktrot]

Maine animal welfare statutes require that whoever has possession of a horse (or any animal) must feed enough to maintain normal body weight. That applies to owners and to “equine professionals” who are defined as running a boarding operation caring for horses for compensation. If the horse is below normal weight they must be fed additional feed to regain the weight. The facility also is required to maintain on site sufficient amounts of feed for all animals on the property. Horses must be fed twice a day with access to their own feed. Unlimited potable water must be available continuously.

I removed my horse, age 26, from the boarding barn we had been at for 19 years. Inadequate access to hay was a primary contributor, and the barn owner refused to consider it. She said told me for 2 years that my horse needed “additional feedings” and it was my fault he wasn’t getting them. He also developed significant lameness which is better but he is not sound. I knew he wasn’t doing well. The new BO was quite concerned when he arrived. She had seen one other horse with the same look in his eye - declining and on the verge of giving up. When I looked at him at the new barn it struck me that I didn’t discern that he was worse than I realized. Same for a couple of others who have known him for years, including the farrier. He has had a huge pile of 2nd cut Canadian hay in one corner of his stall (which opens to an oversize run) for the 2 months and 2 weeks he has been there. He keeps eating and it never runs out. That, plus gloppy mushy breakfast and supper with a late night snack during barn check. He’s back to normal body weight and looks terrific, like he used to. He’s not a hard keeper. He keeps his normal weight with enough hay plus grain for nutrition.

I was looking for a new barn but things reached a critical point and I had to move him. BO was on vacation. I was fortunate that his retired vet recommended a small barn with terrific care. They don’t advertise, but are 15 minutes from my house. Prior BO had plans for small claims court for the balance of 30 day notice payment. I was so tempted but gave her some cash. I think she thought we’d meet in court and I’d be told to pay up. The thing is she didn’t understand I had her nine ways to Sunday. She had everything in emails proving that she wasn’t complying with statutes and wasn’t taking care of him.

He is back to being the happiest horse in the world. He’s very funny and has shifted the atmosphere in the barn while he recovers. Everyone loves him. A couple of days ago I said “hi” when I arrived. He was eating h Got my Yaktrax on so we could go for a walk. He heard me open the door latch. His head popped up, he whipped around and bolted out the back door. He had that look on his face. Uh-un, not today, sorry, I have to enjoy the sunshine.

[stb]

@sportyspicepony

You’re right, which is why I’m actually not planning on moving anywhere anytime soon because I do believe my current situation is the best I can get for my money at this time. But I’m just lamenting the fact that it seems to be much easier in different areas of the country to get more for your money… I live in Charleston SC, which I’ve seen described on here as “horse hell” more than once and I would die to move to Aiken if I could!

I live in Charleston as well and I am constantly amazed at how much cheaper horse keeping is in other parts of the country. For decent full board in my area you are looking in the $900.00 range. There is a boarding barn just down the road from me that is charging $1400.00.

My horses are at home with me and hay is the bane of my existence, so keeping horses at home is not without it’s own set of problems. I can’t store large amounts of hay without mold issues, and any hay other than Coastal (which I won’t feed) molds quickly down here. I also look longingly at all the hay ads for brokers in Aiken.

[trubandloki]

@walktrot

Maine animal welfare statutes require that whoever has possession of a horse (or any animal) must feed enough to maintain normal body weight. That applies to owners and to “equine professionals” who are defined as running a boarding operation caring for horses for compensation. If the horse is below normal weight they must be fed additional feed to regain the weight.

Yes, but that does not mean that the barn can not charge the owner extra if they want feed above a certain amount or want special handling (private turn out).

[lenapesadie]

@stb

than Coastal

I was thinking yesterday about how the prevalence of Coastal Bermuda has impacted horse keeping in the Southeast. If hay farmers were to replant their fields with one of the varieties of Bermuda that doesn’t pose the colic risks of the Coastal variety, would we see more people feeding that? Would that lower overall hay costs? In my immediate area, Tifton 85 has become more available as a major grower has replaced Coastal with Tifton in some of his fields. I understand that Bermuda, generally speaking, isn’t as nutrient dense as say Orchard and Timothy, but the cost difference might be such that one could feed more pounds daily of a Bermuda to get the same number of calories at a lower cost than a smaller serving of Orchard / Timothy. I also understand that, generally speaking again, hay harvested in the Southeast may be lower sugar content due to the common timing of cutting and baling practices in our climate. With a variety that doesn’t pose the colic risks of Coastal that might be a boon for those keeping IR (or similar) horses.

These thoughts have been rolling around in my head and I felt inspired to speak, type rather, about it since the availability of locally grown horse suitable hay is an important and costly matter that affects all of us.

[lenapesadie]

That’s lovely you found a better situation for your horse!

Do you find that animal welfare laws are enforced in your area? I’m afraid I can’t say that for my area, sad but true.

[stb]

I have had the same train of thought. You are lucky that you are seeing more Tifton grown in your area. I have not been able to find a source for it around my place. I would be thrilled to feed a locally grown hay if it were not a colic risk. It would be cheaper, easier to source, and better for the environment. I feel bad about feeding hay that is trucked in from Canada.

My hay supplier charges $9.50 a bale (65 pounds ish) of Coastal vs $15.00 for Orchard or Timothy or a blend, and those bales are in the 45 pound range. So, feeding more of something like a Tifton hay would be good for my wallet and good for the horses, since that would probably be a lower calorie, lower sugar hay which would allow them to eat more.

[Xanthoria]

@S1969

@lenapesadie

he concept of buying additional hay bc a BO won’t / can’t is widely accepted.

