When trying to decide how and what to feed your horse, it is always good to know your options and how those choices may effect your horse's health. Cubes and pellets have made their way into the horse industry and there are a wide range of options available. Are they right for your horse?

Cubes & Pellets Pros:

• Less mess than traditional alfalfa hay, easy storage and easier clean up
• Bags have nutrient content on the labels so you know what you are getting in your feed
• Less dust than in alfalfa hay
• Easier to chew and digest than alfalfa hay
• Portable for on the road trips

Cubes & Pellets Cons:

• Reduced time in eating compared alfalfa hay
• Less chewing than compared to alfalfa hay
• Risk of choke
• Can get moldy
• Many horses don't like them

If you have an older horse who has a hard time chewing, then pellets might be the best route for you. If you have younger horses who are used to eating slowly, then sticking with alfalfa hay is your best bet. You can also use slow feeders to feed hay, but not pellets. Learn more about slow feeders in our blog article. Even though the pellet and cube companies include nutritional values on their bag labels, the factory consistency can change and provide a different outcome and not the same feed. You need to look at price, and the factors mentioned above and decide for yourself, if a solution that is less mess is worth the change in eating behavior that you will ultimately inflict on your horse. They will end up eating quicker and have less time foraging. This may end up frustrating your horse. Alfalfa hay when fed correctly, can reduce the boredom factor for your horse at the same time as providing quality hay nutrition.  If your problem is clean up, consider putting down a barrier that you can easily sweep out. Look at proper hay storage and decide on your solution that will best fit your barn. 

Feeding alfalfa hay is the only way you are going to be able to slow feed your horse. You can weigh out your hay if you are concerned with how much you are feeding. Alfalfa hay is the best way to feed to reduce boredom, horses that are fed pellets and cubes, finish so quickly that they don't have that time to nibble their feed and pick through it and produce more chewing action which keeps them busy and happy. 

Alfalfa hay is affordable and we deliver it nationwide. Barn 21 hay is lab tested, so we too can match information for what is on those pellet and cube labels. We have range of hay types so you can decide which is best for your horse. Our alfalfa hay grades provide an option for people to make their budgets work for their barns. 

Alfalfa hay prices can be estimated for you by contacting us and letting us know your delivery area. Barn 21 specializes in Arizona grown alfalfa hay. Our delivery service provides a easy way for you to get a bulk hay delivery at an affordable price. 

During our bulk alfalfa hay deliveries, we often get asked, what is the correct amount of alfalfa to feed a horse. Generally, a horse consumes one and a half to two percent of its body weight per day in feed. The general rule of thumb is, if you have a 1000lb horse, then you should feed 20lbs of hay per day. 

You can't always get the same size flake off a bale of hay, so it is always a good idea to weight your flakes when you first open a bale to determine and "eyeball" how much of a flake you need to pull out to feed your horse. From there on out you should be able to repeat that size flake and get the same weight. You will likely have to weight the flake of the next bale you open if it seems to flake off smaller or thinner flakes. 

The quality of hay you get also determines the amount you should feed. Barn 21 has quality Arizona grown alfalfa hay and we deliver nationwide in bulk truckload deliveries. Contact us for info on current pricing for loads to your area. 

The amount your horse needs to eat to keep weight on may vary due to a variety of factors:

• Weather
• Exercise and work load
• Amount of water they consume
• Age
• Condition
• Metabolism - easy keeper vs hard keeper
• Stress or sickness
• Breed and size of horse
  
  

All horses are not equal and it takes attention to weight and condition by the owner to determine what is best for their horse. We see people with hard keepers which can just boil down to genetics and a slimmer build than other horses, however, it is something you need to pay attention to and keep an eye on to make sure your horse stays at optimal weight.

We have another article on slow feeders vs free feeding and get asked that question by our clients, which is better, the answer is, it depends. 

Alfalfa hay has a high concentration of protein and is a great source of feed to sustain your horses all year long. It is rich in vitamins and nutrients and with Barn 21 hay, you can guarantee that our hay has optimal nutrition for your horse. 

