Soaked Hay
| December 15, 2010 | Posted by Melinda under Uncategorized |
Today I have decided to start soaking my horse’s hay. Or at least, that’s what it looks like.
Today they were predicted showers, not unremitting downpours. In fact, it was a paltry 40% chance of showers.
Today I bought hay, since at approximately 11 am it looked like this forecast was accurate. Although it was overcast, it wasn’t raining. I had plenty of time to buy hay, go to my (working) lunch, and unload hay at the stable.
As you can imagine, that neat little plan started to rapidly disintegrate (much like my bales, currently in the back of the pick up) the moment I walked into the feedstore.
They had only 2 bales of the hay I feed.
Then it started to sprinkle.
I was faced with a choice. Buy 2 bales, which will get me through next week when they are expecting a load – but risk them getting wet….OR return tomorrow (which is the date I really do need that hay!), hope it’s dry AND hope no one else has bought the bales.
I bought the bales.
I parked in downtown and went to my lunch.
It started to torrentially downpour.
Lunch ran late.
I had to go directly back to the plant instead of unloading hay.
It rained even harder.
I texted my co-worker (and fellow livestock owner) and asked the rhetorical question – “I have hay in the back of my truck. Do u think they r getting wet?”
It continued to pour. And pour and pour and pour.
Finally, after a surprisingly busy day I’m at home. The hay still isn’t unloaded, it’s still raining, and (surprise!) the hay is wet.
In hindsight, I perhaps had a lapse of judgment. However, considering it is 9pm and I worked 1am-5am, 9a-3:30p shift today, I’m thinking that if the hay is the only causality of the day, I’m doing pretty good.
On the other hand, I’ve had bales get soaked in downpours (like the one in the back of my truck coming home from the Nevada ride last season) that ended up just fine to feed.
More tragic is the fact my horse’s feet didn’t get done today, AGAIN. I missed my farrier’s appointment last week and it’s time for me to pull on my big girl mud boots and get the job done myself.
Here in the Swamp, hay that gets ANY rain is wrecked–we have to use it for chicken bedding! Mold spores are everywhere, and it takes no time at all to convert to slime.
I guess there are even more advantages to your dry(ish) climate than I knew…sigh.
Same here, AareneX. Wet hay means trashed hay.
You all should definatly all move out here! Where it’s drier and preppier and less moldy and definitely more pretentious….