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October 9, 2012

Fall Barn Preparations

The weatherman scared me to death last night with threats of frost and in some cases further south a freeze warning. Reality has to set in, the warm weather of summer and fall is quickly leaving us and cool air, dark mornings and the shedding of summer coats and thickening of winter woolies on our horses backs are in full swing. Here are some tips to get you ready for winter.

Blanketing – We all rush to put on blankets so quickly when the temperature dips but by leaving the blankets off for as long as possible helps your horse grow a thicker warmer winter coat. Try not to blanket unless there is a cold rain for an extended period of time.
Check weight – Winter is hard on our horses so make sure your horse is in good health and weight. I like to have mine body score at a 6 with a little extra fat to help them transition into the colder weather.
Hay – this year as many of you know was a bad year for hay. Because of the poor quality this year I recommend having your hay tested so you know if you need to supplement with feed or minerals. A balanced diet = a hearty winter horse. I also recommend transitioning into feeding your horse hay. Don’t abruptly take them off pasture and lock them in a mud paddock, instead toss a few flakes of hay out for a week or 2 before you move them over to hay entirely.
Fecal Test! We haven’t had our first hard frost yet but once we do it’s time to test those road apples. Fecal tests are inexpensive, just pop a poo ball into a zip loc bag, label it with your horse’s name and drop it off at the vet. By waiting to test until after a hard freeze you’ll be fairly certain your horse is parasite free for the rest of the winter. Check with your vet for other worming recommendations though.
Water – If you have summer auto waterers time to put them to bed and drag out the old troughs before a freeze cracks the fittings in them. Drain your long hoses and coil them up for the winter. Bailing twine wrapped around a coiled hose makes things neat and tidy and easy to hang up and out of the way. A short hose 6-8 feet will allow you to still easily fill buckets yet is short enough that you can drain all the water out after each use so it won’t freeze come winter. Remember, horses need a lot of water in the winter months to help digest hay so check your water heaters to make sure they work and make sure your horse has a continuous supply of warm water.
Fence Walk – many of us have electric tape, rope, or other tension fencing. Now is the time to walk your fence, mend any shorts and tighten up the tension. Freezing rain, heavy snows and strong winds seem to do the most damage to fencing. Make sure it’s in good standing before the storms hit.
Pasture maintenance – fall is the time to pickup or spread poo piles in the pasture. You will also want to mow down any tall areas to 6” in height. Tall grass that falls over onto itself under snow can get moldy and cause health issues in the spring. If you have bare areas it is a good time to over seed them so young grass can start to grow before the first snows.
Mud – There’s no way around it, things can get muddy! Many folks lock their horses into mud paddocks where horses wallow in the muck for much of the winter season so pastures aren’t ruined. Make sure your horse has the ability to get to dry ground. Soggy feet cause all sorts of issues with thrush and scratches. Also make sure your horse gets a chance to stretch their legs for a good run and aren’t stuck standing and walking for months on end. Feel free to stop by my farm and see our track system which allows horses the ability to run and move all winter long without being stall or paddock bound.
Ice Prevention – Drips off the barn, a leaky hydrant or an area that tends to pool water after a heavy rain are all potential ice hazards. A little time and a shovel can fix most drainage issues. Clean out old hay/straw from wet areas too. Hay and straw makes a good insulator and can actually keep an area wet and frozen longer and clog up areas that you may need to shovel free of snow later.
Get out and Ride – Fall is the best time of year to ride, temps are cool, no bugs, good footing and your horse and you are in shape from summer work. Just be aware of the starting of hunting seasons and be sure to dress in bright colors and have a jingle bell on your horse to warn hunters and game of your whereabouts.

October 12, 2011

Training Tip: Back it Up

Chores taking up too much time and you don’t think you have time to train your horse?

Start simple. Instead of walking your horse into his stall, turn him around and back him in/out of it.

Instead of walking him down the lane to his paddock, back him up all the way.

A horse that has a good back up is a horse who is respectful and not pushy!

April 1, 2011December 13, 2010

Tips and Tricks – Shedding Season

Ah spring! If you’re a horse owner this means shedding season. Here’s some tips on how I make it through this hairy season.

1. Blanket! I turn my horses out in a nylon sheet or rain sheet. Not only does it help keep the mud off their coats but as they move the nylon helps shine up their coats and get the hair nice and loose.

