I have such hay issues

[dixie_belle]

This past summer, when I typically purchase my hay, I was ill and having some procedures done in the hospital. I called my hay guy (who I have purchased hay from for the past two years) and explained that I was unable to come pick up hay. No problem, he says, he'll be happy to deliver it to me. So I pay for 120 bales of hay, and delivery. A couple of weeks ago, I cracked open the first of these new bales. OMG. It's trash. It's full of stickers, branches, stems......I've opened about a dozen and only two have been any good. I'm giving them mass quantities of it, and then I'll toss out whatever they don't eat. But I can't expect them to eat garbage. And it's almost impossible to buy hay in February. But I do find someone who has nice looking grass hay. So I drive an hour and a half and pick up 55 bales. Which I load onto my trailer and then off of the trailer and into the barn.

I'm sore, I don't feel well and the horses now won't eat either hay. I swear, this is just making me ill. They can't eat the old stuff because it's crapty and they turn their noses up at the new stuff (which I don't see anything wrong with).

Is it possible the new stuff is just new and they don't want to try it? What in the world am I going to do? They won't starve themselves, will they?

The vet was just here on Thursday and everyone got four shots and a good dose of de-wormer. Could it be that they are just off their feed from all that?

I swear, I feel physically ill over all this hay drama.

I'm having their feet done today so I'll discuss all this with my farrier, who has been doing their feet for 5 years now and who has horses and trains horses.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I once bought a gorgeous high dollar nice smelling hay for my horses and they would not eat it. It looked and smelled clean. I returned it and got a new load and they scarfed up every tiny piece of the new hay and loved it. Since then I typically buy a few bales and check it out and then buy a whole load if they like it. During a wet season some hay dealers spray their hay with preservative when baling. Some guys fields are sprayed for weeds after first cutting. just a couple of examples, not saying everybody does this... some hay is dried in a hay drier before baling. For whatever reason, I listen to my horses and if they don't like it, I don't feed it. I also switched hay sellers and have been pleased with the new hay dealer for 2 years now. I have never had a load of hay with the new supplier rejected by my horses, but with my old supplier it happened on occasion and the hay looked just fine to me. I had one guy that baled up a lot of dirt and twigs etc. He used to set his hay rake low to try to get all the hay and it picked up sticks and dirt and there was a ton of debris left in the rack after my horses were done picking the good stuff out. My current supplier sells me clean grass hay and I rarely find a hair of hay left in the rack, and no debris either. He caters specifically to horse folks and he has quite a few local people quite happy with what he sells..

I hope this helps.

PS, I never worm and give shots together. It may not be the new hay at all, they could be a bit "off" from the shots and worming. Did you do rabies and regular shots together? That always makes my boys feel a little bit crappy for a few days. What kind of wormer did your vet use?

I guess my bottom line recommendation is... don't rule out the wormer and shots, but if my horses turn their noses up at my new purchased hay, I go shopping for new hay. We are lucky here and I can feed rejected horse hay to my heifers.... Funny thing is... that returned load of hay... the heifers wouldn't eat it either, so that is why I had the guy come and haul it all back. Heifers are not picky so something I could not see was wrong with that load.

good luck

 

[Shari]

I have had tons of problems with the hay in this area of the country. The shear amount of long term Chems and weed killers they use on many of the hay fields here is staggering. Other hay, is moldy and full of weeds...
Horses have been having issues with it.

I would call the guy that brought that hay over and tell him to come pick it up.