The Aged Owner

where I want to · #1 11/24/13, 02:00 PM

A post about not wanting to lift 50# grain bags in another forum got me thinking there ought to be a "how to do it smarter" thread for older horse poeple. So-

1) If you put a place to set a bag of grain next to the grain bin (like another garbage can or small table) you can actually take the bag from the back of the pickup to that table, hang the edge of the bag over the grain bin, open it and let the grain fall in. This means you never have to lift the grain sack up from the ground.
2) you can create a stair of hay bales then flip the hay bale end over end up the stair thus never having to lift more than one end of the bale which you then flip up the next step. I stack 120# bales this way. Oh- and get some hay hooks if you don't have them already. They reduce the distance you have to bend over to grab the bale.
3) If you have a 50# salt block on the ground, you can roll it into your garden cart without having to pick it up if you just put your foot behind a wheel to keep the cart from rolling away as you flip the block in.
4) I built a platform like a loading dock for my hay storage- I can back the pickup to it and just pull the have over with any lifting at all.
5) they make plactic handles you can attach to your manure picker that allow you to pick and keep much more upright- a back saver.

More?

SFM in KY · #2 11/24/13, 03:31 PM

We've got a small tractor with a bucket on the front (Mahindra, a little bigger than a Ford 8N) and use that for a lot of 'lifting' ... 50# sacks of feed go from the bed of the pickup to the various feed barrels.

I also have a plastic toboggan which will slide easily along grass (or mud) that I use to move salt blocks or anything heavy for any distance.

I also have a step stool I keep by the round pen so I can step from that to the stirrup easily and mount with less effort.

bergere · #3 11/24/13, 03:34 PM

Have a strong son or husband to help.

They have horse manure vacuums you can pull behind your lawn tractor. Once DS is done with college and out of the house, will have to get one of those.

SFM in KY · #4 11/24/13, 03:42 PM

We do have a 20-something grandson ... which definitely helps ...

Also, all of our stalls/shelters are now set up with stalls/pens done with portable corral panels so we can clean with the tractor ... combination of the bucket in front and a grader blade behind. Doesn't do quite as good a job as hand/pitchfork but it works and is the difference between getting it done fairly well and not being able to do it at all.

Molly Mckee · #5 11/24/13, 05:36 PM

We got a smaller Kubota 4x4 tractor with a bucket as well. It also has a snow blower. It is much easier to use in the barn and yard than the big tractors.

We bought a Polaris Ranger to haul wood and things around the property. We can run a sprayer on it as well if we want to.

We really appreciate the fact that we are lucky enough to have a DD, SIL, niece and nephew and their families within 2 miles, and we are all willing to help each other if needed.

where I want to · #6 11/24/13, 08:56 PM

My little tractor died 8 years ago and I have never replaced it. I guess I have always hated the noise and maintenance of the things anyway. That and always have to get gas.
In line with that, I take woren stall mats and make runways to the poop pile so that I never have to drag the cart through the mud.

bergere · #7 11/25/13, 05:22 AM

Having water lines right at the troughs would help.
Another thing I have been hoping to get soon.

Having pastures big enough they just need to be dragged a couple of times a year makes it easier.

Tractor does help a lot.

But if there comes a time I can't get help for moving hay... I will have to give up the horses. Moving them myself, is no longer an option sadly.

where I want to · #8 11/25/13, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergere

But if there comes a time I can't get help for moving hay... I will have to give up the horses. Moving them myself, is no longer an option sadly.

I get the bulk of my hay delivered and stacked through the back door of the shed, then start feeding out from the front working my way to the back. I only have to move the bales that I buy to bridge over from the last of that hay to new hay delivery.

Wolfy-hound · #9 11/25/13, 11:35 AM

Hay hooks with good handles make things ten times easier.

Straps to put around a bag of feed so you can hang onto the strap rather than attempting to grip the slick bag with your fingers helps too. I'd roll a 100 lb bag of feed onto a hay net and use the hay net to hold onto instead of trying to hold a large slick bag.

Dragging a salt block in a canvas bag or on a piece of tarp was always easier than picking it up and carrying it. Also, eliminates the salt all over my clothing which encouraged critters to lick or chew at it when I wasn't paying enough attention.

Moving fence posts, I never picked up one or two to carry. I would loop a rope around the ends of a few(depending on what size, up to ten small ones!) and drag them, lifting only the one end so they didn't dig into the ground. (think travois almost). I also had my horse pull large corner posts and telephone pole sections the same way. Less trips and WAY less wear-and-tear on me, since I never picked up the whole post.

