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Member
Posts: 8
Location: Dayton, OHio | I'm traveling this summer on a 20 day long camping trip (lucky me!), and am wondering what is the best way to use the hay rack. How do I keep the hay from getting soaked if we have a good rain? Tarp with tie downs? Anyone here with experience using a hayrack to haul hay?Most of the people I know with racks don't use their racks for hay. I have an extra stall in the trailer so typically bring hay in there, but on this trip, I need more space... |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420
Location: Iowa | How much hay will you be taking with you? |
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Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah | Tarp it. Put the tarp up first. set the hay in the tarp and warp it up. Bottom, Sides, Top all need to be covered. Place all the folds in the tarp so the face away from driven wind as you drive and so that gravity will push water inside. I don't know where you are traveling/camping. But if you come from the East to the West. All public land in most western states will require Certified Weed Free Hay. I understand that can be difficult to find back East and puts travelers in the position of having to buy hay from unknown sources along their travel route. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | In our part of the country, our bales are commonly rectangular, weighing ~60#-70#s each. The larger contractor's garbage bags available at the big box stores, will completely hold one bale, and can be wrapped or taped to seal the bale from the environment. Some times handling one bale at a time, is easier than trying to wrap and unwrap an entire load each time you need one bale. Having each one wrapped individually, and having a tarp covering the whole lot, would ensure the best weather protection. |
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Veteran
Posts: 231
Location: Illinois | hint: when I haul hay in the 3rd stall...I stack them on end..they ride better and I can get more in there... |
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Expert
Posts: 2957
Location: North Carolina | Originally written by gard on 2010-04-13 5:26 AM In our part of the country, our bales are commonly rectangular, weighing ~60#-70#s each. The larger contractor's garbage bags available at the big box stores, will completely hold one bale, and can be wrapped or taped to seal the bale from the environment. Some times handling one bale at a time, is easier than trying to wrap and unwrap an entire load each time you need one bale. Having each one wrapped individually, and having a tarp covering the whole lot, would ensure the best weather protection. In my experience, The tarp covering the poly bags is essential. The wind on a long trip (400 miles+) will shred the poly bags. |
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Veteran
Posts: 229
| TPompei. I second Painted Horse on the tarp. And, if you don't double stack, at least turn them on edge in the rack to get more in. Also, I second Painted Horse on "check your camping location if you are coming out west". The National Forest Service has had a crack down on the weed free thing. It varies from forest to forest. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 781
Location: La Cygne, KS | I use zippered 600 denier nylon bags. I have found that Justin makes the best and most durable bags. Horse.com hay bale bags are ok, but don't last as long becuase the bags only have one zipper instead of the two that Justin bale bags have. So if you break a zipper, the horse.com bags become useless unless you can find a heavy duty sewing machine to repair. I can buy them locally for $20 a bag. |
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Member
Posts: 8
Location: Dayton, OHio | Great ideas. Thanks for sharing. |
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Member
Posts: 35
Location: PA | When I went out west I ended up using hay cubes. They came in 50 lb. bags and are really handy. I soak them down with water before I feed them to the horses so you can have the added benefit of keeping your horse hydrated. Good luck and have a good time. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330
Location: northeast Texas | I dont know how many horses you are taking but even for just 1 that will take alot of hay. I think I might load about 1/2 of what I need and call ahead to make arrangements for puchasing from a supplier in one of my destinations. They are right about the weed free hay thing. You can purchase certified weed free chopped or cubed hay from some feed stores. In Texas our local Tractor Supply Company carries it. This bagged hay could be an easy way to suppliment your needed amount, satisfy the weed free hay issue or tide you over until you can purchase more hay in route. Also note that you cannot haul uncertified hay into a weed free zone even if it is wrapped and not fed. If you decide to suppliment with bagged hay, you might want to get the horses used to it before hand. Calling ahead to extension agents, livestock health agencies, vet offices, feed stores,etc., found listed online, can give you needed information about available area feed sources and what is required. |
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Location: Central Arkansas | I would check with the states I would be hauling thru. We had all of hay confiscated at a NM ag station a few years ago. Even made us sweep out the hay finds under the horses! Then, they just happened to have a map to the local feed store. |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | I would make some phone calls before leaving home. Pick up the hay you need locally when you get there or shortly before. |
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Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah | It really is up to the descretion of the particular forest service or blm office how they administer the weed free program. I know that when I go into Yellowstone. They allow NO HAY into the park. It doesn't matter if its certified or not. They also require that the trailer be swept clean. No hay or manure on the floor. They are not only concerned about weed seeds, But they don't want any Non-Native seeds to enter the park. A lot of the BLM in central Utah, not only wants Certified Weed Free hay, but they will not allow any Oat hay at all. Other places just want to see the tags on the bales, and they ask if you have been feeding the Certified hay for 3 days prior to your trip. For us locals we kinda learn what each district is looking out for and deal with it. For you travelers, I know it can be tough, you think you have eveything covered and then they confiscate your hay. Pellets are always a safe choice. As the grinding process to make the pellets, destroys any seeds. that's not the case with hay cubes. They are chopped and cubed, So there still could be seeds in the cubes. So certified hay cubes will satisfy some agencies, But not Yellowstone for example where they don't want ANY seeds. If you come out west, ( and the original poster didn't specify where her camping would be) check with the land managers for that area and see what they wil or won't allow. |
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