ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Pellets vs Hay

Re: Pellets vs Hay

Laney Humphrey (laneyh@mbay.net)
Wed, 15 Oct 1997 08:09:00 -0700

Tammy and others who have responded to my query about feeding pellets -
Thank you all for your replies. I asked for input knowing that the
question could bring out a lot of sad personal experience stories. It was
my intent to encourage the exchange of knowledge, not to encourage the
level of whining at the Camp.
Endurance riders have to be the most caring horseowners. However, we ddo
not always have the perfect horse care situation available to us. In my
case, I had to weigh the possible disadvantages of pellets instead of hay
against other aspects of the various barns I looked at. I have decided to
move my horse to the barn that feeds pellets mostly because I like the
manager and believe that I would be allowed to substitute hay for pellets
if I could show that pellets are a potential health hazard for a horse
being asked to perform at endurance levels (virtually all of the other
horses at the barn are lightly used pleasure horses) (and if I offered to
do the feeding myself). In other words, I chose intelligent, rational, and
open minded barn management over a particular feed.
Let me add that I live in the Monterey Bay area of California where no hay
is grown and grass is a 3 month winter phenomenon. Rain last January
ruined the central valley oat hay crop which we depend on. In other words,
finding good hay here is almost impossible so pellets represent a wise
stable management choice because they are predictable. Other local barns
are choosing to feed nothing but alfalfa which I'm sure Campers know by now
has its own perils.
Cheers, Laney

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