Posted 2010-08-18 12:27 PM (#123725) Subject: Hay help
New User
Posts: 3
HI,
I am new here and looking for some advice/help. My daughter and I have started trail riding and going to weekend shows. I have a circle j 2hrs angle. I travel with a camper on my truck and do not have, nor could I load a roof top hay rack. Does anyone have any ideas of a better way to take hay with you? I currently am putting it in my tack room, but along with all the other stuff..... room is limited.
I read on another forum about a rear door rack? Does anyone know anything about that or where I could get one? Or... opinions of same? ( I think it held 4 bales, which is more than adequate for me.)
Posted 2010-08-18 1:12 PM (#123728 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Put the bales of hay in individual zippered hay bags and carry them in the tow vehicle...? We did that for years. Bags keep hay residue out of the carpet.
Posted 2010-08-19 12:14 AM (#123752 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
The easiest way to load a roof top hay rack:
On your way out of town, stop by the feed store, purchase a bale of hay or two and let the feed store guys load it for you. Most places have hay stacked high enough that the loading part should be pretty easy.
Posted 2010-08-19 9:31 AM (#123762 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
jackbrat, that's great if you buy your hay. Around here we bale our own. There is not a feed store that could sell hay, way to much competition. We talked about putting a hayrack on, but my wife says no way would she climb up there to get hay (she's afraid of heights) and she would not use the tractor to put it up there.
Posted 2010-08-19 11:25 AM (#123767 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Veteran
Posts: 229
Riley 72, Don't rule out the hayrack. They are very handy for all manner of stuff besides hay. For loading hay, there is an inexpensive device called a "Bale Buddy" that attaches to your trailer. I don't use this, as I load from a barn loft. Also, check on the forum for previous discussions. I remember some women friendly ingenious loading techniques from some previous threads. One that I am sure would work well is best a two person deal, but easy. Set up an aluminum extension ladder, at an easy pitch, against the top of your hayrack ladder or hayrack top rail. Tie a rope to the baling twine. The person in the hayrack pulls the bales up. This has got to be pretty darn easy. Being as I am height adverse and fairly safety conscious, I would probably kneel or sit while I was pulling up the bales. On the same thread, a couple of gals said that they also did this method, but without the ladder. The ladder method seems easier and safer to me. BTW, hayracks come both with and without floors in them. I require floors, again, for safety. And, for some reason, even though I am afraid of heights, I don't have a problem with climbing the hayrack ladder. Maybe it's something about being fixed and not wobbly.
Posted 2010-08-19 11:33 AM (#123768 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
Riley72- We have a 3H slant and only haul two horses, so the front stall is for hay or whatever. We also will put it in the back of the truck if it is less than 100 miles and not raining. It's not very often that we aren't together, but for the occasions we're not is what I was talking about.
Posted 2010-08-19 3:10 PM (#123782 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
How about one of those racks that people haul a wheel-chair on, behind their vehicle? You would have to have installed a tow hitch on the back of the horse-trailer but I have seen tow hitches installed on the back of a horse-trailer before. I just saw one advertised at Camping world for like $100- Says it will carry up to 500 lbs. It would be low enough for some one to drag a bale of hay onto all by themselves. You would attach it after you loaded your horses and then take off before you unload your horses upon arrival.
Posted 2010-08-19 3:19 PM (#123784 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Regular
Posts: 63 Location: Eagle, Idaho
We buy those compressed bales. Around here they weight about 60 pounds each. I can get two in a bale bag that will only hold one regular bale. We use these all the time when camping. I store them in the truck bed just behind the window or under the gooseneck by the tail gate.
Posted 2010-08-20 6:07 AM (#123831 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
Have you considered dehy pellets or cubes. I know you said you put up your own hay but a 50 pound bag of dehy hay pellets would be easier to transport than a bale of hay.
Posted 2010-08-21 8:54 AM (#123876 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by Riley72 on 2010-08-18 12:27 PM
HI,
I am new here and looking for some advice/help. My daughter and I have started trail riding and going to weekend shows. I have a circle j 2hrs angle. I travel with a camper on my truck and do not have, nor could I load a roof top hay rack. Does anyone have any ideas of a better way to take hay with you? I currently am putting it in my tack room, but along with all the other stuff..... room is limited.
I read on another forum about a rear door rack? Does anyone know anything about that or where I could get one? Or... opinions of same? ( I think it held 4 bales, which is more than adequate for me.)
Posted 2010-08-21 9:21 AM (#123877 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Lockport, Illinois
Mount a "Step bumper hitch" on your trailer, buy a extended platform that slips in the receiver, put your hay in hay bags, so it doesn't get wet or picks up dirt.When you get to your destination you will have to remove the platform to unload your horses.
Posted 2010-08-21 3:26 PM (#123889 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824 Location: Kansas
I went to Walmart and bought one of those huge plastic storage tubs with wheels on the bottom. A whole bale of hay has to be squeezed in a little but I can still close the lid fine. Then I can either put it in the back of the truck and not worry about the rain, or I can put it in the dressing room and not worry about hay getting all over the place in the back. I'm pretty cheap and this has worked well for me. As you feed out the hay you have room to stick other things you may want to store.
Posted 2010-08-30 4:50 PM (#124216 - in reply to #123725) Subject: RE: Hay help
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 373 Location: Texas
Sounds like you have a set up somewhat like mine, and having a camper and bumper pull, makes us more creative to haul more feed and water since the bed of the truck is not an option
If you have a slant load, and no rear tack, you can put hay back in that corner, where a rear tack would go. Here is a picture where I secured a water tank in that spot:
With a steel trailer, you can have some rings welded inside the trailer, to be able to attach compression straps to hold the hay, water tank etc. in place. Make sure the straps are high enough to hold load, and very secure. The horse never gets over that far to get into things. You can place the hay in bale bags first. I have also strapped a single bale on the tonge of the trailer between the jack and front of the trailer, again, put in a bale bag, and have some rings put on the front of the trailer to attach straps to hold it secure. And last, some have hauled hay strapped on the fenders.
Hay help
