# Horse hay



## wfbvcf (Aug 21, 2010)

I am planning a planting of ten acres into hay that would be marketed to horse owners. Looking for ideas of what to plant. I want to avoid orchardgrass as it matures too early for my siuation. My earlier cut hay goes to my cows. Should I plant a pure stand of timothy or smooth bromegrass, another variety or some mixture. Should I include a legume? What stage of maturity should I cut at. I am located in central Vermont.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

*There are new improved orchardgrasses mature later then the old common orchardgrass.You could take you first cut for cow feed and later cuttings for horse hay?http://www.producerschoiceseed.com/products/forage-legumes-and-grasses/quickdraw-orchardgrass/*

*Timothy seems to be prefered by some horse people.New improved varieties yld better.http://www.producerschoiceseed.com/products/forage-legumes-and-grasses/titan-timothy/*

*Smooth brome you get 1 good cutting and not much after that.Meadow Brome would be a better choice.http://www.producerschoiceseed.com/products/forage-legumes-and-grasses/paddock-meadow-brome/*

*A mix may be better all around for yield.Something like this.http://www.producerschoiceseed.com/products/forage-legumes-and-grasses/equine-hay-and-pasture-mix/*


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

I have had good luck with Reed canary grass, believe it or not, and it isn't even one of the new and improved varieties! Horse people seem to love the second crop! First crop isn't bad, if you can get it off early. The interesting thing is that it is said to do well on drouthy ground as well as wet!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

wfbvcf said:


> I am planning a planting of ten acres into hay that would be marketed to horse owners. Looking for ideas of what to plant. I want to avoid orchardgrass as it matures too early for my siuation. My earlier cut hay goes to my cows. Should I plant a pure stand of timothy or smooth bromegrass, another variety or some mixture. Should I include a legume? What stage of maturity should I cut at. I am located in central Vermont.


You live in ideal Timothy climate.....I would grow Timothy if I were in your location as you will be able to get more than one cutting due to your mild summers and horse people love Timothy......you can't go wrong.....a sure sale.

Regards, Mike


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

More info on Reed canary grass

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI5533.html

HTH, Dave


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## CockrellHillFarms (Aug 30, 2011)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> More info on Reed canary grass
> 
> http://www.extension...ems/DI5533.html
> 
> HTH, Dave


Interesting that you say your ppl love it and that you grow it for them. Lol. Around here that is consider a Bad Bad weed. Last fall I took a brome field out for a gal that I do custom work for because it had Canary grass starting to take over part of the field. Between Johnson grass and canary grass, if its in the bale. People wont buy it here.


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## bensbales (Jul 18, 2011)

Where in vermont are you ,i am in hinesburg. I have had good luck with late maturing timothy, but if you are looking to bale second cut for horses and want something that will give you a large yield i would suggest reed canary grass. If you can cut it for your cows in the beginning or middle of june you could get up to 75- 40# bales per acre on a second cutting and horses realy like second cutting reed canary . Just my 2 cents. good luck


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

CockrellHillFarms said:


> Interesting that you say your ppl love it and that you grow it for them. Lol. Around here that is consider a Bad Bad weed. Last fall I took a brome field out for a gal that I do custom work for because it had Canary grass starting to take over part of the field. Between Johnson grass and canary grass, if its in the bale. People wont buy it here.


My experience has been pretty much "spot on" with what the Univ of Minn is saying! I haven't seeded any, it's all been here for 30 years or more! I guess that I'm lucky that my customers don't have any preconceived notions about it!


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## wfbvcf (Aug 21, 2010)

Thanks for all the input. Reed Canary won't work as I have other fields I need to cut earlier. I also have a vague memory of Vermont discouraging it's planting because it is considerd invasive. I am leaning towards straight timothy. someone suggested including some brome as they claimed the brome had a stronger green color.


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

Confucious says: Horse hay is whatever a horse will eat. Timothy is a good bet for you.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> I have had good luck with Reed canary grass, believe it or not, and it isn't even one of the new and improved varieties! Horse people seem to love the second crop! First crop isn't bad, if you can get it off early. The interesting thing is that it is said to do well on drouthy ground as well as wet!


Karen just asked me a few days ago what the wide bladed grass was in the hay.She says her horse loves it.She said it was picking that out of the hay and eating it first.The hay was 2nd cutting Orchard/Bluegrass with some common Reedcanary grass growing in a waterway that got cut and baled with the rest of the hay.


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

shortrow said:


> Confucious says: Horse hay is whatever a horse will eat.


LOL. I've gotten to the point where if someone calls up and wants to know if I have "horse hay", I tell them "No, I've got some excellent quality cow hay for $x / bale that a lot of folks buy for horses. You can come by and I'll give you a bale if you want to try it." Those that take me up on that offer always buy.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> Karen just asked me a few days ago what the wide bladed grass was in the hay.She says her horse loves it.She said it was picking that out of the hay and eating it first.The hay was 2nd cutting Orchard/Bluegrass with some common Reedcanary grass growing in a waterway that got cut and baled with the rest of the hay.


Glad to hear from you & Karen that it makes her horse happy! That gives a little credibility to what I'm saying! I think that RCG gets a bad rap because of what it is when over mature! Sorta like OG only more so! I send "mature" RCG for mulch, and the guys love it because it goes through the shredder/blower so well!


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## simangus (May 13, 2012)

here in N.M. horse people and race track owners love timothy and a mountain brome mix with a little clover and red top , here i can get up 15 dollars a small bale.


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