HAY, HAY, HAY, is there mold on your hay?
Not only is moldy hay toxic to horses, perhaps even causing colic and death, but the ruination can be costly.
Because our climate is so damp, extra steps need to be taken to safely store it. I’m no expert, but I do know if you store hay outside you can’t just throw a blue tarp over it and think it will be OK. (Did that, and ruined it).
Hay will wick moisture up from the ground, so it should be stored off the ground. Most folks I know, myself included, store it on top of wooden pallets.
I prepared the ground under my pallets by laying a textile fabric (road underlayment works well), gravel and more fabric. Others place the pallets over a cement, wood or rubber mat floor.
While I wish I had a closed barn to store it in, I don’t. I have a three-sided shed with a metal roof.
Works fine, but it’s three-sided and has a metal roof that condensates. The air inside can fill with moisture, so I protect the hay by throwing a plastic tarp over it.
If you need to store your hay outside, a regular tarp won’t work. You need to use a well-drained site and then cover the top and all sides completely with a heavy duty tarp designed to protect hay.
If it’s not available locally, you can find them online at such as www.farmtek.com.
If you don’t have a hay tarp, I’ve been successful double-tarping with heavy-duty tarps readily available locally.
It’s important not to lay the tarps directly on the hay. First, I place PVC pipes over the top and sides, stretch the tarp over it and anchor it with tent pegs.
Then, using more PVC pipes and couplings, tent a tarp over it the first one so they two don’t touch one another. Took a bit of work, yes, but my hay didn’t get ruined or moldy.
Tarps don’t last forever though, so they must be in good condition to be effective. A tarp with a hole or rip in it can be worse than no cover at all.
I’d love to hear from others what methods they use for successful hay storage.
Junior rodeo
Rodeo season is over for the year for our Peninsula Junior Rodeo, and the final points have been tallied. But that doesn’t mean the work is over for these athletes.
Their season generally runs from March to August with seven rodeos in their circuit. They travel from Long Beach to Sumas with several stops in between.
Most of these kids participate in other organizations as well, such as 4-H, Patterned Speed Horse and Washington High School Equestrian Team (WAHSET), and attend many barrel races, roping events and clinics throughout the year.
For them, rodeo isn’t just a sport, it’s their chosen lifestyle. Daily, they feed and care for their horses, rain or shine, hot or freezing.
They need to practice and work hard to keep their horses in shape. Even when it rains, they need to keep their mounts’ muscles conditioned and in tip-top shape.
Just like people, the likelihood of injury for a horse is great when running, turning and racing with weak muscles. It takes dedication, hard work and lots of time for these horse-loving youths (and their parents) to help their animals perform at their best.
For them, it’s a labor of love and worth it.
To learn more about junior rodeo, call Jennie Wilson at 360-461-9423.
Results
■  Amelia Hermann —Named All Around Junior Girl. She placed sixth in barrel-racing; third in breakaway roping; fourth in pole-bending; and fifth in steer daubing.
■  Rhett Wilson — Names All Around Junior Boy. He placed fourth in breakaway roping; fourth in goat tying; second in steer daubing.
■  Emily VanAusdle — Named All Around Senior Girl and All Around Senior Girl Saddle Winner. She placed third in barrel-racing; sixth in breakaway roping; first in goat tying; fifth in pole-bending; and first in team roping header.
New acronym
The local horse rescue operation formerly known as Eyes that Smile is now called OPEN. It stands for Olympic Peninsula Equine Network.
Founders Valerie Jackson and Diane Royall have worked tirelessly for years rescuing, rehabilitating and helping to re-home horses using leased land and their own backyards.
Finally, they are starting work on OPEN’s new home at 251 Roupe Road in Sequim. Currently, it has power, water and lots of pasture. In January, the group will start building shelters, paddocks and an arena.
To help fund and build this much needed facility and to fund ongoing feed and care costs or to volunteer at their barn-raising party, contact Royall at 360-582-9455, dyroyall@yahoo.com or mail a donation to P.O. Box 252, Sequim, WA 98382.
OPEN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so all donations are tax deductible.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears every other Sunday.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also write Griffiths at PDN, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.