2. Human clothing – There’s hair everywhere when you brush out your horse, I am covered in it by the end of the grooming session so I usually keep a light windbreaker hanging in the barn. Again, nothing sticks to nylon so it keeps me and my clothes hair free

3. Tools – I use 4 tools to get the job done

a. Metal shedders rake – gets all the mud clumps and the loose hair up

b. Oster coarse curry comb – I love the ergonomic feel of this comb and it keeps my hands from getting over tired. I also like the round disks of hair that I pull off the comb, they are perfect for spreading around the farm for birds to build their nests with

c. Stiff bristle body brush – One the curry comb doesn’t seem to bring up much hair I bread out the body brush – The trick to keeping a body brush clean and free of dust/hair is to rake it across your shedders rake after each stroke. It seems time consuming but you’ll get more hair and dust out of your horses coat if you do.

d. Horse hair brush – I don’t always do this step but the horses really seem to like it. After all that raking, combing and brushing a once over with a soft horse hair brush is relaxing and pleasant to the horse.

4. Some folks like to give a good bath and try to shampoo the hair out of their horse’s coats. I personally prefer brushing it out. I’m not a fan of picking horse hair clogs out of the drain, it’s much easier to brush it out of the barn and let the birds have at it.

5. Clipping – One of my horses is prone to sweating when worked. Come spring I give him a neck and belly clip to help him cool off, sometimes I get carried away and do a full hunt clip. Now if you really want to avoid de-shedding your horse clipping is the easy way out. Just be sure to do blanket management until the weather warms up.

I’d be interested in hearing your tips and tricks in dealing with the shedding season.

March 1, 2011March 1, 2011

Trail Tails: How to Tie a Parade Knot

First off what is a parade knot and what is its purpose?

A parade knot is a fancy name given to the hangman’s knot or noose when used with horses. Obviously the other 2 names for this knot have a sinister history but we’re going to concentrate on the use for horses.

The parade knot was most commonly used by Calvary and today is most prominently seen on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The reason for the Calvary to use this not is to have a lead rope always available without having to stow one in a saddle bag. This knot also allows for the horse to always remain in secured at all times allowing it’s rider to secure the horse to a tree or picket line first before removing the bridle.

The knot is can be quickly made and the coils of the knot can slide up and down the rope making this knot very adjustable. The knot works best with a 12-15 foot long lead rope so you are able to obtain a minimum of 5-8 coils. Any less coils and the knot does keep well and can come undone. There are rumors that 13 coils in a parade knot are illegal in most states but I was not able to find proof that this rumor is true.

Instructions:

Drape the lead rope over the horse’s neck still attached to the halter. Let the tail end lie on the side closest to you.
Grasp both the tail and halter end of the rope in your hand.
Bring up a portion of the tail end making a loop (app. 1ft of loop)
Coil the remaining tail around all 3 parts in your hand. Keep your coils fairly tight.
When you reach the end of your tail, tuck it into what is left of your loop.
Tighten the loop by pulling on the portion of rope on the horse’s neck closest to you
You can now slide the knot up and down the rope but pulling on the rope on the side of the neck farthest from you.
See video for full instructions.

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February 1, 2011February 1, 2011

Trail Tails – Barn Fires

We’ve all seen it in the news or even know someone who had their barn burn down. Thankfully many times without loss of life to human or livestock but sometimes with disastrous consequences. So what should you do to help prevent fires and how to prep should one happen to you?

Planning:

– Fire Department – Get to know your fire department. Stop over and talk with them about what you can do to make your barn fire safe or what you may need to help them do their job better. For much of the information in this post I interviewed a wonderful Rochester Fire Fighter named …. Elvis.

– Space – Your little ½ ton pickup and bumper pull trailer can make it down your driveway and maneuver just fine but can a fire truck? How about multiple fire trucks? Keep in mind they are pretty big so keep driving lanes and turn arounds clear of vehicles and overhead branches.

– Water – Always a problem on farms that have wells. My well tank holds only 100 gallons at a given time and takes about 30 min to refresh. Way too slow to put out a fire. Swimming pools and ponds are a good thing to have within a short distance to your barn should you need them. Another reason for visiting your local fire house is to let them know what your water situation is and to find out if they have pumper trucks or not.