It can be hard to determine what is the right amount of alfalfa hay for your horse since all horses are different. You might have to do some trial and error to determine what is best for your horse. For example, if your horse is older and you in are in a cold environment and the horse is kept outside, it is going to burn more calories keeping warm than a older horse in a warmer environment. The key factors listed above can contribute to a equation that means your horse might require more hay than you thought. 

Carefully monitor your horse and if they begin to loose or gain weight, you may need to adjust their alfalfa intake. Opinions vary on this, but we feel horses should be fed two times per day. 

Like anything with horses, everyone has a different take on things, so you might need to experiment with the amount you feed and the times of day and how often. We hope this helps you determine how much to feed your horse and what things to look out for. 

Barn 21 goes the extra mile for you to provide excellent quality hay. We stand behind our product and we have an quality guarantee. How do we know the alfalfa hay we sell is quality hay, because our hay is certified lab tested. 

We also inspect our hay visually on top of testing.
We go through a series of steps:
Step One
To even be considered as number one horse hay the first thing we do is inspect the field right after the hay was baled. If there is evidence of weeds on the borders, gopher holes, litter, or mud in the field it wont be considered as number one.

Step 2: visual inspection. If it came out of a clean field the first thing I look at is color. Number one hay mist be dark green all the way through. Next: Leaf. This is where the feed value is, so it matters. If its not leafy, it wont test very well.

Step 3 is stem.
We look for a medium to fine stem that will be easy for a horse to chew. If its stemmy, its not considered number one hay. The last step is the analysis- If it passes the field test and visual test the last thing is the actual test from the lab. Hay cores are taken randomly and sent to the lab for analysis. We are looking for the correct range for RFV ( relative feed value ), moisture, micronutrient content, and to see how clean it is. The test will even tell us if there is a higher than average amount of dirt in the hay. If it looks pretty but doesn’t test well, its not Cardew Number 1 premium hay.

Does your supplier do this? Probably not.  

Barn 21 has different hay grades available:
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Is bulk hay delivery right for you? 

Should you get your whole winter's supply of alfalfa hay delivered all at once or have smaller shipments delivered across several months? 

The answer depends on your facility and the hay storage you have available. 

Since Barn 21 provides affordable rates for bulk delivery, the price should be a factor as well. You may end up spending more having smaller loads delivered throughout the year. So if it is possible and you have the room for it, having a whole load delivered at once is likely an easier option and here is why:

• Affordable cost - better rates with bulk alfalfa hay delivery
• You don't have to have it stacked every time it is delivery and it is done for the season
• You don't have to take to order it when you run out
• You have a steady supply to feed to your horses
• You have quality you can count on since our hay is lab tested and your bulk load hay delivery will provide a consistent hay for your horses throughout the season. 
• You will have hay available in your barn, when your local feed store might be out of it!

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With Barn 21 hay, we have certified lab tested hay and a quality guarantee from the first bale to the last. If you have the space for it, a bulk load is the best way to buy hay. If you don't have the space, you might think about adding space for it. We have seen everything from multiple sheds to cargo containers to store hay. We have another article on Hay Storage that outlines practices to follow to stack and store hay. 

Bales should be safely stacked to avoid injury. Not too high and make it accessible. We are happy to help talk to you to see if our bulk delivery is the right option for you.  It has proven to be a time saver and provides the consistency most horse people are looking for to feed consistent quality alfalfa hay to their horses. 

Contact our office to learn more about our bulk hay nationwide delivery options and pricing!

When you have taken the time energy and money to find good quality alfalfa hay like Barn 21 hay, you don't want to risk loosing it because of poor hay storage. At Barn 21, we hear all kinds of stories of good hay gone bad due to improper storage. Here are some tips that might help you keep your hay in optimal condition.

If you are storing your hay indoors, it is best to have a large tall area that has a clear air flow and keep away any kind of equipment or chemicals that might be flammable. If you are stacking your hay, it is best to keep it from touching the ground or concrete directly by using pallets to stack on top of to allow an air gap for the hay to breathe. 

