what should i plant for horse hay

rick2 in ohio · Mar 25, 2012

hi i need some opinions from you guys i live in southeastern ohio what would be a good horse hay to start raising and sell whats left over i was thinking alfalfa/timothy mix or orchardgrass/timothy mix or something like this what do you guys suggest.
RICK

Bill Lisbon · Mar 25, 2012

Timothy alfafa mix would be good, go light on the alfafa for horse hay.

Dick L · Mar 25, 2012

I planted a pasture mix for both. My horses don't seem to care for the grass and pull it out on the ground or use it for bedding an eat the alfalfa. When I was selling alfalfa hay I had horse hay buyers that would only feed pure alfalfa that was green looking to alfalfa that somewhat bleached some. Other horse buyers would not buy anything but grass hay and was not interested in alfalfa at all. Since my horses waste the first cutting grass portion, when I replant hay to make for my horses I will only plant alfalfa.

Hay hay hay · Mar 25, 2012

99% of the hay I sell is for horse hay. Small squares of Orchard/Timothy mix.

Orchard is the dominant grass. Timothy is fine in hay fields but won't hold up if grazed. Straight grass lets you spray it for weeds.

Leroy · Mar 25, 2012

red clover timothy is better than alfalfa for horse hay if you are using them as when you are in back of them they are not so loose that everything flies all over you when they go and I think you should know what I mean. Alfalfa cam make them so it is almost runny instead of solid like it should be. The Amish that make a living using and driving them for transportation do not use alfalfa for that reason. And they make all their hay more on the ripe side also because of that.

Texasmark1 · Mar 25, 2012

Around here coastal bermuda is #1 but it has to be bright green. The horses won't eat it if it's not HAAAAAAAAAAAA!

The horse lovers think their baby has to have it or get colic or something. Paying like $13 for a 50-60# square currently.

Gimme a break. What about all the wild and unattended horses that graze right along with cattle, eating whatever they can get?

I only tried to sell horse hay and got discouraged at the customer base........course IT IS THEIR HORSE AND THEIR MONEY. Oh well.

Marc_FL · Mar 25, 2012

Coastal, I know it well.. There was a hay shortage on the Coastal in Florida, being shipped to Texas.. The price was around $5/bale in Florida prior to the shortage.

Yeah, the green coastal that's what is recommended for horses, both by Vets and internet.

I had to switch to Timothy coming in from Colorado.. $39.00/bale (110 pounds approximately 3 bale equivalent of the coastal).

Vet says though Coastal 'good quality' about the same as the Timothy. But my horses won't touch the Coastal now..

Go figure..

Alfalfa with a higher protein content is good for active / work horses and the Timothy / Coastal lower protein content is good for easy keepers with low demands..

buickanddeere · Mar 25, 2012

Horse seed ?

samnel l bontregger · Mar 25, 2012

horse feathers

rrlund · Mar 25, 2012

Must be a difference in horses regionally. Up here in Michigan,they prefer good grass hay. Down in the Ozarks they tell me about the only alfalfa they raise is for the horses. Go figure.

gene bender · Mar 25, 2012

You need to go to your local seed dealers and get answers from them as they know what grows best in your area then get your soil tested and you will be on the rite tract

old · Mar 25, 2012

I don't know about your area but here in Missouri they sell a pasture mix that is just for horses and I would think you could find the same type of thing where you are. I also know here in Missouri no one likes Fescue hay

JDseller · Mar 25, 2012

Got relatives that live in southern Ohio. If you have a heavy clay soil then Alfalfa is not going to last very well. If you have better soils then I would use a 30-40% alfalfa, 20% timothy, 20% orchard grass.

Another thing you have not told us is what type of equipment you have. If you don't have a mower/conditioner then I would go grass only as it will cure easier. You get high humidity in the summer. So you either need a mower/conditioner or a hay tedder.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 25, 2012

My horses eat orchard grass, brome, sanfoin mix. I like the sanfoin way better than the alfalfa. Seems like the steers I graze on pasture like it also. Zero problems with bloat. Bud

Kirk Grau · Mar 25, 2012

There are about as many answers to this as there are horse people as you can tell by the variety of responses already. Ours are pretty much just pasture pals and get hay mostly for roughage and volume when in the stalls, and we feed grain as required for nutrition. Nothing very fancy for hay, usually just grass hay. They like it if it was put up well.

As mentioned horse people can be tough customers. Half don't know what they are looking at, other half think the horses are human and make things much harder than necessary (my wife is in this category.)

~Kirk

SMinWi · Mar 25, 2012

(quoted from post at 16:24:32 03/25/12) Got relatives that live in southern Ohio. If you have a heavy clay soil then Alfalfa is not going to last very well. If you have better soils then I would use a 30-40% alfalfa, 20% timothy, 20% orchard grass.

Another thing you have not told us is what type of equipment you have. If you don't have a mower/conditioner then I would go grass only as it will cure easier. You get high humidity in the summer. So you either need a mower/conditioner or a hay tedder.

Red Clay is the best soil in the world for Alfalfa!!

Anonymous-0 · Mar 25, 2012

(quoted from post at 04:54:42 03/25/12) hi i need some opinions from you guys i live in southeastern ohio what would be a good horse hay to start raising and sell whats left over i was thinking alfalfa/timothy mix or orchardgrass/timothy mix or something like this what do you guys suggest.
RICK

This is what gets seeded/overseeded for hay that I buy....

18% perennial ryegrass early
20% red fescue auslftr.
5% of red clover
20% timothy
30% meadow fescue
1% Sweden clover
5% Kentucky bluegrass
1% of white clover

As time goes on, the percentages vary, but you couldn't ask for better hay... We feed only 1st cut of this and no grain. Pregnant mares get a half cup of mineral pelletsand a bucket of soaked beetpulp extra.... They got some cracked corn and rolled oats while the weather was nasty, but the main feed was hay. And after the babies are born, it's back to hay and minerals & beetpulp.... Fat mares with fat babies on the pasture now and the geldings are just flat out obese......

I get about 30 bales(30+/- pound) of alfalfa each year to have in case someone gets sick, but end up giving it away....

JDseller · Mar 25, 2012

They have yellow clay in southern Ohio. It does not drain very well. It holds moisture all winter. They also don't get good solid frozen ground. A lot of freeze/thaw cycles. It causes heaving and crown breakage. My brother-in-law does not get 2-3 three years before the alfalfa is gone from his stands.

jason, NW Ontario · Mar 25, 2012

The problem planting many varieties of grass is that they'll mature at different times. Some of the grass will be seeded out and maybe turning colour while others are still immature. This whole argument could also be a good thing if you say the right things to horse customers.
I've never planted before this year; I'm planting alfalfa and brome. I will be experimenting with sainfoin, orchard grass and brome next year on another plot.

Jay

wolfman · Mar 25, 2012

For horses - timothy.

Texasmark1 · Mar 26, 2012

That's what it sold for around here before the shortage due to the horrible drought we had last year. We certainly aren't in a drought here now and will be interesting to see just how low producers will let it go after being spoiled with the high priced stuff. Like gasoline, once they taste the honey, they can't get off it.

Mark

what should i plant for horse hay

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

New User

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads