Eastern Hay Press Kit

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

Eastern Hay Fast Facts Contact Information: Eastern Hay and Grain, Chris Johnson, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, New York.

Phone: 845 855 3291.

Website: www.easternhay.com Email: easternhay@yahoo.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EasternHay/

Mission: To supply the best quality, most consistent equine forage available on the East Coast for our customers, while providing top flight customer service.

What Eastern Hay Offers: 

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Top quality hay of various grades: hay that your horse loves to eat, hay that loves your horse. Free of mold, dust, prickers and other detritus. Besides growing our own, we scour the North American continent to bring you the best forage available anywhere. We also do NOT use chemicals to cure our hay, and do NOT buy any hay that has been so treated.

In addition we provide shavings, both “fluffy” smaller shavings and the larger “show shavings,” available in both plastic and paper bags.

Our grain supplier is Purina, the industry leader in equine nutrition. We are very impressed with the quality of their product, and the fact that they maintain their own 1200-acre farm as a center for nutritional research.

Purina continuously strives to improve the palatability and digestibility of their feeds, and maintains a breeding herd of Quarter Horses to facilitate their research.

We have the forage, grain and shavings that your horses need for a comfortable, healthy life. All you need to add is water!

History: Eastern Hay’s history dates back to 1923, when it began life as Heinchon dairy farm in Pawling, NY. After working on the farm as a child, Chris Johnson left to attend college, but his education was cut short when his grandfather died and he had to return home to run the farm.

His work on the farm included growing hay for the dairy herd and in addition Chris sold hay to area horse farms.

Observing that the character of the area was changing from dairy farms to horses, Chris bought all the hay machinery and began focusing instead on producing, brokering and distributing hay, bedding products and feed for the equine market. Heinchon Farm emerged as Eastern Hay Corporation.

For over 30 years, Eastern Hay has been providing quality hay to discriminating customers up and down the eastern coast of the United States. Still located in Pawling, the company is centrally located to an astonishing array of horse farms and barns from backyard stables to facilities housing over 100 horses.

A tremendous variety of forages are housed at the Eastern Hay building, where customers are welcome to come in to view and sample inventory before making any financial commitment.

From Olympic medalists to government agencies, zoos, and international customers, Eastern Hay serves them all.

As a supplier for the Central Park Horse Show, we were part of an historic, game-changing event.

A family-run business, Eastern Hay is owned by Chris Johnson, and staffed by Chris and his three sons Dan, Garrett and Tyler.

A brief bio of Chris Johnson: Chris began his career as a young boy of 10 in the dairy industry, working on the family farm which dated back to 1923. He attended Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, NY and then went on to Alfred University in Alfred, NY, majoring in Business Law. His university career was cut short when his grandfather died and Chris was needed back home to run the farm. Chris has made it an ongoing life project to learn all he can about producing and procuring top quality hay, and keeping Eastern Hay’s customers provided with a consistent supply of the best forage in the country.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

The History of Eastern Hay Eastern Hay’s history dates back to 1923, when it began life as Heinchon Dairy Farm in Pawling, New York. Daniel Patrick Heinchon and his wife Elizabeth Harvey began the farm, which milked a herd of 150 cows. Primarily Holstein, the herd also included some Jersey and Brown Swiss cows.

The milk was kept cool by being stored in a stream, and then taken to a train to be shipped into the city.

Local deliveries were made by horse and cart, and the horse quickly learned the route, knowing when to stop.

In time, the Heinchons purchased the farm, along with the old Wanzer farm, which is the site for the current business. A milk plant and bottling plant were built to produce milk and cheese. Kosher products bottled at the plant required a rabbi, who came up from the city to watch the processing, bless the tanks, and then seal them.

Daughter Margaret Mary and her husband Kent Johnson soon got involved with the farm and Kent introduced yogurt to the line of products.

Their son, Chris Johnson, found himself up on a tractor when he was only eight years old, learning how to operate it. Work on a dairy farm involved rising well before the sun, and rounding up cows in pitch black mornings. The work was constant—cows need to be cared for and milked seven days a week—but it produced in Chris an outstanding work ethic.

In the early 1960s a fire destroyed the milking facility. The Johnsons bought the old Broad Meadows Farm, moving the cows there. In 1983 Margaret Mary opened Heinchon’s Ice Cream Parlor in a house that Chris remodeled for the purpose. The ice cream business soon grew to include Heinchon’s Café, an eatery and ice cream store in New York City.