It is best to stack your hay flat with all your bales in the same direction for the first row of your stack. Then with the 2nd layer, flip the bales the other direction so that they are perpendicular to the first direction. Continue alternating each layer and you will have a stack of hay that will be well ventilated and will be safer than if you stacked it unevenly.

If your hay storage area does not have a door and is open to the weather, then you can use tarps loosely over the front of the hay to keep the rain out. Make sure you don't tie tarps or wrap tarps tightly over the hay or it may cause a situation where too much gas builds up and can cause a combustion problem. 

We hear from a lot of alfalfa hay buyers in the nation and they all have different preferences in terms of how they store their hay, however, the best results we hear of are a barn area with an open air way to keep the hay from building up moisture. 

Some types of metal horse barns can cause condensation in the barn in the morning, which drips on the hay. If you notice this you can tarp the top of the hay loosely to keep this from seeping into the hay and take it off later in the afternoon and let it all dry out. 

I know people who build their barns both for their horse's comfort and their hay's survival. It is important to think about how you plan to store your hay before you build so you can make adequate accommodations for your good quality hay!

Horses are beautiful animals that have intrigued people for centuries. They have unique personalities and qualities that make them popular pets for many people the world over. There are dozens of breeds of horses that come from all parts of the globe. Some horses are known for their physical characteristics, while others are known for their temperaments. The following looks at many different breeds of horses and highlights some lesser known facts about horses in general.
Interesting Facts about Horses

• The pulse rate of a horse at rest measures between 36 to 40 beats per minute.
• There are 205 bones in a horse’s body.
• Horses sleep about two and a half to three hours per day.
• A horse’s age can be determined by looking at its teeth.
• The upper jaw of a horse is wider than its lower jaw.
• A horse may run back into a barn that is on fire in order to return to the familiarity of its stall.
• A horse lays its ears back against its head when it is angry.
• Though horses have a wide range of vision, they aren’t able to see objects in a small area directly in front of their nose.
• Horses can sometimes live to be 30 or 40 years old, but the average lifespan of a horse is about 25 years.
• Horses can get a bad stomach ache referred to as colic.
• Some horses drink two or more full buckets of water a day.
• The height of a horse is measured in ‘hands’. A ‘hand’ is equal to four inches.
• A baby horse, called a foal, can stand up approximately one hour after birth. In the wild, a horse must stand up quickly so it will not become the victim of predators.
• Foals are usually born at night.
• A horse is able to sleep in a standing position.
• There is always a leader in a herd of horses.
• Horses communicate to one another via a high-pitched whinny.
• A female horse is pregnant with a foal for about eleven months.
• Many horses bloat their stomachs when a rider puts a saddle on them. Horses do this so the girth (the belt that runs beneath their belly) isn’t fastened too tightly. They let out their air after the rider finishes tightening the girth.
• Horses can hear what is going on behind them by shifting their ears in a backward direction.
• Horses grow a coat that is thick and furry for the wintertime.
• Tame horses must have their teeth filed down on a regular basis by a veterinarian so they won’t damage their tongue or gums. This process is called floating.
• A horse that is female is a mare.
• A male horse is either a gelding or a stallion.
• Horses number about 60 million worldwide.

