Prep for Hay

Yesterday was a fairly productive day. Of course, not until late. Once again, we wrapped up chores in the dark. I haven't been out in the mornings at my normal 5:30am chore time for the past couple of weeks. I'm getting a little spoiled and its' going to be such a wakeup call when I have to go back to my old routine. I think the horses will prefer it though.

In our mad search for our full winter supply of hay, we decided to purchase some small square bales (fondly known as idiot bales). Mike hooked up the trailer yesterday and in the evening picked up our load of small squares. It'll be nice to have the small squares on hand during emergencies and when we need to go on travel with one or two horses. I shy away from small squares because Mike is allergic to hay and I hate to ask him to handle hay when it causes him so many problems. But it was his idea! :-)

Mom and Dad came down yesterday evening to help unload and fill the barn with the small squares. What a blessing it is to have such good family (and friends). I really am counting my blessings. Normally we would have waited for a cooler day or at least another day where Mike wouldn't have to touch every bale twice. But we borrowed our neighbor's trailer (the one where the big herd is at) and thought it best to get his trailer back. I don't know what we would do without that neighbor. Again, totaly blown away by people's generosity. Our flatbed is full of shingles for the house. Someday we'll get a new roof on the house but that's for another day.

After the bales were nicely stacked in the barn, Mom went to down cleaning out the hay shed. Apparently we are getting our half order of hay from our hay supplier later this week. I love it when Mom comes down. That lady knows how to clean! Everything looks so nice and I'm excited to see the hay shed filled with hay, even if it's only half a load. It's just that much more comfort knowing its' there. Luckily, I wont' have to pay for that hay for a few months.

We did find another hay supplier that has round bales. It's not as easy to handle round bales and it's going to be a long haul, but at least we'll have our other half of our winter hay supply. Unfortunately, I have to pay for that right away. After just paying for all of last year's hay, I have to turn around and find just about the same amount of cash for half that amount within about a week. It's not an easy task when I'm footing the bill for everything. Trust me, my paycheck is not large, Mike and I have simply learned to live without a lot. We will most likely have to make four trips to bring all 40 round bales home. I'm not looking forward to the endeavor but at least we'll have decent hay. If anyone is willing to help out, we'd be eternally in your favor.

Zeke is now in with Jim and Bo (and out of the Timeout Pen). Because our hay supplier is coming, hopefully tomorrow, I  need to move the ponies to the Timeout Pen. Of course, it wont' be a timeout pen then. I've been saving the last little bit of pasture for the ponies (because they are the only ones who can get to it). I'm sure they will enjoy the taste of green grass. But I  need the ponies out of the way and the three naughy horses in the barn when the hay supplier gets here so that we can load hay into the hay barn. I'm not exactly sure if the hay will fit. The old barn sags more and more every year and it gets tighter every year. It's fun to watch them load the barn and the shed full of hay. I think every horse person knows the relief of having a barn full of hay. It's going to be a tough year for hay. I expect once the neighbor's pasture is done (I'm guessing by mid Sept) that I'll be feeding hay morning and night. Aggrevating but I refuse to let them get thin.

I'm sure there was more that I was going to write about but I'm drawing a blank right now.