After working on the farm until graduation, Chris left to attend college at Alfred University in western New York, studying business law. After two years of college, Chris’ grandfather died, forcing him to return home to run the farm.

Work on the farm included growing hay for the dairy herd and Chris, in addition, sold hay to area horse farms. Over time Chris observed that the character of the area was beginning to shift from dairy farms to horses. Getting ahead of the curve, Chris bought all the hay machinery and began focusing instead on producing, brokering and distributing hay, bedding products and feed for the equine market. Heinchon Farm re-emerged as Eastern Hay Corporation.

For over 30 years now, Eastern Hay has been providing quality hay to discriminating customers up and down the eastern coast of the United States. Still located in Pawling, the company is centrally located to an astonishing array of horse farms and barns, from backyard stables to facilities housing over 100 horses.

From Olympic medalists to government agencies, zoos, and international customers, Eastern Hay services them all. As a supplier for the Central Park Horse Show, the company was part of an historic, gamechanging event.

A tremendous variety of forages are housed at the Eastern Hay warehouse, where customers are always welcome to come in to view and sample inventory before making any financial commitment.

A family-run business, Eastern Hay is owned by Chris Johnson, and staffed by Chris and his three sons Dan, Garrett and Tyler.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

Eastern Hay Potential Story Ideas  Still in the Family: Eastern Hay has been a family run business since 1923  Hay for the Stars: Eastern Hay serves Olympic athletes, top tier show stables, and zoos  Eastern Hay’s owner Chris Johnson: Entrepreneur spots a trend and hits sweet spot  Eastern Hay: A business for horses that gives back to horses  Fine Art in a hay warehouse? That’s the Gallery at Eastern Hay.  A business with a history: Eastern Hay goes way back  Growing Hay Sustainably: Eastern Hay relegates Round-Up to the past

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

HAY LOFT: Giving Back Instead of discussing hay this month, we’re going to diverge a bit to a business topic. At Eastern Hay, we believe in the importance of giving back.

We’re all in this together, and helping those less fortunate than us, whether they are animals or fellow human beings, is always a win-win situation.

Eastern Hay has supported Green Chimneys in Patterson, New York for 25 years. Using the powerful bond between animals and humans, and the healing peace of nature, Green Chimneys creates a safe, nurturing, and highly structured environment for kids who haven’t been able to succeed in a traditional learning environment. Many of the animals in the program have found sanctuary at Green Chimneys from abuse or neglect, providing an added dimension to their good work.

Green Chimneys also holds summer camps, and hosts youth outreach programs.

In addition to our yearly support for Green Chimneys, Eastern Hay presented a considerable donation at the Victory Cup polo match held at Kirby Hill Farm in July, which was a fundraiser for Green Chimneys and other local non-profits. New York Yankees’ President Randy Levine and his wife Mindy attended, donating a generous check for Green Chimneys’ benefit as well.

Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue, founded and run by Deanna Mancuso, also receives support from Eastern Hay, often in the form of truckfuls of hay for the equine orphans. Lucky Orphans’ motto is “Humans helping horses helping humans.” A safe haven for neglected and abused horses, Lucky Orphans provides them with a permanent home. Rescue horses in turn receive jobs: sound ones teach riding lessons, ones that can’t be ridden provide comfort and therapy for wounded souls.

Eastern Hay also donated to the Winter Equestrian Festival’s Great Charity Challenge which has so far given $9.2 million to local Palm Beach County Charities. Billed as an “opportunity for the equestrian world to give back,” the event combines amateurs with an Olympic or world class rider into teams that are paired randomly with a local charity which has been selected to be part of the event. Our team was headed by Darragh Kenney and raised a hefty donation for Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County.

Businesses of course are established to make a profit. They create jobs, help the economy, provide services. But giving back, we at Eastern Hay feel, should be part of every business plan. As the saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” And while profits can be measured in dollars and cents, there is no price that can be put on a house for a formerly homeless family, or a mute child who utters their first word after spending time with a horse.

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay and Grain, Pawling, New York. www.easternhay.com, (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

HAY LOFT Choosing the Right Type of Bedding for your Horses If you’ve got horses, then there’s no escaping it: you need bedding. But what type should you choose?

Shavings? If so, what kind? Straw? Pellets? A variety of materials are available, and by knowing the properties of each, you can choose the right type for your horse or facility.

Bagged shavings are the most popular type of bedding, and for good reason. They are easy to transport and store, absorbent, and horses are not likely to consider it a food source.

