Hay, hay baby

Giving hay to horses isn't as easy as it might sound. I have just discovered that distributing hay on a SSSI site doesn't just cause a problem with the seeds or poaching, it introduces additional nutrients (beyond that which the ponies get from the site itself) into the soil and risks breaching the site's Nitrate Neutral status. The site at Hook is a designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zone and therefore the Trust has to very closely monitor the livestock numbers on site to ensure they are not overloading certain areas with nutrients. 

The only exception to the non-supplementary feeding regulation is if the ground is covered with snow. 

This morning, Tom, the Reserves Manager, and the grazing team, loaded the rugged terrain vehicle to deliver hay to all of the grazing animals on the various sites, and mine were no exception.

Whilst the long-eared and long-legged equines at Fritham have settled into an amicable arrangement when it comes to being fed hay in close proximity - probably because it never seems to run out - the ponies at Hook are more likely to squabble amongst themselves with Patsy and Blue being the most likely to get left out.

I was slightly worried about the arrangements made and very pleased when Tom kindly agreed to go back and spread it all out a little more. 

This long pile...led to this scenario...with Blue looking a little forlorn

...and was resolved happily.

Seems we've all got a bit to learn. Horses are not livestock and SSSI sites are not fields!

It reminded me of this little essay I saw on Facebook, written by an unknown farmer:

Some early observations on the differences:

Put one mare out with one stallion, all hell breaks loose. Mare threatens to come through the fence or over the gate, all at 400 mph. My heart rate peaks at 1257 bpm and I have no fingernails left. After what feels like an eternity, they calm down. Mare lame. Multi million dollar vet bill pending.

Put one bull out with 18 cows. Complete non event. Absolutely nothing to report.

Remove one horse from ‘friend’ that it has always hated. Absolute pandemonium ensues. Life flashes before my eyes and I remember I must renew the life insurance if I survive this.

Remove one cow from entire herd.

Comes quietly for handful of corn.

Horses breakout of field. Horses have complete meltdown at lack of boundaries. No amount of ‘whoaing’ or bucket shaking will calm them. After many laps of the farm they forget why they are running. Two are lame, one is tying up, one suspected soft tissue injury and one half hearted attempt at a colic. Further multi million dollar vet bill pending.

Cattle break out of field. Ringleader is wearing the 7 bar gate as a necklace. All cows congregate approximately 2 ft from field at nearest grass verge. Remove necklace from ringleader. Not a mark to be seen. Wave magic blue wand. All cows returned to field.

Horse comes in from field with 1cm scratch that has barely removed hair. Immediately clean, apply bandage, check available balance on credit card. Next morning horse can only stand on 3 legs. Call vet and priest. After all, horse will require many millions in vets bills and divine intervention to recover from its scratch.

Comes in missing a leg with rusted barbed wire embedded in the wound. Call vet who says there’s no need for him to come out and will put up antibiotics for you to collect. Return to administer antibiotics to find cow has miraculously regrown leg and shows no sign of injury or lameness.

Stash antibiotics in medicine cupboard with the rest of the hoard.

Author Unknown