I don’t think it’s widely “accepted.” Usually the first recommendation is to move.

I think you’re both right. I do see a lot of recommendations that people move if insufficient hay is being fed, but what I actually see people around me doing is buying and feeding hay because the barns’ care is otherwise great.

I don’t know of any barns locally that will feed ad lib hay, but there are probably at the top end of the market (the ones who start at $1000-1500 per stall and require full training on top). All the barns I know of feed 2 flakes two or three times a day. And most of the horses there look great on it (chubby smaller breeds or bigger horses in little work). Horses who work harder get grained.

[cnd8]

I agree…as a horse owner in South Georgia whose horse cannot digest coastal varieties…I wish we had more local options. We have it rough in our area. $38/bale for timothy or orchard or alfalfa (on average) gets to be a pretty penny when it’s the only options available to a particular horse. It’s always difficult to ask for any advice relating to hay on a public forum because most people dont realize the hay struggle we have in the Southeast. LOL Junk coastal is readily available, good coastal is somewhat available if horses wont colic on it, and expensive stuff is limited. It sucks.

[lenapesadie]

@Xanthoria

what I actually see people around me doing is buying and feeding hay because the barns’ care is otherwise great.

This is what I see as well. Often buying ones own extra hay is the most practical and economical solution.

Locally, the only barns that feed close to ad lib hay are feeding Bermuda or Rye. I believe there is one facility that feeds goodly quantities of Timothy (no Bermuda) and horses are kept on grass year round. So that’s a pretty good situation imo. It’s not crazy expensive, but not the cheapest either. If I wasn’t moving my horse home, I’d be moving him there. Truthfully though, that facility is kind of in an out of the way location for most of the probable customers. That out of the way location lends itself to a facility being able to have those larger pastures that support year round grazing at a “reasonable” price point. I believe there is a training requirement though, like you mention is common in your area.

[lenapesadie]

@stb

You are lucky that you are seeing more Tifton grown in your area. I

Very blessed to have that option here. The farmer reports he has greater yields from the Tifton so there is some hope it may become more popular. Honestly I’m not able to yet tell the difference between a bale of Coastal and a bale of Tifton. All looks like regular hay to me lol. I’m hoping I can develop my eye because retailers don’t seem to know either. Everything is Coastal to them lol. We have Alicia and Russel here as well. But this ties into storage; if one has enough room to buy a year’s supply of hay at once one can get whatever variety they like. But if one has to buy in smaller lots, preferred varieties are likely gone by Christmas. We get perennial peanut here too and it’s also affordable. My horse likes it better than alfalfa. While it supposedly has a similar nutritional profile, I haven’t seen it offer the same tummy benefits as alfalfa (this based on my very unscientific case study of one).

My horse would blimp up if he got free choice Orchard / Alfalfa mix. But he will start to crib kind of (weird thing) if he doesn’t have hay at all times in his stall. If he has hay, no cribbing stuff. It’s a mercy he can eat Bermuda.

It would be more environmentally friendly to purchase locally grown hay. Very good point.

[lenapesadie]

Hay is a tough question in our area. That’s for sure.

The internet is a beautiful thing letting us connect across the globe

[candyappy]

@Scribbler

Some of us sedentary occupation middle aged adults can get into trouble just adding one big coffee break cinnamon bin 5 days a week at work. Two months down the road your zippers won’t close…

Even us busy, active middle aged workers can have the same problem…

[candyappy]

@lenapesadie

I have never expected for the average boarding barn to feed my horse as much hay as he needs.

I think todays boarders have been conditioned over the years to accept this, but in reality when a barn accepts your horse as an occupant they should feed him what he needs.

I know there may be a few rare cases where the horse needs a ton of extras and yes the owner should contribute but it is not common.

[sportyspicepony]

I wish it were as simple as “I’m paying you to feed my horse what it needs” but there’s just no such thing as a boarding barn that’s going to have everything you need.

If they’re close enough to where you live, they’re probably lacking in facility acreage and have to pay more in rent/mortgage/taxes etc. due to the high cost of living and cost of land, and therefore cost more; if they are affordable they’re probably too far away, and then you’d have to really really trust not only the barn owner but all of their workers as well to keep an eye on your horse because you wouldn’t be able to make it out as often.

If you’re looking for high-touch, personalized care, a smaller facility is better, but then they may not be able to afford or don’t have the storage space to do the bigger hay purchases from up north so are using the crappier Coastal hay from nearby; if you want a nice facility with nice footing and access to lessons and trainers, you probably have to accept a more standard, less personal approach to your horse’s care.

If you can find a place that meets most of what you’re looking to prioritize, which is different for everyone, you just figure out ways to compromise to make it work for you as long as you can!! And this of course doesn’t apply to anyone who’s willing to pay like $1000-1400 a month for board, in which case you can probably just have it all

[sportyspicepony]

@stb

I live in Charleston as well and I am constantly amazed at how much cheaper horse keeping is in other parts of the country. For decent full board in my area you are looking in the $900.00 range. There is a boarding barn just down the road from me that is charging $1400.00.

My horses are at home with me and hay is the bane of my existence, so keeping horses at home is not without it’s own set of problems. I can’t store large amounts of hay without mold issues, and any hay other than Coastal (which I won’t feed) molds quickly down here. I also look longingly at all the hay ads for brokers in Aiken.

It’s funny (actually sad) that I feel like so many horse people I know around here just eventually try to find a way to bring their horses home because of the lack of great options around here - ESPECIALLY if you are looking for a barn where you can take lessons without having to bring someone in.