– Smoke Detectors – when the fireman I interviewed mentioned this ,my reply back was “but my animals don’t know what that means and I can’t hear it from the house.” He told me that it’s best to put them in any way. There’s always the potential you can hear it if outside. The animals may even act up at the sound and if you’re like me (watching from the kitchen window) you know when your animals are not in their normal “happy” state even if they are showing only passive signs.

– Fire Extinguishers – Keep one by every entrance to your barn and to the feed room.

Extinguishers have expiration dates on them. They typically will last just a few years. If your extinguisher has expired replace it. Your old one may still work but you don’t want to find out if it does or not when you need it.
Dry CO2 Extinguishers can fail due to inactivity. Once a month or so take time to beat your extinguisher. Pound it on the ground or better yet tip it upside-down and beat it with a rubber mallet. This will aggravate the dry contents so they don’t turn into cement on you.

– Halters and Leads – You should have enough halters and leads that fit every single animal in your barn and on your property. Keep them tidy and in easy to find areas. Not only is this good for fires but for any time you may need to evacuate your farm.

– Lightning Rods – Self explanatory

– Emergency numbers – Keep them not only in your barn but also in every single other building on your property. No good having them I the barn if it’s on fire. My friendly interviewed fire fighter also suggests knowing the local number to your fire house not just 911. It could mean getting help to you even faster if calling from a cell phone which is forced to use E911.

– Evacuation Plan – If you manage to get your livestock out the barn where are you going to put them? On my farm animals all have free access to the barn and are never locked in. Should the barn catch fire I can easily herd animals away from the barn and into the fields keeping them 100ft away from the barn.

Prevention:

– Clean barn – Keep your barn free of cobwebs and loose hay or straw. Dust buildup on electrical outlets could cause shorts too. We all know rodents will eat through electrical wire so keep a cat around to keep those pests out too. Keep weeds and brush away from yoru barn. Round-up or string trim everything back.

– Hay storage – ideally you’ll want to store your hay in another building NOT attached to your livestock area. However, in WNY many barns have lofts so keep these tips in mind:

Most hay fires occur within 6 weeks of bailing. For the first few months of having new hay in your barn check it daily to see if there is any suspicious heat coming from them. You will know a bad bale when you feel it. It will be extremely hot to the touch and steam will come out of it if you cut the bale open. Use caution and don’t burn yourself when removing bad bales.
Air flow – It drives me crazy to see hay lofts shut up tight. Hay needs to breath… keep the loft doors open. When stacking hay do NOT stack it right up against the wall. Instead leave it 2-3 feet away from the wall so that air can move around the bales. Also, stack the bales up on pallets so air can flow underneath. More airflow = dry hay which will be less likely to ignite on its own.
Clean your hay storage area at the end of every season. Sweep out old hay and dirt before you put the next year’s hay in.

– Bedding storage – bedding can burn just as easily as hay… Hello wood pellet stoves! Keep only enough bedding in the barn to do that day’s chores. If you need an extra out-building to store extra bedding/hay/feed pick up a Garage-in-a-box at Tractor Supply. $250 for a 12x8x20 holds a lot of stuff and will keep it away from your livestock.

– Mulch – I would have never of thought of this. Elvis told me a story about how last year he had to put out a fire because the landscape mulch spontaneously combusted. I guess I’ll be decorating with rocks from now on.

– Electrical – In an old barn or even a new one there are a lot of electrical issues that can occur.

Cleaning – we already covered this but keep your barn clean!
Extension cords – They are meant for one time uses not semi-permanent or permanent solutions. If you find an area where you are constantly running an extension cord for a heated bucket or light then spend the time and $ to put a proper outlet there.
Plug Strips – Same goes for plugging multiple things into 1 outlet. It is nice to have a plug strip but plugging too many things into 1 outlet can overload the wire which in turn heats up, catches a cobweb or hay on fire and poof, your place goes up like a match stick again.
Appliances – When possible unplug your appliances such as radios or coffee pots. If using heated buckets, fans or portable heaters check them frequently. Don’t let dust build up on fan blades or dirt get worked into the plug of your water bucket.

Stay safe and happy trails.

