Should a supplier swap hay?

Sandstone1

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My horses are not eating hay. Its from my normal supplier and too me looks fine. A friend who has the same hay has the same problem. Should the supplier swap it or refund me? I can not afford to waste money and there must be something wrong for horses to refuse to eat it.
 

PurBee

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Strictly speaking its a product bought not fit for use, and the seller, if not the producer of the hay, should refund you and return hay to producer and get a refund themselves. Whether thats 1 bale or 100 bales.

If its the whole batch that’s dodgy, and seems to be if you have a friend using it and experiencing the same issue, then the whole batch needs returning.

Ive had dodgy bales in the past, and have thrown thousands on the compost heap over the years due to it costing me more, to return it. But if the whole batch is an issue, i return and get a refund. Some major haylage suppliers dont want an inedible batch returned, just proof with enough pictures, and will refund.

If you filled your barn with this hay and have tried various bales from the stack, and they refuse to eat any bales offered- id be determined to get the whole lot returned and refunded. There’s something very dodgy about a stack no horse will eat.
 

Sandstone1

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Thanks, it looks and smells ok to me. However horses wont touch it. They are normally greedy so somethings not right. In have tried several bales. All the same result.
 

PurBee

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Maybe rats or mice are swarming the main retail storage stack, peeing on it etc, - horses will smell their urine/presence and be put off.
 

sport horse

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I had a load that looked and smelled fabulous butthe horses would not touch it. It was a very fine grass and luckily for me it was made by my neighbour who always supplies me - it had come off an airfield nearby that he had just take on farming. My neighbout took it all away for his cattle and found an alternative that did not look or smell so nice but the horses did eat it. I have never had any from that field again! I think it is time to chat nicely to your supplier.
 

ycbm

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My 2019 supplier took back 19 large bales of haylage. My horses were eating it but it smelt acid and changed their behaviour. I would expect him to take yours back if two customers are having the same problem.
.
 

Flowerofthefen

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I was talking to my farrier yesterday about fussy hay eaters. He said he used to shoe for a GP. Once a month the GP would lead his horse up and take it to the hay supplier. He would present each bale to the horse and if the horse took a mouthful then he would take that bale home!! Apparently it used to take him hours but it was the only way he could guarantee the horse would eat it!!
 

exracehorse

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Yes. I had some square bales delivered and stacked last winter. They were different colour to usual. None of my 5 would touch it. Bob picked up and swapped over.
 

Sandstone1

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Im not impressed with suppliers attitude. He says nothing wrong with hay and horses just not hungry. I may be changing suppliers at this rate.
 

lottiepony

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Not a helpful reply for sure!
However you could try selling the hay yourself, often see ad's on facebook etc which do state hay for sale as horse won't eat it etc etc. someone will often still buy it. Hopefully then you won't be out of pocket.
 
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