buying hay and straw from yard owner

OldNag

OldNag

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Is it notmal for livery yards to insist you buy hay/straw from the them?

Anyone been on a yard with this policy? If so, what have you done if not happy with quality?

I am looking at a new yard where hay and straw must be bought from the owner. I don't like the sound of this and wonder if it could be a problem.

Should I strike this yard off my list?
 
As long as the quality is reasonably good and the price isn't extortionate then it would always be my preference to buy off the yard. Usually helps with storage problems, saves faffing around trying to source small loads.

Obviously if the quality is bad it becomes more of a problem, but I presume you checked the supplies while looking around? Might even be worth having a quiet word with a livery or two just to double check
 
My old yard would only allow straw bedding if it was bought from them because they spread the muck back on their own land (cereal crops) and so knew it wasn't full of unwanted weeds etc. It was nothing to do with money, just protecting themselves and their land. They also provided hay at a very fair price but didn't insist liveries bought it from them. Most did though because they delivered it as well which was a huge help.
 
Yes, I've only ever been at yards where you have to buy their hay. Grown on site, the quality has always been excellent.
 
This is standard practice for alot of yards round here but from some ive seen quality and quantity is an issue, so if I were you I would be checking if you are restricted to a set amount and ask liveries if the quality is good all year round, many at this time of year have new crops of hay that look great but come winter full of mould!
 
Yes our yard is the same. Organic hay grown on site but it's the best quality I've ever used at a great price so I'm not moaning :D x
 
Thanks all. The hay isn't grown on site. I have a pony who cannot tolerate dusty hay so I am uber careful, hence liking the option of sourcing my own if needs be. I will investigate further.
 
Greylegs said:
My old yard would only allow straw bedding if it was bought from them because they spread the muck back on their own land (cereal crops) and so knew it wasn't full of unwanted weeds etc. It was nothing to do with money, just protecting themselves and their land. They also provided hay at a very fair price but didn't insist liveries bought it from them. Most did though because they delivered it as well which was a huge help.
Click to expand...

^ This on the old yard. I wanted to use oat straw for feeding, but was told I couldn't because it would contaminate the barley crops on the farm. When there was a straw shortage on the farm and surrounding areas, in particular barley, we had to go onto shavings once any stocks we'd built up had gone until the yard could get some more in. Hay wise, we could get our own in but most people bought off the farm as it didn't really cost that much more, especially when you took into account that they stacked it for you, where you wanted it :)
 
Standard really most yards I have been on have had the same policy, just have a look at it before you move this is what I have done and I have never had a problem.
 
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