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December 21, 2010December 21, 2010

Creating a Pasture or Paddock Paradise

The concept of a Paddock Paradise is the brain child of Jaime Jackson who wrote a wonderful book on it. (buy book here). The general idea of a paddock paradise is to create an environment for your horse that as closely mimics their natural habitat allowing them to travel distance and obstacles throughout the day instead of standing in a stall or munching on lush pasture.

The paddock or pasture is engineered such that a track or lane is formed around the outside perimeter and when possible includes natural obstacles such as creek crossings, hills, down trees, shade trees and more. Having a track around the pasture area allows the horses to move from point A to point B taking the longest route possible especially if things a horse wants are spread out within the track. For example: Hay may be at one point in the track but shelter is at another point, water at another and minerals at even another position. Your equine friend now has to get moving if they want something instead of just shuffling from one corner of the stall to another or one.

If you want to learn more about giving your horses a more stimulating and natural environment check out these
Paddock Paradise References:
http://www.paddockparadise.com
http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/

Since I have been slowing taking down old fencing and putting up new perimeter fencing I have recently gotten out the graph paper and have been engineering my own paddock paradise (pp) for my small herd.

A little about my set up:

Acreage: 11 total but a little over 3 acres for horse use
Horses: 3 total – 2 mare, 1 gelding
Perimeter Fence: Wood Posts w/Electric Tape top and 3 electric braid rope under that
Mud Paddock: Enclosed with field fence with water/minerals and shelter. Horses are locked full time in here spring and fall so they do not damage the 3 acre field.

Paddock Paradise Changes:

Track Fence: Step in fiberglass posts with Tape on top and 1 strand of braided rope under
Track: Track will be 12’ wide on the long sides and 20+ feet wide in corners to allow for resting/feeding stations
Pastures: Having a track will allow me to easily create (3) 1 acre rotational pastures with different entrance points for each yet keep my single point for water/mineral and shelter.

Horse Pasture Paddock Paradise — Dutch Hollow Acres Paddock Paradise Design

Why am I making these changes?

– I really wanted to create rotational grazing spaces but didn’t want to have the extra work of having to halter/lead each horse to the new pasture which also meant having to haul water to each of those pastures. I also would have to be conscious that there would be no shelter in the rotational parts which would make me watch the weather even more.

– In spring/fall when the ground is wet and muddy my horses are stuck in the mud paddock and stand still for almost a month or more before the ground freezes or dries enough to turn them out. The track can be used year round and keep them walking by putting hay far away from shelter/water.

– My horses are FAT! All that green grass with little walking on their part = one fat horse. If I were to put a GPS on one of them for a day I’d doubt they’d walk more than ¼ of a mile. Having this setup has proven that horses typically walk 2-7 miles a day on their own vs 1/2 mile or less with traditional paddocks.

– Simple answer: Cut my work load down while increasing my horse’s!

If you are thinking of doing something similar I highly recommend getting the book. It helps you a lot in all the planning. Get out the graph paper and try different layouts for your property and keep in mind that mechanical equipment like trucks, trailers, tractors, mowers have to be able to get from point A to B also.

Again for more information about Paddock Paradise

http://www.paddockparadise.com
http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/

December 13, 2010February 22, 2011

DIY: How To Build a Horse Run In Shed for Under $300

Re-Post permission from AlpacaBytes.com

My weekend was a busy one. With winter coming so are my winter horse boarders. This year I ended up filling up my 20×35 run-in shed with hay which means I needed a place for the horses to get out of the wind, rain, and snow. The problem? Yeah I’m broke. So after researching shelters that are frequently used for alpacas, sheep, goats, and other small livestock I got to thinking; Why can’t it be modified for horses? The general idea was to use cattle panels for a shelter as I saw at this site.

Saturday morning I woke up with an “ah ha” moment on how to modify the cattle panel shelter for horses. The idea was to sink some wood posts, use 3/4″ plywood as a kick board, and attach the panels to that.

How to build the horse run-in shed shelter barn
My Supply List

(8) pressure treated posts (round or 4×4 will work)
(3) 3/4″ ply wood sheets – non treated ok if painted
(3) Cattle Panels 52″ x 16′
12×16 heavy duty tarp
box of 2″ screws
box of fence staples
30 thick UV black cable ties 11″
100 8″ UV black cable ties
Can of barn/fence paint
Paint Brush

I placed the posts 4′ apart down the long side and 9′ wide. We get some good snow and wind storms so I didn’t want to put the posts any wider or the dome wouldn’t hold the wind/snow load. Once the posts were in I put up the ply wood and made sure it was level holding it up with just a couple of screws temporarily.

So far this was all a 1 person job. I needed help to put the cattle panels in place. We bent them up and placed them between the posts and the ply wood pushing them down 2 squares on each side and then screwed the plywood back to the posts. I also held the panels to the top of the posts with staples.

We over lapped the cattle panels as seen in the photos and secured them heavily with cable ties.

Putting the tarp on was easy, I unfolded it, tied a rope to the 2 end corners and threw the top over the dome and pulled the tarp up and over. I made sure it was even and secured it down with cable ties.

Finishing touch was to paint the plywood so it would weather better. You can paint the plywood before securing it but I really didn’t have a place to paint it first and found it easier to paint it after it was up and off the ground.

Cost: $250
Time: 4hrs – This assume you have a Post Hole Digger or Pounder on your tractor or have rented one.

Horse RunIn Shed Shelter Barn

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UPDATE: On 9/28-29/09 we had some nasty storms roll through. Sustained winds of 20mph and gusts fof 50mph. The shelter held fast and didn’t appear to even move in the wind. I thought the horses would be afraid of the sound of the tarp or the cattle panel roof as the wind hit it but nope. Even my scardy-cat took cover in the shelter. I have high hopes for it this winter. I do plan on brushing snow build up on it not to give it any excuse to sag.
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UPDATE: on 10/25/09 Well the winds have snapped off some of the thick cable ties holding the taprt to the cattle panels. I’ve decided to replace them with twine from my hay bales. I folded the twine in half and made sure the knot was tight. I’ve had twine hold a fence gate up for 2 years before it failed so there’s no doubt in my mind it’ll be up to the job of holding a tarp on.
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UPDATE: 12/5/09:
So far so good. We’ve been putting the Big Bale Buddy in the center of the run-in which is keeping the hay dry and allowing 4 horses, 2 on each side, eat without a problem.

December 13, 2010December 13, 2010

Big Bale Buddy – Round Bale Feeder Part 2

Re-Post permission from AlpacaBytes.com

Hello again everyone! Well this is year 2 of using my Big Bale Buddy. Yes it’s still in one piece with no rips or tears (that I didn’t purposely put there). Click Here for Year 1 Review

This year I have a new hay supplier and the bales I’m feeding are smaller than the 4×5’s I had last year. Which means my Large Buddy is too big for my new hay. Whatever, since my buddy is now 2 years old and is out of warranty I opted to “modify” it to work with my current hay bales. Well, let me tell you about my experimentation this year.

– Attempt 1 – I put the “to large” buddy on the first bale and set it out as usual. The horses almost immediately figured out that the buddy was too lose and pushed it down the bale and proceeded to make a mess. Errrr.

– Attempt 2 – had me cutting a little hole and pushing a fish tape all the way through the “elastic” part of the buddy. My hope was to back pull a rope and use that to cinch up the top so it would remain tight. FAIL. The rope broke and the area was too tight to work in.

– Attempt 3 – I happen to have a Shires Large Small Mesh Hay Net hanging around. I thought what if I make a slow feeder out of my buddy. I punched holes in the buddy below the reinforced edge every 4-6 inches or so. I then used an old nylon lunge line that was missing it’s snap end. I wove the line though the buddy and then though the net all the way around and secured it with a knot. After a few tries I learned that you always want to weave feeding the line from the inside to the outside of the buddy and to pull it tight with every weave cinching up the top.

Tada! Slow Feeding my round bale. It’s a time consuming process though. About 5 min to get the bale out and put the Big Bale Buddy on as usual and then another 15-20 minutes to weave the hay net into it.

I check the buddy every day to make sure nothing has broken, and that the hay net is still secure and no holes are forming where a hoof could get caught.

Feeding the round hay bale with a slow feeder is totally worth it. My “naked” 500lb bale with 3 gluttonous horses only lasted from Sat – Thurs, 6 days. My hay mesh modification extended the life from putting the bale out on Saturday and not having to put another one out until the following Tuesday. That’s 10 full days AM and PM of the horses eating off of it.