Two types of shavings are generally available, pine, which is a by-product of the furniture industry, and, a larger flake shavings that is a product of the log itself designed specifically for the horse industry. Pine, a soft wood, can be either southern yellow pine or Northeast white pine (spruce).

These fine shavings have a smaller chip size and low moisture content (about 5 %) making them much more absorbent. As wood for furniture is dried first, then processed much of the moisture is removed before shavings are produced.

Yellow pine shavings are more costly than the Northeast pine, as there is the transportation cost to be factored in.

The larger flake shavings, designed specifically as horse bedding, are shaved off of logs, run through a tumbler dryer, then bagged. As more moisture is retained through this process, the shavings are less absorbent, and may sweat in the bags, resulting in damp shavings.

The cost for a bag of shavings can be deceptive. Most bags hod a cubic volume of 2.5 – 3.5 feet. In order to determine exactly what you are paying, use this formula. Divide the cost of the bag by the cubic feet in the bag. For example, if the bag costs $4.50 and contains 2.8 cubic feet, divide the $4.50 by 2.8 and your cost is 1.607/cubic foot. When you do the math, a bag that costs you $3.50 might prove more expensive overall.

One sure way to save on shavings is to arrange for a dropped tractor trailer load, as opposed to constantly ordering smaller quantities.

Straw, although not seen so much in show barns, is still predominantly used at racetracks and for breeding farms in foaling season. It’s a more comfortable bed for horses, as there is more volume to it. But many grooms find it harder to clean a straw stall than one with shavings. While horses will often eat oat or barley straw, they tend not to go for wheat straw, so this is most commonly used. A residue of the small grain process, the wheat seed is taken out leaving the long stemmed wheat straw, as an absorbent bedding (if properly made and dried).

Some people prefer pelleted bedding for their horses. Although very absorbent, they do not provide much cushioning.

We hope this has taken some of the mystery out of choosing the right bedding for your horse or horses.

Bedding is an important choice to insure your horse’s health, so making an educated choice is vital.

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay and Grain, Pawling, New York. www.easternhay.com, (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

HAY LOFT Controlling Parasites Through Pasture Management A constant problem in horses, parasites can result in unthrifty condition, ulcers, respiratory problems, anemia, chronic colic and even death. Yet with the development of de-worming products that can be given orally rather than by tubing, allowing more widespread and frequent use of de-wormers, parasite infection has diminished and the pot-bellied, fuzzy haired “wormy” horses that used to be commonly seen are rare sights.

The pendulum has, however, swung, and wormers have unfortunately become too much of a good thing.

Widespread use of wormers along with the infrequent introduction of new athelmintics has created parasites that are resistant to many of the drugs.

So how can we free our horses of worms without constantly giving them drugs and creating resistant parasites?

First, don’t worm indiscriminately. Have fecal counts done on your horses before de-worming, and then decide if you need to worm.

Proper pasture management can help tremendously. Paddocks should be cleaned regularly, and pastures should not be overcrowded. If possible, feed hay in bunks or mangers rather than on the ground.

Grazing a cow or sheep in with your horses can make a big difference in parasite control. With a trend today towards keeping a few cows or sheep for meat/milk/wool, multi-species grazing becomes a possibility. And since cows and sheep don’t share the same parasites as horses, when they eat the eggs or larvae of a horse parasite, the life cycle of the parasite is broken.

In addition, cattle and sheep graze the tall grass (the rough) around manure piles that horses avoid. This grass helps protect parasites from heat and drying, shading them from direct sunlight and holding moisture. When the grass is grazed down, the parasites become exposed to the heat and drought, killing them.

Using these techniques can help diminish your horses’ parasite load without overusing wormers. The end result is fewer drugs in your horse, and fewer drug resistant parasites.

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay and Grain, Pawling, New York. www.easternhay.com, (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

HAY LOFT Should We Feed Genetically Engineered Forages GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are a source of concern among many Americans. Not only do we wonder if GMO crops are safe for us to eat, but should we feed them to our horses?

As feed crops are often sprayed with Roundup®, an herbicide, we have a right to be concerned. These crops, designated “Roundup® Ready,” are GMOs, engineered to be herbicide proof so that they will survive while the pesky weeds are eradicated.

