Walking On Volume 4, Issue 9, September 2017 | Page 6

Back to Basics
10 Tips For Safe Horse Hay Storage
By Moira Clune 
You’ve bought the best horse hay
you can find. Now store it for max-
imum use and nutrition. Don’t let
mold, mildew, rodents and weather
ruin your hay!
Indoor Storage:
1. Keep hay dry. If you’re storing
it in a barn, be sure there are
no roof leaks or water drainage
problems.
2. Be sure condensation doesn’t
accumulate on the inside of the
roof. A surprising amount of wa-
ter can drip on your hay from a
sweaty roof! Use a plastic tarp to
channel water away from bales.
3. Keep an eye out for rodents. Rats
and mice can contaminate your
hay. Plug any entrances with
steel wool. If you can’t keep them
out, cats and black snakes
are great mousers!
4. Keep the hay off the floor.
Used wooden pallets are
available from many local
businesses. They’re often
free for the taking and work
perfectly!
5. Stack your hay for maxi-
mum air flow. Square bales
should be stacked on edge
with narrow gaps between
rows. Be sure to check for
heat in the bales by driving
a metal rod into the centers.
6. Use older hay first. Pull old
bales to the front or side
before stacking in new hay,
and feed older hay first be-
fore starting on the fresher
6 • Walking On
supply.
7. As much as possible, keep bales
in their compacted state. Broken
bales expose the hay to air which
will cause it to degrade in qual-
ity. Break off flakes to minimize
air exposure.
Special considerations for
Outside Storage:
8. When stored outside, hay must
be stacked on pallets or some
type of ventilated platform to
keep ground moisture from
infiltrating the bales. Be aware of
seasonal wet spots!
9. Bales should be protected from
sun and rain with tarps. Stack
the bales in a pyramid formation
to encourage water runoff.
10. Tarps also protect your hay from
sunlight which causes rapid
nutrient loss.
Hay needs to be stored properly
for maximum safety, nutrition and
usability. But no matter how careful-
ly it’s stored, always check each bale
for mold or foreign objects. Never
feed a horse hay that looks or smells
moldy!
Let Practical Horsekeeping show you how to become an
efficient, effective equine expert!
Moira Clune and Noreen Girao provide helpful horse care infor-
mation with a practical twist at [http://www.PracticalHorsekeep-
ing.com] Our free horse care ezine shows you the fastest, safest,
smartest ways to care for your horse and create an organized,
appealing environment that works for horse and rider! Sign up
today and get our free, veterinarian approved Colic Preparedness
Report that shows you exactly what to do in a horse colic emer-
gency. Join us today at [http://www.practicalhorsekeeping.com/
horsecarenewsletter.html] and start getting practical!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Moira_
Clune/121065