If I am doing the math correctly; 500lbs over 10 days = 50lbs of hay per day being consumed vs. 84lbs being consumed per day without the saver.

NEWS UPDATE: Of course just after I figured this whole slow feeding thing out the folks at Buddy Inc have come out with a full size slow feeding hay net that covers the entire round bale and even large square bales. I think I’ll purchase one and test it out and give you all my 2 cents about it!

I still highly recommend the Big Bale Buddy to anyone who feeds round bales. I’m so pleased with this product I now am a reseller!

Buy Your Bale Buddy Locally @ AlpacaBytes.com

December 13, 2010December 13, 2010

Big Bale Buddy – Round Bale Feeder

Re-Post permission from AlpacaBytes.com

This year (Fall 2009) I decided to feed round bales to the horses to help keep my chores to a minimum and to make sure the skinny boys have hay 24/7 so they fatten up for me. Last year I fed the bales as is and had a ton of waste. One bale would only last me 6 days for 3 horses and the waste I had to clean up in the spring was horrendous. I thought about traditional round bale feeders and some newer models that resemble doll houses if you ask me.

The biggest problem I had with almost every single feeder was the ability for a horse to get a leg stuck. I have 2 horses who insist on putting their feet on or into anything they possibly can so that ruled out almost every single round bale feeder I found. Expect for one, the Big Bale Buddy.

I purchased the “Large” size which is said to fit a 4’5” to 5’2” diameter round bale. Good thing too because the ultra bargain 700lb round bales I got for $12 each were 5 footers. Note: this product ships from Canada and does take a full 10 days or so to make it to you.

Putting on the Big Bale Buddy:
Reviews I read said the first time putting it on would be a real chore. Well if you have a helper it isn’t so bad. My hubby and I managed to get the Big Bale Buddy on in 2-3 minutes or so. I’d imagine putting it on by myself would have been a lot more involved.

We hauled the bale out to the field and flipped it upright and finished pulling the Buddy snuggly up to the top so it fully covered the bale leaving the top open.

The horses were a bit confused by it at first and cautiously approached the Big Bale Buddy. Once they figured out it was a food dispenser it didn’t take long for them to warm up to it. Of course it instantly turned into a scratching post and everyone took turns doing neck and butt scratches on it.

Since there’s still a tiny bit of grass left in the pasture the bale isn’t overly interesting as a food item yet. I’ll be sure to keep this post updated as the bale gets eaten.

5 Horses vs 700lb round bale in a Big Bale Buddy
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Day 1:
So far the bale is holding up really well. Instead of it unraveling and the horses digging through it, trapling, peeing, and pooping on it the bale looks just as good as when I first put it out there. The only waste is nothing more than a handful scattered around the edge. No rips or tears in the Buddy either.
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Day 3:
I’m amazed on how much hay they’ve eaten and how little waste there is. They have been eating around the core and all the slack just falls into the bag. The little waste that has fallen out of the bag I picked up and tossed over the fence to the alpacas. They happily ate the rest. Last year 3 horses would eat through a 700lb bale in 6 days. Now without all the waste the same size bale is easily feeding 5 horses.
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Day 6:
Rain in the forecast today. I decided to move the bale into the run-in shed to keep it dry. Oh yes I said move it. The Big Bale Buddy has kept the bale in tact enough that we were able to tip it over onto the carry-all and relocated it. The bale is about 2/3 eaten, I’m guessing theres about 300lbs left. There’s hardly any waste, just a small ring of hay around the bale. Funny observation…. There was a ring of poop 1 horse length all the way around the bale. Without the buddy the bale would have been ripped apart, spread around and all that poop would have been on good hay.