Roundup®’s active ingredient, glyphosate, was originally used as a descaling agent for removing “scales,” or mineral deposits, from pipes. The glyphosate would bind to them and make them unreactive, thus stripping the scales from pipes. When it was discovered that the glyphosate could also kill bacteria and plants, thus making it useful as an herbicide, glyphosate found an entirely new purpose. It turns out there is a lot more profit potential in herbicides than descaling agents.

At that point Monsanto bought the rights to it, and in 1969 patented it as a non-selective herbicide.¹ The problem But how does this chemical work on plants, and how does it impact the health of the humans or animals that eat them? Glyphosate has been found potentially carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization’s cancer research arm. Rats fed genetically engineered, Roundup® Ready grain, fell ill, many of them developing severe kidney disease. A large number of published scientific studies show that as little as 1 ppm of glyphosate will kill almost all bacteria—particularly beneficial bacteria—in the gut of animals. These beneficial bacteria, composed of trillions of cells lining our intestines, play an absolutely essential role in the health of most of our organs. In addition, soil is a living environment, containing millions of micro-organisms, and pesticides damage these communities of micro-organisms.

Most pesticides and herbicides are closely monitored by government agencies in the United States and Canada, yet glyphosate, surprisingly, has not been. The legal limits allowed have risen considerably, and little is known about the residual mounts of glyphosate in food crops for human and animal consumption.

Despite Monsanto’s claims otherwise, recent scientific studies clearly show that glyphosate does not degrade easily in soil or humans, and animals, and does accumulate in all organs.² Some people theorize that the massive increase in gluten intolerance is due to GMO grains and Roundup.

So what are we doing to ourselves and our horses?

The Process Bacteria and plants make their own proteins, including three complex amino acids called “aromatic amino acids.” When glyphosate enters the plant cells it steals an atom of manganese from the cells, rendering the plant unable to synthesize aromatic amino acids, and thus protein, and killing the plants.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

Should We Feed Genetically Modified Organisms continued…

When genetic engineering technologies became mainstream in the 1980’s, someone figured out that they could engineer agricultural crops to be resistant to glyphosate. Farmers could douse crop plants with it and they would survive, while the unwanted plants around it—the weeds—would die.

Several major crops that were engineered to be glyphosate resistant are now marketed as Roundup® Ready. Although initially it seemed a revolution in weed management, it soon turned out that not only crops can become glyphosate resistant. Weeds can do it too, and they have. Higher and higher amounts of Roundup® continue to be used in order to eradicate the weeds. Amounts that once were considered extreme are now deemed normal.³ While Monsanto and North American governmental regulatory agencies have claimed for decades that glyphosate was the safest herbicide ever, the evidence seems to show otherwise.

The Solution Many countries: Germany, Peru, France, Hungary, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Russia, Bermuda and Sri Lanka (whose President blames the herbicide for a five fold increase in kidney disease in farming families) have either banned Roundup® or GMO crops, while the European Union right now is voting on whether or not to renew Roundup®’s license in Europe.

What’s the solution? Certified organic crops cannot be sprayed with glyphosate at any stage of the process. Although you may have to search for it, organic hay is available.

At Eastern Hay we are always looking for what’s best for your horse. If you want peak performance from your horses, now and for generations to come, you need to insure your horses’ health, and that includes knowing what they eat. Substances that destroy kidneys, wipe out beneficial gut bacteria, and are probable carcinogens are not what you want on your horses’ meal list.

We have not used pesticides in our fields for over five years (although they are not certified organic) and we purchase organic hay from western New York and from Vermont (the leader in the fight against GMOs). If you want organic hay, give us a heads up and we will be happy to get it for you. And meanwhile, do your research. Read about Monsanto, Roundup®, and GMOs. You may want to consider going organic, yourself!

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay and Grain, Pawling, New York. www.easternhay.com, (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

Footnotes: ¹This information on Roundup®’s origins came from “Roundup®’s Long-Term Health Effects,” by Thierry Vrain in Mother Earth News, June/July 2016. ² Information on the health effects of Roundup® (Ibid) ³ Information on how glyphosate works (Ibid)

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

HAY LOFT: Horses and Heat Exhaustion There’s no getting around it. This has been a miserable summer. Unless you hail from Indonesia or the Amazon basin, you’ve felt it. The heat and humidity have been unbearable and the possibility of heat stroke or heat exhaustion has been hanging over us all.

Including our horses.

Yes, they, too, are subject to these conditions.

The large muscle mass of a horse generates a tremendous amount of heat, particularly when exercising.