Notable Breeds of Horses

• Andalusian-The origins of the Andalusian are on the Iberian Peninsula in Spain. This horse, known for its intelligence and grace, generally has a grey/white coat. Andalusians with their flowing manes and tails are often used in the sport of dressage.
• Assateague Pony-The origins of the Assateague wild pony are in Spain. Today, they roam around in herds on Assateague Island near Maryland. These sturdy ponies survive on the wild brush growing on Assateague Island. The Assateague wild pony is a well-known breed due in part to the popular book by Marguerite Henry entitled, Misty of Chincoteague.
• Buckskin horses are originally from Spain. Buckskins are notable for their strength as well as their stamina. These horses are usually light brown or tan in color.
• Camargue-The Camargue is a horse with origins in the south of France. These horses have a sturdy build and are used to herd cattle. A Camargue is born with a dark coat, but it lightens to a whitish/grey as the horse grows older.
• Caspian horses are thought to have their origins in Iran. They are small horses that were so few in number (at one time) that they almost became extinct. In the 1960s, the Caspian horse began to gain popularity in the world of horse owners.
• The Clydesdale has its origins in Scotland. This horse is memorable for its overall size and tremendous muscles. Clydesdale horses were once used for farm work, but were later used to haul heavy wagons and equipment.
• The Galician is a pony that has its origins in Spain. These tough ponies have short, sturdy legs and strong compact bodies. Many of these Galician ponies roam in the mountains on the Iberian Peninsula.
• Palomino (PDF)-The exact origins of the Palomino are not known. However, Queen Isabella of Spain treasured her large collection of Palominos for their gold-colored coats and regal beauty. There have been many famous Palominos throughout history including Trigger, a horse owned by Roy Rogers and Mr. Ed, a character on a 1960s television show.
• Rocky Mountain Horse-The original home of the Rocky Mountain Horse is in eastern Kentucky. This is a horse of medium size known for its even temperament. It is big enough to help with work on a farm yet gentle enough to be ridden by children.

Content provided curetesy of 
http://www.alansfactoryoutlet.com/horse-barns-facts-and-resources-about-horses

If your hay is wet, it is best not to tarp it tightly because it can sometimes spontaneously combust.
When you store your alfalfa hay, it is best to avoid getting it wet in the first place, you can stick tarps up against the hay to provide a barrier against the rain coming into your storage area. Wet hay is often more combustible than dry hay simply because of the science behind it. Storage, plus wet hay, plus tarps = moisture. Simply put, moisture causes gasses to be released, which are combustible. 

Often times people have tried weird things like putting salt on hay or dry ice, but that won't prevent the combustion from occurring. You can put it out to dry, but chances are it might mold anyway so it is best to separate it and air it out if you can and monitor it before you try to feed it to any animal. The best way to handle it is to spread it out and lay it out so that air can get to both sides of the hay.

I heard of a person recently who had hay stored in their horse trailer and it rained and the wind blew the rain inside the trailer causing a lot of rain to fall on they hay. They were able to manage to move the hay out of the trailer, spread it out in the barn and separate it out in various places to air dry. In this case, the person opened the bales and put some flakes turned on their side and then rotated them so that they would dry on both sides and minimal damage was done. They also fed the wettest bales first right away to the horses, a little water on your hay shortly after it rains won't hurt, many people wet down their hay before feeding to reduce dust and this is similar to that. However, hay sitting around wet for long periods of time will mold and moldy hay is not something you want to feed to your beloved horse. So you need to be really careful!

In addition to the mold problem, rain can damage the hay by leaching out the nutrients in the hay. Tests can be run on your hay to determine if is a total loss or not. Bottom line is you should try to prevent your hay from getting wet in the first place by following proper hay storage practices. If you know your hay has been exposed to the rain, you should really check it out and make sure the hay is not starting to mold, if it is, you need to check it all and decide if it is something you can feed or not. 

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We get asked how much to feed, the answer is, it depends!
It depends on many factors such as breed, size, age, time of year and most importantly, the quality of the hay you are feeding. 

If you feeding a good quality alfalfa hay, and you have a horse that isn't a senior and it is summer time, you can usually calculate easily how much to feed based on experience on how hard of a keeper your horse is. 

If you have an older horse, and have so so alfalfa hay and it is winter, then you might need to feed more than you would in the summer. 

Why is this? It takes more energy to keep warm in the winter and so your horse will need to consume more calories to keep weight on and avoid weight loss due to colder weather. We didn't mention coat quality and if you blanket or not. If you have a horse with a thick winter coat and or you blanket your horses, those can also be factors that will keep a horse warm in winter and would require less energy to keep warm, making it a bit easier to keep weight on. Under these conditions, you might not have to feed as much alfalfa as you normally would with a thin haired coat and no blankets in the winter. 

