Another Load of Hay

We went and got a load of hay for the horses the other day. When we got back from the farm where the hay is raised we decided that the cottonwood tree that is always in the way had to go.

 The tree was accidentally planted so that it makes it difficult to back up to the shed to unload. The tree has not been doing well for the past two years and we had kept threatening to cut it down. The time had come for the tree to go. But instead of cutting it down with a saw we decided to pull it down with the truck and trailer. Here are photos of the pitiful little tree coming down and being drug away. As you can see it didn't have much of a root ball. There are places in our yard where there is calichi clay under the ground which will not let anything grow. I think this tree was on some of the clay.

last photos are of the hay being unloaded and Tuffee being a hay dog.

!!!!HAY!!!

Another reason I haven't been posting as much and another problem in my life is HAY. Hay is critical for the horses to eat. Without hay horses do not last very long. Unless you want to go to the expense of buying processed hay in a cube or pellet form which can be even more expensive than buying the hay bales. I can't believe the cost of hay this spring. Higher than it ever has been. Average for alfala or grass hay is $8.00 a 2 string bale. 3 string bales are running about $17 for alfala and $22 for Bermuda grass.
    But we had to buy hay as we were down to 2 bales Bermuda. We now have $200 bales of fescue grass. And some of you are going to scream that fescue isn't good for horses. It is only dangerous to mares that are carrying foals when it can cause birth defects in the foal. Neither of my 2 mares have ever had a foal and all of my horses are fed fescue almost year round as I know the grower, it is usually the cleanest hay I can find. And his prices are the same or less than other growers. He had his first cut 2 weeks ago and was selling the first of it last week. We got 100 bales then went back for another 100 yesterday. It is horribly expensive but I don't have any other choice. And it should last me through the summer and most of next winter.
      Yes, you are saying that I could sell my horses. But no one around here is buying except for those that then send the horses to Mexico for slaughter. I am not going to let my horses suffer that fate. Neither are they trained well so no one would want them even if I tried to give them away. I am physically unable to do any training with them and can't afford it.
     I also refuse to do like so many are doing and take them to the desert or mountains, turn them loose and let them survive on their own. They might find enough grass, tumbleweeds, and sage to live on but there is no water on the desert. They would die of thirst. In the mountains they would be fine in the spring, summer and fall but would probably freeze in the winter. Remember they are spoiled to being fed by humans.
         Horse rescue groups are keeping an eye out in open areas for loose horses and doing small roundups as often as they can to rescue these poor horses that are abandoned by their owners
     So I bought the hay and my horses will be happy for another year.

Hay Delivery