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Day 7 & 8:
Well the bale fully collapsed on itself and there was just loose hay left in the bottom. I picked up the buddy and dumped the rest of the hay in an empty stock tank I use to feed flake hay in. By morning all the hay was gone and it was time to put out a new bale. I totally love this product, so easy to use, and the only hay feeder that I’ve seen that actually allows the horses to eat all of the hay without wasting any of it.
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2nd Bale:
The 2nd bale I put out lasted 7 days with the 5 horses eating it 100% without access to the pasture any more. They emptied every ounce of hay from the bag. When the bag is empty they walk on it and dig through the folds looking for that last little leaf. None of my horses will be afraid of tarps after feeding with the bale buddy I’m sure!
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12/4/09:
It’s that time of year where the paddock is solid shoe sucking mud. YUCK. Good news though. Dry hay! My bale buddy is no longer green and is caked in brown mud but the hay inside it is clean and dry. Hay was eaten right down to the last little nibble again.
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12/31/09
Well my only worry about the Big Bale Buddy came to light the other day. When the bale gets to the end you have a mostly empty bale and the horses poke through it for the last bits. I was worried that when they step in it they could get a leg caught and I was right, kind of. My new spookie horse “The General” wanted to come over for a treat and wasn’t smart enough to pick his feet up when walking out of the bag so the bag came with him. Normally this horse bolts at the sight of a plastic bag but he seemed totally unconcerned about the buddy stuck to his hoof. About 3 steps later he fianlly got annoyed with his shadow and picked his foot up and out of it. I’ve decided not to think of it as a scary posibility any more but more of a Bale Buddy training aid! )
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1/8/10

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3/6/10
Spring thaw. The pasture is off limits and the buddy is now in the middle of our “mud” paddock. With the snow pack melting during the day and freezing at night the mud is DEEP. The buddy looks to be sunk in 4-6″ into the mud. The good news, the hay inside is dry as can be. This time last year the hay would have been stepped on and squished into the deep mud making even more of a mess and wasting more than a 3rd of the bale.

We had a really cold winter and when it got down to -11 at night the horses ate double time and I had to feed 1 bale every 5 days for a few weeks. I decided to pick up a few more bales today just in case. These new bales are HUGE 5×5 1,000lbs guys and are way to big for my “Large” size buddy. I’m seriously thinking of buying the XL Buddy so I can easily feed these few bales. I don’t even want to think about feeding hay without my buddy any more.

Buy Your Bale Buddy Locally @ AlpacaBytes.com

December 13, 2010December 13, 2010

Shredded Straw Bedding

Recently we purchased a Wallenstein BXM Chipper Shredder to help with chipping all the trees and scrub brush we took down in our soon to be new orchard area. When considering buying a chipper we thought about going all out and getting the shredder to see if we could make our own livestock bedding.

If you’ve read my past posts about my experiences with different types of bedding you’ll know my distain for straw. I just hate picking through traditional straw bedding. The waste is just awful, it takes me much longer to muck a stall and once I get it out to the manure pile it takes forever and a day to compost. The price of straw vs. the wood pellet bedding I’m using now is night and day and right now I need to bring down the cost of doing business.

In comes the shredder. I’ve read about how shredded straw composts faster and is used at some dairy farms and also by mushroom farmers. So I decided to give it a try. I purchased a 500lb bale of straw for $40 and fired up the shredder. We aimed the shoot into our little red TSC dump trailer, stood up wind from the shredding and let her rip. 3.5 of the big flakes of straw filled the dump trailer really quickly and it filled one of our 11×11 stalls. 1 trailer full gave a great 4-6” deep bedding and covered the whole stall evenly. For comparison 4 ($7) bags of wood pellets gave me the same results. That’s $28 for pellets vs $8 for shredded straw. At this point I have a really big smile on my face.

With pellet bedding I have to add 1-2 bags per week for a stall with a mare and foal. There’s very little waste and I only have to take out the soiled areas. I know from past experience that with traditional straw bedding 3 flakes of straw would give me nice bedding but I had to strip the bed every day and add another 3 flakes. How would the shredded straw do?

Shredding the straw brought down the stalk size to 2-3 inches in length and even broke the stalk open so it no longer was a tube. The result is a very light fluffy bedding that sifts right through my favorite Dura stall fork just like wood shavings would. It doesn’t fall though like pellet bedding but with a few shakes of the fork the horse apples remain and the clean bedding falls through. Pee areas are sucked up nicely and are easy to spot and scoop up with minimal waste. I managed to pick through 3 stalls using just 1 wheelbarrow! Try that with traditional straw bedding!

Shredded Straw

Trail Tails The Tuesday Horse Blog Linky

Buy Your Bale Buddy Locally @ AlpacaBytes.com

Buy Your Bale Buddy Locally @ AlpacaBytes.com

Trail Tails
The Tuesday Horse Blog Linky