Conditions of high humidity and heat make it is hard for that heat to dissipate. In addition, as they sweat, they lose both water and electrolytes, leading to dehydration.

Dehydration untreated may then escalate to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Horse owners and riders need to be very aware of the symptoms of heat stress, and act on them immediately. A rapidly breathing, sweaty horse can progress to heat stroke, which can be fatal, very quickly. A dull expression or behavior can also signal the onset of heat stress.

Heat exhaustion is characterized by rapid breathing (over 60 beats per minute), refusal to work, and coats that are dripping with sweat, while some horses exhibit “thumping”—a spasmodic jerking of the diaphragm or flanks. In addition, the horse may move very stiffly and abnormally, similar to a horse that is tying up.

Left untreated, heat exhaustion can rapidly turn into heat stroke. Heat stroke is evidenced by hyperthermia (a temperature of over 106 degrees) and a staggering, weaving gait. Horses may fall, rear, and seem unaware of their surroundings, making them dangerous to be around as they are unconscious of others. A coma and death may follow if they are not treated immediately.

Heat stress is not confined just to horses that are exercising. Horses that are in dry lots with no shade, in trailers, or in barns with no ventilation are also subject to the condition. So don’t think that just because you are not working your horse, he won’t be affected by the weather.

So what should you do? Think ahead.

There are many things that can be done to prevent heat stress: 

Provide plenty of clean water at all times. And remember horses need much more water during periods of extreme heat.

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Put horses on electrolytes. A heavily sweating horse will lose not only water, but electrolytes, which need to be replaced.

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Be sure horses have access to shade, and in a hot barn, provide fans.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

Continued: HAY LOFT: Horses and Heat Exhaustion

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Don’t leave horses in hot trailers.

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Ride in the early morning or late evening.

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Clip horses with long coats.

Overweight horses are particularly susceptible so try to keep your horses at a healthy weight.

Horses that don’t drink a lot of water may prove particularly at risk for heat stress. Hydration Hay® can be a boon in such circumstances. This block of compressed grass and alfalfa hay is mixed with water and provides hay and hydration in a tasty mix for those picky drinkers, particularly when faced with constantly changing water on the road.

But what if it’s too late and the damage has already been done? You have a dragon-breathing horse with a temperature over 105 degrees, what now?

Start with a cold, cold, shower. Studies conducted at the Atlanta Summer Olympics proved that there is no harm, only help, in applying cold water to an overheated horse. “Application of cold water to the overheated horses helped to dissipate heat by providing more water to evaporate from the skin, and by direct conduction of the horse’s body heat into the water that runs off the horse, carrying excess heat with it,” the study concluded.

Use a sweat scraper to remove excess water and then walk the horse or let it out in a shady area or a cool stall. Do not use a sheet in hot, humid conditions; it prevents the evaporation of sweat from the skin.

For heat stroke, ice packs should be applied to the horse’s head and the large muscles on the insides of the legs. If improvement does not take place quickly, or if the horse is staggering or falling, call a vet immediately. The horse will need intravenous fluids and may need additional medication if its internal organs have been affected. Death can occur within a couple of hours so act quickly!

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay and Grain, Pawling, New York. www.easternhay.com, (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

HAY LOFT Tips for A Healthy Hay Loft While your hay may be delivered in perfect condition, how you take care of your hay loft may determine the condition it's in when it reaches your horses' mouths.

Hay lofts need to be clean. Old hay, insects, heat and moisture, will be very detrimental to the new hay stored in the loft.

It’s a great time of year to inspect your loft. Does it smell like somebody's musty attic? Horses like, and therefore eat, clean, fresh-smelling hay. Hay soaks up odors like a sponge, and a smelly bale of hay is not going to appeal to any horse.

We like fresh smelling hay, too. When we go to buy hay for our horses, what's the first thing we notice after checking how it looks? The smell. So why put nice new hay in a dirty, smelly loft?

Take the time now to give your hay loft a thorough cleaning. Sweep out the old hay and check carefully for any insect nests or mold and remove those too.

Also be sure to check the integrity of the floor in your hay loft. Is it strong enough to support the amount of hay in it?

It's also important to examine your hay equipment. Are the chains of your hay elevator adjusted to the proper tension? Is the electrical cord in good condition, or is it showing signs of wear? Have rodents chewed on it?

Hay elevators need to be lubricated, but be sure to use vegetable oil so you don’t contaminate the hay.

