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stalking up before winter, and finding a good hay. advice wanted.

918 views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  ponyboy 
#1 ·
So this will be my first winter owning my horse.

So I know it a lot cheaper to stalk up on hay in summer time, unfortunately I missed doing that. But is it the same with grain?

I have decided, once feeding season comes around (our horses eat on pasture for the summer) to buy 4 bags of grain at a time, and keep it in teach cans. We use Walmarts grain, because our horses aren't in need of too much nutrients.

Both horses are on two different hay types, but when this stack runs out I want to get them on the same hay to make my life easier.

Does anyone have tips for getting hay grain, and getting ready foe winter?
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#2 ·
Unless you're planning on upping their grain I wouldn't worry too much about stocking up on that. We always make sure to have 2 weeks of grain readily available.

Depending on your location will decide how much hay you need to have stocked up. For us its easy because we grow our own. Otherwise its dependent on the individual. 2-3 months worth is kind of rule of thumb around NM and 3-4 for TX (areas I live at least)
 
#3 ·
It's best to get all your hay when it's first cut, it's cheaper and more readily available. As for grain, it's the same price all year. I only keep a couple of bags of grain in a feed freezer, although I could keep about 5 in there. No rodents can get in it and if the horses ever got out and tried to raid the feed freezer, I doubt they could open it. But if they do get out, in the barn is the last place they head for.
 
#4 ·
I'd definitely get enough hay to last until next summer if you have the space to store it. I also recommend putting pallets under the hay to keep the bottom ones from going bad, and a tarp loosely over the top if there's a chance of any water leaking on them.

As for grain, don't worry about stocking up unless they have a really good sale ;-)
 
#6 ·
Yeah we were going to find a hay and just buy a bale or 2 a week while the horses are on the land, but I don't know what happened.

I still have 12-14 bales for my horse and 9 small bales and one big bale for the board horse.

I spelled stock wrong, oops.
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#7 ·
Winters are long and hard here (AB, Canada), so yes, you better stock up for the whole winter when the hay is cut. Come later in fall, many suppliers have nothing but cattle quality left. If you don't have a place to store everything, what some people here do is pay for all the hay they need and then pick it up from the supplier bit by bit throughout the winter.

If there is a really big problem with getting hay, you can get emergency rations of hay cubes.
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#8 ·
After getting burned by my hay suppliers when all our hay went south to OK and TX a few years ago, I have been buying almost all of my hay at the hay auctions. I know you are somewhere on the N side but today is Producer's sale in Greeley and the 27th is Centennial in Fort Collins. At Centennial the past 2 months, I have bought nice grass hay for $1.25 and 1.40 for a SS and $65 for a 1300# 4x4. Producer's usually only goes from 10-12 so if you have time today, go check it out. You can always buy hay at the auction no matter the time of year. You will pay more but I've always managed to find good hay and at the highest the past 2 winters, I paid no more than $250/ton. (the SS from July worked out to $50/ton).

Don't stock up on grain. They mill grain all year and you want the freshest grain possible.
 
#9 ·
You are probably in luck bc this year CO has had a lot of rain, so hay won't be too expensive. I always ask about the price when I drive out for vacation, stop for gas, and someone it hauling. It's usually higher than in IL, but not outrageous. NEXT YEAR, buy early.
I keep 3 months worth of sweet feed and chicken feed, starting in November.
 
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