how do you cover your hay in a field?

[lincolnlady]

my horse is out 24/7 we have no storage for hay so i just buy ten every couple of weeks and they are just piled up on pallets with tarpauline over them they are tied down with rope but in this really strong winds we are having trouble keeping them covered ive recovered them 3 times today even had my OH tie the ropes as hes much stronger than me so any advice on how to keep the flaming things covered please?

 

[FfionWinnie]

I don't. If its used within a fortnight it will be fine uncovered (and probably better for it as its not sweating under a sheet).

Def keep it off the ground obviously.

 

[nieghham]

Weight the tarp with tires...i wish I had a picture to show you...we keep the cattle hay out and tie old tires for weight...I will see if I can find a picture

Here is an old one that we used rails tied to the tarp.....on the other side away from the fence and bad boys are the tires...tires are just toys to these guys...sadly this is the only side I can find right now

We also pile the hay as a wind break as you can see....our winters can be harsh and this blocks the worse of the northwest wind

 

[devonlass]

I keep a heston bale on pallets and covered with two tarps.Best way i have found to keep tarp on is to tie to pallets and put tyres on the top,as many as will fit.

Been using this method for years never had a tarp come off yet,no matter how strong the winds

 

[lincolnlady]

Weight the tarp with tires...i wish I had a picture to show you...we keep the cattle hay out and tie old tires for weight...I will see if I can find a picture

ooh thank you ive seen this done before if im remembering rightly they tie a tyre to each end of the rope and hang over the top? does that sound right?

never thought of leaving them uncovered lol thank you guys xx

 

[FfionWinnie]

Bales, by design, don't let water in. The outside will get wet but the inside will not, in such a sort time. I feed rounds in the field some times and other times I keep the bale on the other side and fork it over daily. I initially thought I better cover it then it occured to me there is no difference.

For my cattle I usually have rounds sitting for 3/4 weeks (on their sides so they shed rain very well) in case of snow conditions stopping me getting in with supplies. The hay is completely dry apart from the very outside. I wouldn't leave it that long for horses but short term is fine.

I am in Scotland where it rains every flaming day

 

[Dry Rot]

From reading the OP, she seems to have only one horse and buys ten bales for it every couple of weeks so, unless it is a Highland eek, they are probably small bales!

The trick to covering bales is really not to let the wind get under the sheet and, as others have said, stack them on pallets out of the wind.

 

[lincolnlady]

From reading the OP, she seems to have only one horse and buys ten bales for it every couple of weeks so, unless it is a Highland eek, they are probably small bales!

The trick to covering bales is really not to let the wind get under the sheet and, as others have said, stack them on pallets out of the wind.

lol i have two (very very good doers) so usually use about 5 small bales a week but yard owner is about 2 minutes away where i collect hay from lol

 

[*hic*]

I'm in favour of sheds on wheels, ie trailers If a trailer is likely to get nicked then see if you can source an old MOT failure Transit type van as storage. If you get a runner you can use them to power lights from as well