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In northern Calif we have access to a great product from Elk Grove milling called Stable

Mix....it comes in 50 lbs bags or 250 lb barrels...and can be fed as a complete feed, and

is also weed free. It;s also a nice size pellet, not too big or small.....and is nutritionally balanced.

There are performance mixes and senior, etc. 

 

If you fed it without any hay, it would probably cost about $60 per month to feed a horse...and right now, that is comparable to what i am paying for hay...BUT the huge difference is that there

is absolutely no waste...they clean it all up.

 

I am using it to stretch out my hay...i.e. feeding hay less therefore less waste...and filling

in the gaps with the stable mix. 

 

I am also feeling less hay at a sitting to avoid wastage, raking up scraps in the haybarn daily...and

letting the easy keeper mustang clean up after the other horses....

 

I have a couple kinds of grass hay, some i got as small bales for $4.50 a bale...two of them make a standard size bale....this year i paid $14 a bale for alfalfa 3 string delivered, about 120 lbs....I paid same amount for same size delivered grass hay...but my best deal recently is 130 lb. forage mix/oat, 130 lb bales for $11.50....i have to pick up.....

 

I have under 10 acres, grazed down...but the horses can roam and grub around all day generally and clean up hay scraps...yes, i am really trying to conserve....while still trying to feed-up everyone so that they look plump and healthy all winter......

 

The scrawny 2 year old is getting free choice grass hay, 2 flakes alfalfa a day, grazing next door a few hours a day on a permanent pasture, AND 10 lbs daily of a mix of the stable mix pellets, rice bran pellets, omolene 100 and another complete feed, with oil splashed all over it.  She has gone from 756 on the weight tape to 888 in two months....

 

oh well, still cheaper than boarding....!

Karen

 

On 12/14/08, Rebecca Hackworth <bechack@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Yes, hay is up.  But when you get right down to it, hay is $20/bale
at 5 bales / month.  So if you are feeding at home, cost is only
$100/mo.  Yeah, it's expensive, but so is everything these days.  I
don't grain when they don't work.  If it is extra cold, I will give a
warm beet pulp mush in the evenings, just to get extra water in to
them.

I cut costs elsewhere.  I do my own vehicle maintenance ( oil, filter
changes)  Huge savings.  Comparison shop for everything.  Don't eat
out much.  Wait for movies to come out on DVE instead of the
theaters.  Drive the 30mpg hybrid whenever I can though I prefer
driving the dually much more.

I sew.  I install myself.  I learn to repair everythin instead of
just buying a new on (of anything)

I say NO to any "free horse" because we all know there is no such
thing.

Merry Christmas All

---- Original Message ----
From: dotwgns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, AERCMembersForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] cutting costs for feed
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:35:02 -0700

>New topic, how to save some money on feed.
>
>I learned this many years ago  when times were really tough for us.
>We had
>quite a few horses and it wasn't practical to sell as they were our
>working
>income most of the year.   They were not working during this winter.
>
>If pasture is non existant, and hay is costly, you can get by feeding
>less
>hay if you feed at least 4 times a day rather than once or twice.  If
>you
>are allowing 25 # good hay per horse, they will hold their own on
>less than
>20#  if you split it into 4 feedings.  It's very important that each
>horse
>gets a full share and time to eat in peace.  Plenty of fresh water,
>warm if
>it's cold out, and shelter from wet and wind.  We couldn't blanket at
>the
>time but each horse had a stall overnite.
>If you can add a lb or so of grain, oats, corn, anything, it will
>help
>without adding many $$.   Wasn't any then, but expect beet pulp could
>be in
>this mix today.
>Today I would be sure worming and teeth were up to
>date,  not easy to do that long ago.
>
>The key is small feedings often, and quality feed.  Most adult horses
>will
>maintain  just fine on this method all winter.  Youngsters need more
>for
>growth but will not be harmed for a few weeks this way.
>
>
>
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