The effect of wind and rain can increase the energy level needed to keep warm in addition to general coldness. If you have extra wind and rain, you might have to increase the pounds of alfalfa hay to keep the horse in the same condition. The answer really does depend on a lot of these factors and also some horses are just easier keepers than other and can get away with being fed less alfalfa hay than other harder keepers. 

You might find that during colder conditions, your horse may require twice as much food to keep weight on them. You may have to experiement with the right amount of alfalfa hay for your horse, since all horses are different. 

It is important to get good quality alfalfa hay to ensure the nutrients needed to keep your horse's weight steady in the winter. We lab test and certify our Barn 21 alfalfa hay for this very reason, so we can be sure it will be a good source of nutrition for your horse. We get it from only the best growers in Arizona and you can be sure that our Barn 21 hay is the best around. 
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Slow feeders seem to be the latest trend in the horse industry. There are several varations all made with the goal in mind to slowly distribute hay to your horse. The idea behind the concept is horses were meant to be out in nature grazing all day long. Humans have kept horses in kept captivity and changed the way the eat, by feeding them large quanities twice a day where they tend to be quickly consumed. 

Some feel horses who feed off a slow feeder have better digestion, since the hay isn't gobbled up all at once in a single feeding and instead, it is munched on slowly. Some research shows that this can benefit your horse's overall health and keep them actively chewing and passing through food slower, which will provide a closer match with what they might be doing if they were out in nature. 

Pros: 

• Slow hay feeders can offer your horse a meal where they aren't consuming it too quickly.
• If they have premium alfalfa hay as their main diet, feeding through a slow feeder it can be less messy if the slow feeder is a bag or a bin and yeild less waste. 
• Slow hay feeders can prevent your horse from eating off the dirt and sand which can lesson the likelyhood of sand colic

Cons:

• Slow hay feeders can frustrate horses who aren't used to them, so you will need to introduce it slowly to them and offer free feed as well on the ground. If you are feeding large stemmed alfafla hay, hay bags can be extra frustrating since the large stems might be hard for the horse to pull through the holes in the bags. 
• Slow hay feeders can rub on a horse's mouth if they are tough nylon or plastic. Be sure to check your horse's teeth and gums to make sure it isn't causing a problem.
• Slow hay feeders - especially hay bag types that aren't tied down to anything can get moved out of a horse's reach if the horse pushes it out under the fence - so monitor your horse and make sure it is staying with-in reach of your horse in their paddock or pasture. 
  
  

Bottom line is this method is helpful to a large number of horses and is a good thing if managed and implemented in such a way where it doesn't frustrate or harm your horse and your horse is able to get the hay out. 

Premium Alfalfa hay is excellent for haybags as it can tend to flake off and tiny peices get spread out on the ground. With slow feed haybags, you can manage the waste. Also the barrel type of slow feeders work well for feeding alfalfa hay for the same reason, less mess and less waste. 

It is best to store your alfalfa hay in a clean dry location. Ideally a covered barn with little condensation. Hay should be stacked away from moisture and areas where wind can drive in water if it rains.

One of the questions Barn 21 gets the most, is "how long will it be good for?"
A typical load can last you longer, if you have it properly stored. Alfalfa will keep its nutrient level if it is out of the sun and not dried out. To protect your investment, if you have a issue with water, consider tarping your hay, but don't tarp it too tightly or it may naturally combust. Outside storage can wreck your hay quicker than any other storage location. You can get moisture in from both on the ground and on top if it is not stored on top of a platform. 

Alfalfa is easy to store, since it naturally is a tighter baled product, compared to grass or oat hay. You should be able to easily stack it and clean up excess mess to avoid mold growing on the ground and around your stacks. 

Winter is coming, be prepared and get your storage area ready now. Then you can be sure to enjoy your premium hay longer and your horses will thank you!