# Hay vs Cubes



## OnlySamwise (Jun 24, 2008)

I personally feed my horse Alfalfa hay and Timothy hay. I don't have any problem with people feeding their horses cubes . . . it's their horse and I'm fine with them doing what they want. I like to feed hay because my horse is in a stall most of her day so it gives her something more to do longer and I see it as more natural (this is my opinion. I don't have anything against cubes.). And Hoku likes it much better anyways and has great fun throwing it around :roll: :lol:.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I had never used cubes before but now use Alfalfa cubes more as a treat then a feed. I find that it is better then using those apple/grain horse treats I used to get at TSC. I add it to their grain during both feedings and a reward after a good ride or training session.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I mainly feed hay because it is easier and, IMHO, healthier. My horses have free access to mixed alfalfa and good grass hay right now and it allows them to forage when they choose more like they would naturally. Plus, I had a friend that fed his mare cubes but she bolted them, got choked, and they ended up having to put her down. I know that was probably a freak thing but it still makes me nervous.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

I feed hay in winter, summer they have pasture.. I don't feed cubes at all but I do feed my 30 yr old blind appy Alfalfa Pellets along with his Beet pulp and Total Equine as he just cannot eat enough hay due to tooth loss. I tried him on some alfalfa cubes, he didn't like em soaked or dry.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

We only feed free choice hay...just seems simpler/more natural.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

I like hay because it allows my horse to graze and as I understand it...grazing is important for a horses digestion.


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

I feed hay because overall it is cheaper & gives the horses something to chew on longer. I have fed cubes in the past when we had a drought and they worked fine, just hard on the pocketbook after awhile.


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## RidingBareback (Jul 1, 2009)

When I have horses staying with me they just graze with a little grain, too. In the winter they get hay.


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## OnlySamwise (Jun 24, 2008)

Hmmm, I guess it's a Hawaii thing then. Cubes are actually cheaper than hay here. We weigh each meal and we figured hay is about 5cents more a pound than cubes. A full bale of Alfalfa hay is $29.13 (100lb.), a full bale of Timothy hay is $33.76 (range between 100lb.-140lb.), and a 50lb. bag of cubes is $13.99. I was just wondering what you all do cause wherever I go everybody gives me a bad time about hay and thinks we're weird for weighing. It's interesting what you all do on the mainland .


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

OnlySamwise said:


> A full bale of Alfalfa hay is $29.13 (100lb.), a full bale of Timothy hay is $33.76 (range between 100lb.-140lb.), and a 50lb. bag of cubes is $13.99.


*cough, sputter, choke on drink* O,O No kidding!! Really good alfalfa here is about $180 a ton, which evens out to about $9 per 100 lbs and grass hay is even cheaper averaging about $5 per bale regardless of weight (though average is around 75 to 100 lbs). I guess it must just be the shipping to the islands that raises the prices so much. IDK. 

I don't believe that there is anything wrong with feeding straight alfalfa pellets so long as you stretch it out to at least 2 feedings per day and make sure that they aren't bolting it. If I were you, I would go that way just because it is so much cheaper.


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## goldilockz (Aug 1, 2008)

OnlySamwise said:


> Hmmm, I guess it's a Hawaii thing then. Cubes are actually cheaper than hay here. We weigh each meal and we figured hay is about 5cents more a pound than cubes. A full bale of Alfalfa hay is $29.13 (100lb.), a full bale of Timothy hay is $33.76 (range between 100lb.-140lb.), and a 50lb. bag of cubes is $13.99. I was just wondering what you all do cause wherever I go everybody gives me a bad time about hay and thinks we're weird for weighing. It's interesting what you all do on the mainland .


I think I may have just had a slight heart attack! I'm glad I didn't try to take my horse with me to Hawaii after all :lol:


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## OnlySamwise (Jun 24, 2008)

> I don't believe that there is anything wrong with feeding straight alfalfa pellets so long as you stretch it out to at least 2 feedings per day and make sure that they aren't bolting it. If I were you, I would go that way just because it is so much cheaper.


It's actually not that big a difference. $14 50lb cubes x2 is $28 100lb cubes compared to $29 Alfalfa hay 100lb.. So since it's not that much different I like to get hay.

Well I guess it makes up for weather and the sights +beach! 

Btw what do you guys pay for board? I pay $150 a month (not full service) but I just got "accepted" into a much nicer place with trails, bigger stall and paddock, and stuff and they charge around $250 a month (not full service).


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

Wowzers - $29.13 for 100 lbs of hay? I'm paying roughly $6 per 100 lbs of hay. I don't think I would be able to afford horses if I lived in Hawaii!


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## Jillyann (Mar 31, 2009)

OnlySamwise said:


> Btw what do you guys pay for board? I pay $150 a month (not full service) but I just got "accepted" into a much nicer place with trails, bigger stall and paddock, and stuff and they charge around $250 a month (not full service).



Here in NY at my barn, we pay 250 for full care stall board, and 200 for full care pasture board. Its about the going rate where I live, some barns can get up to 450-500$. My barn includes indoor arena, outdoor arena, LOTS of trails, round pen, large stalls, trailer parking, feed 2X a day, hay, and really huge pastures.. So I think its a pretty good deal. :lol:


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

$150-$250 is very reasonable for board. I've seen $75-$200 for self-service board (you do everything yourself) around here and $300-$500 for full service.


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## 7Ponies (May 21, 2009)

I feed both. The alfalfa cubes are cheaper than buying alfalfa hay. I soak it really well in water before feeding it to avoid choke. Both my horses love their cubes at lunchtime. They get hay with breakfast and dinner, lunch is their cubes.


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## OnlySamwise (Jun 24, 2008)

Jillyann said:


> Here in NY at my barn, we pay 250 for full care stall board, and 200 for full care pasture board. Its about the going rate where I live, some barns can get up to 450-500$. My barn includes indoor arena, outdoor arena, LOTS of trails, round pen, large stalls, trailer parking, feed 2X a day, hay, and really huge pastures.. So I think its a pretty good deal. :lol:


Wow! That is like the best deal! Although I like to do everything myself . Sounds real NICE! You're lucky


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## OnlySamwise (Jun 24, 2008)

Cat said:


> $150-$250 is very reasonable for board. I've seen $75-$200 for self-service board (you do everything yourself) around here and $300-$500 for full service.


Ya that's like here but I bet yours are tons nicer! We checked out one full board for $450 a month. They only fed cubes, had really junk stalls, and not a very pretty arena. And no trails! So I guess it really depends where you go here. Some places are really nice .


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