What is your opinion on

[guisbrogal]

feeding silage to horses?

We have a problem at our yard and I would really appreciate your opinions

 

[Tia]

I would never ever feed silage to a horse......although I do know some people who do and their horses, although becoming incredibly fizzed up when being fed it, are still all alive and kicking.

It isn't something I would feed though.

 

[guisbrogal]

Thanks Tia

What a dreadful carry on we are having with our YO over this....looks like I will be looking for a new yard

 

[Tia]

That's a shame

. Would you be allowed to buy in your own hay just to see you through to the end of the winter? Not long to go now and then you could just make sure that next winter you have it sorted.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Agree with Tia and would never feed silage. I was under the impression silage could cause colic in horses.

 

[guisbrogal]

The YO decided about three months ago that some of us (not everyone?) had to buy his haylage in.

Then this week he ran out, so after apparently looking all over the area for some went and bought silage. When we looked into it we were told definitely not to feed it to our horses by three different vets

We were told it could cause colic, laminitus and Diahorrea.

Girl from yard went to speak to YO and he got extremely aggressive with her and said it was fine to feed and that he 'would not allow' her to buy in her own haylage or store it at his yard!

However as we had nothing to feed our horses tonight we HAVE bought some and are feeding it direct from the boots of our cars!

 

[guisbrogal]

Exactly but this 'farmer' says NOT!

 

[Tia]

I'd be more worried about Botulism to be honest.

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
he got extremely aggressive

[/ QUOTE ]
....for that; I would definitely leave! That is no way to treat other people, let alone his liveries.

The situation is now unacceptable I fear - you have to look for somewhere else now.

 

[guisbrogal]

Unfortunatley that is how we feel too and I am gutted as we have THE most fabulous hacking right on our doorstep. However this 'aggression' has been aimed at us rather too often lately when we have asked for 'non mouldy' haylage

or a fence mended to stop horses getting out onto the open fields or roads

He gets a lot of money off us and literally drops us a bale of haylage off every couple of days. His brother even commented the other day that they have done 'nothing to those stables in the past 50yrs!'. The stables are dire and the fences are a serious problem now....we have ran out of pallets to mend them with

and all we have asked for is some decent food for our horses

 

[Tierra]

Dont feed silage to horses... as Tia mentioned, there are nasty nasty risks of the horses contracting botulism (although it probably should be noted the risk is always there with haylage too)

Botulism is an awful disease with rather poor prognosis.

I'd be moving personally.... it's pretty well known in the horse world about the risk regarding silage and the fact he's giving you no option is unforgivable.

 

[Tia]

Aww I'm really sorry Guis. That is atrocious. I wonder if there is any other farms close by that you could ask? Perhaps knocking on a few doors? Then at least you wouldn't lose your lovely hacking.

 

[guisbrogal]

I think that is what is really getting to me tonight (and why I am not tucked up in my bed sleeping

)

As far he is aware tonight our horses have nothing to eat

He knows we have said we will not feed it and yet he has not asked what they are eating instead.

I am disgusted with the man to be honest.....as a farmer I personally thought his first instinct would be the comfort and safety of the horses. Obviously I was wrong and it is actually just money!

 

[guisbrogal]

I am going to see a farm about 11 minutes drive from me on Friday with my sister and if not there is a farm literally three minutes away from me that might be able to take us.

I hate change though and was really happy for 6yrs at this yard

but onwards and upwards

 

[Tierra]

Moving is always stressful! But you're clearly stressing over the situation and thats not healthy for you either (let alone the poor horses who are apparently expected to eat silage)

Keep us posted on the yard viewing on Friday. I really hope you find somewhere.

 

[bellaM]

Really sorry to hear your situation, I am in a similar one, when you go to see your horses part of it is to relax and enjoy being round them there is nothing worse than knowing you are going to face stress when you are there! I really feel like hitting my YO!!!!!
I hate yard politics I don't see why people can't just let people get on with what they're doing and leave others alone. Good on you for moving and not putting up with it!!!

 

[K_T]

YUK!

 

[guisbrogal]

Well I have had the most eventful day today and I am off to my new yard on Tuesday!

So no more silage for us!

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Well I have had the most eventful day today and I am off to my new yard on Tuesday!

So no more silage for us!

[/ QUOTE ]
Wow - talk about pro-active.

Well done you!!!!!!!!