Hay in the field? Logistics?

slumdog

slumdog

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For those who hay the field how do you go about it? Do you use round bales? How do you go about this? Or do you just chuck small square bales out each day? I'm wanting to hay three tbs who will be living out this winter.
 
When my last horse was living out through winter with 3 others, we used to put out those massive rectangular bales (YO bought those rather than round bales, but would be equivalent). She would put the new bale in a different place to the previous one to try not to poach up a single area completely. They never fought over it, to my knowledge, and were always quite happy to eat together.
 
We used to have three big tractor tyres we put hay in, which worked really well - we just put it out twice a day. We also have a field shelter with hay rack and haybar, so we put stuff in those too. If its a nice day I put it out in the sunshine just loose on the grass, if its windy I try to hide it out of the wind.

We won't be using the tractor tyres this year as we have two tiddly ponies who would probably end up getting stuck in them.
 
I use small square balls for my horses. It's easier for me because I don't have any tractor to moove big balls.
I'm lucky to have a friend who products those small square balls, because, here, in France, it's not that easy to find them.
 
Moving 4x4 rounds without a tractor with a fore loader takes some ingenuity but it can be done. I had to remember how to do this when my tractor was in the sick bay!

Back trailer up to round bale, attach very long rope to bale, unhitch trailer and either block the wheels or put the brake on, let down the ramp, attach the free end of the rope to the tow hitch of the vehicle and gently drive off. The pull on the rope should drag the bale up the ramp and onto the trailer. Simples!

I used to load a cradle type hay rack much the same way. Tip the rack over and position the bale so that a pull on the long rope pulls it into the rack and a further pull tips the rack, now containing the bale, up right.
 
Last year I put big bales on an upside down table. This year I have put hay racks (another recycled, elderly, cross country jump) by the fence and am putting small bales in them. Will see how it goes.
 
We have 7 assorted ponies in the field. We put hay out twice a day pulled off a large bale and put it into big plastic tubs in the field so it doesn't blow away. We tried one winter to put a big bale in the field but it was no good for us as they just ate all day and got too fat, we need to restrict the amount they eat. A big bale lasts two weeks.
 
I tie really big haynets around the fields in various places to avoid fights . saves on wastage too. its a pain filling them up but its the way i've always done in when theres little grass
 
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