Haylage & shavings recommendations?

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Minimam

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Hi everyone, im moving yards soon to a field with stables with a friend and their 2 cobs. I have 2 mini shetlands and 1 falabella.

Im going to have to source my own haylage from April, and I have an extremely fussy mare. She won't eat most hay/haylage it needs to be soft, shorter in length and not as moist as some.
At the moment the yard we are on provides all forage & bedding.

Thought id ask all you wonderful people before I start buying randomly and hoping its good!

If anyone has any soft, cosy shavings recommendations too those would also be welcome!
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Minimam said:
Hi everyone, im moving yards soon to a field with stables with a friend and their 2 cobs. I have 2 mini shetlands and 1 falabella.

Im going to have to source my own haylage from April, and I have an extremely fussy mare. She won't eat most hay/haylage it needs to be soft, shorter in length and not as moist as some.
At the moment the yard we are on provides all forage & bedding.

Thought id ask all you wonderful people before I start buying randomly and hoping its good!

If anyone has any soft, cosy shavings recommendations too those would also be welcome!
X
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Can't you ask your current yard what they are buying?
 
Burlybale high fibre haylage is fairly short and soft. Is that one you have tried before? I use Marksway Blue or Purple, but both of those are coarser and long stemmed by design.
 
I've used Bailies meadow haylage when I needed a very soft and short haylage but it wasn't overly dry, but not really wet either.
 
Contact Devon Haylage, they do a nice Timothy mix which is quite dry (72% moisture) and can send you a free sample before you get a pallet. They are very reasonable prices too! Mine loves it.

Only downside is the haylage is quite tricky to pull apart 🥴 but if you open the bag a lot it’s fine x
 
Surbie said:
Burlybale high fibre haylage is fairly short and soft. Is that one you have tried before? I use Marksway Blue or Purple, but both of those are coarser and long stemmed by design.
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Mine like this one and won’t eat other brands I’ve bought. My last bale was a bit wetter than previous bales but it’s still drier and less pungent than others I’ve tried.
 
winnie said:
I've used Bailies meadow haylage when I needed a very soft and short haylage but it wasn't overly dry, but not really wet either.
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That one is a Hard No for my not usually fussy pony!


I found the MOST local farmer possible, so that the haylage I buy is essentially identical to the grass we graze. Low food miles, known content, not cheap but works for me!
 
MissTyc said:
That one is a Hard No for my not usually fussy pony!


I found the MOST local farmer possible, so that the haylage I buy is essentially identical to the grass we graze. Low food miles, known content, not cheap but works for me!
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How strange, all of mine go wild for it, even the ones I don't want to have it. We live near to where it is made so maybe that has some bearing on it?
 
I haven't started in mine, yet, but a fellow livery reports that Mole Valley Hi Fibre is drier than most. They deliver by the pallet, too. It's made by Country Haylage, so if there's a local stockist of that for you and you can't bulk buy, try that!
 
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