Using products that can be used to grease most farm machinery doesn't work on a hay elevator. Yes, they lubricate the elevator, but that same petroleum based product will rub off the equipment onto your hay, and into your horse's stomach. So think before you grease!

One last thing. Look up. The roof. Do you see any holes? Many cases of mold in hay are caused by unnoticed holes in hay loft roofs!

Give your hay loft a cleaning and inspection now, and the hay you store in it will remain fresh and sweet.

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay and Grain, Pawling, New York. www.easternhay.com, (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

HAY LOFT Controlling Parasites Through Pasture Management A constant problem in horses, parasites can result in unthrifty condition, ulcers, respiratory problems, anemia, chronic colic and even death. Yet with the development of de-worming products that can be given orally rather than by tubing, allowing more widespread and frequent use of de-wormers, parasite infection has diminished and the pot-bellied, fuzzy haired “wormy” horses that used to be commonly seen are rare sights.

The pendulum has, however, swung, and wormers have unfortunately become too much of a good thing.

Widespread use of wormers along with the infrequent introduction of new athelmintics has created parasites that are resistant to many of the drugs.

So how can we free our horses of worms without constantly giving them drugs and creating resistant parasites?

First, don’t worm indiscriminately. Have fecal counts done on your horses before de-worming, and then decide if you need to worm.

Proper pasture management can help tremendously. Paddocks should be cleaned regularly, and pastures should not be overcrowded. If possible, feed hay in bunks or mangers rather than on the ground.

Grazing a cow or sheep in with your horses can make a big difference in parasite control. With a trend today towards keeping a few cows or sheep for meat/milk/wool, multi-species grazing becomes a possibility. And since cows and sheep don’t share the same parasites as horses, when they eat the eggs or larvae of a horse parasite, the life cycle of the parasite is broken.

In addition, cattle and sheep graze the tall grass (the rough) around manure piles that horses avoid. This grass helps protect parasites from heat and drying, shading them from direct sunlight and holding moisture. When the grass is grazed down, the parasites become exposed to the heat and drought, killing them.

Using these techniques can help diminish your horses’ parasite load without overusing wormers. The end result is fewer drugs in your horse, and fewer drug resistant parasites.

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay, www.easternhay.com. (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com

The Hay that Horses Love to Eat

Hay Loft – Feeding New Hay Last year’s hay is nearly gone from your hay lofts. The farmers have been busy growing and harvesting their hay crops, and fresh, new bales have just arrived at your farm.

It should be a beautiful sight, right? Those bright green bales riding up the bale elevator to be stacked in your loft, ready to be greedily consumed by your horses.

Yet some people have concerns about fresh, new hay. Will the horses colic or founder from the fresh hay?

We’ve all been warned against feeding grass clippings to horses, or hay that’s just been mown. So isn’t new hay dangerous too? Shouldn’t it sit for a while before feeding?

The answer is, not if it’s been properly cured. To check that new hay in your loft, simply open a bale and take a look at it, smell it, and feel it. If it is dry, and smells good, you’re fine. Dry hay is fine; if it wasn’t dry, it should not have been baled. So if it is wet, and/or smells musty, it has not been properly cured and is not safe to feed.

If the hay has been treated with a preservative, it will not have that sweet smell, rather it smells a bit like vinegar. In this case just make sure it is dry and has no mold and you will be all right.

Another thing for you to keep in mind is that it is important to properly transition your horses to the new hay. New hay is full of protein and nutrients. Mix a little of it in at a time with your old hay and gradually replace the old hay with the new. This way you can slowly acclimate your horses to the new hay.

Feed less of the new hay because of the increased protein and nutrients. It’s similar to having your horses on grass hay and switching them to alfalfa. You wouldn’t just take away the timothy and throw alfalfa at them. You would switch gradually to allow their systems to adjust.

This extra protein and nutrients could be one of the reasons that some horsemen got nervous about new hay. Their horses might have had extra energy or reacted adversely to a sudden switch. But it’s not the hay (again, if it is properly cured), it is the process of adjustment.

So feel free to use that new hay in your loft. Just be sure to check that it is dry, and feed it according to the parameters suggested above. And while you’re at it, enjoy the heady aroma of fresh hay.

Hay Loft is brought to you by Eastern Hay, www.easternhay.com. (845) 855 3291, easternhay@yahoo.com.

Eastern Hay and Grain, 485 Rt 22, Pawling, NY – 845-855-3291 – www.easternhay.com