My rules were "Never pick up anything you can drag". If there was mud between the two spots, using a piece of canvas or tarp kept the item out of the muck.

Teej · #10 11/25/13, 10:47 PM

I've found that carrying the poo out one scoop at a time bothers my back way less than wrestling with a wheelbarrow. Takes more time but that just means I get a longer workout, which I more than need anyway.

Hubby usually goes and gets the grain which is stored in the main barn then I take it as needed to the other 2 barns. My 4-wheeler is my friend with this chore. Thank goodness it's only 50 lb. bags and not 100 like Wolfy-hound gets because I don't think I could manage those.

Putting up hay every year is the toughest chore for us. Couldn't do it at all without the hay elevator. I transfer the bales from the trailer onto the elevator which carries it to the hay mow where hubby and another (usually his son) stack it. Wish you could still find teenagers to hire but most are not willing to work that hard. We actually only put in 200-300 square bales every year and rely on round bales for the most part. We have a tractor to use for those.

bergere · #11 11/26/13, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where I want to

I get the bulk of my hay delivered and stacked through the back door of the shed, then start feeding out from the front working my way to the back. I only have to move the bales that I buy to bridge over from the last of that hay to new hay delivery.

I tried that with 5 different places the first year I was here. That didn't work out real well.

Every single one of them, showed me some super nice hay,, they charged me an arm and a leg to deliver, and the stuff they tried to deliver to me... was moldy or so course, if I fed it to my horse's they would colic. Heck, I wouldn't even feed that stuff to cattle.

Jill told me about a good hay Farm, that is where I now get my hay from, but I have to rent a flat bed trailer to go get it.... those folks are honest... but they did tell me, the locals in my area, seem to think it is ok to bait and switch....
They would show buyers their hay, then try to give them junk.
Never lived any where, that people do that.

NH, CA, WA and Oregon, no problem, could get nice hay delivered and stacked.

For feeding... I stuff the hay in slow feeder hay bags, super easy for me to handle and put up.

where I want to · #12 11/26/13, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergere

I tried that with 5 different places the first year I was here. That didn't work out real well.

Every single one of them, showed me some super nice hay,, they charged me an arm and a leg to deliver, and the stuff they tried to deliver to me... was moldy or so course, if I fed it to my horse's they would colic. Heck, I wouldn't even feed that stuff to cattle.

NH, CA, WA and Oregon, no problem, could get nice hay delivered and stacked.

For feeding... I stuff the hay in slow feeder hay bags, super easy for me to handle and put up.

Sheesh- they wouldn't take it back? I have had bad hay delivered twice and the feed store came to pick it up. They simply sell it to a cow place or return it to the broker.

bergere · #13 11/27/13, 04:34 PM

3 did, 2 did not..or did not want to.

But the 3 that did, won't refund the $$$ delivery cost, even though they were the ones being dishonest.

First state I have ever had this issue..

Wolfy-hound · #14 11/28/13, 01:22 PM

To clarify, I USED to handle those 100 lb bags... now I'd complain for a few days if I had to move a dozen of those! I now get only 50lb bags, but the same principle applies to those too. Especially since the feed I get likes slick pretty paper outer shells.

moxiegal62 · #15 11/29/13, 09:13 AM

I have chickens, not horses, but still purchase the #50 bags of feed. I get help from someone in the store to load them to the cart, then the checkers calls someone to load them to my truck bed. When I get home, I back up the truck to the coop/tin shed door, pull the feed barrel out to the tailgate, and unzip the feed bag over the barrel opening. So far so good.

SueMc · #16 11/29/13, 10:17 AM

I also highly recommend a hay elevator. I can still stack hay and I can drag it off the wagon onto the elevator but I can't heave it up into the loft from the wagon manually. DH usually stacks it as I sent it up the elevator. I also think a hay hook is a necessity. DH and son don't use them often but I have to have one especially when moving bales very far.
Also, I have one of those metal heavy duty garden wagons like you see at some nursery's. It's great for hauling loads. A bale of hay fits in it perfectly and the sides drop down so you don't have to pick anything heavy up and over them. I also use it to haul my full milker and extraneous milking supplies to the house from the barn.
I can still carry 50lb bags of feed to the barn but have to drape it over my feed box to empty it. I pick up chicken/turkey and horse chow at the store but ask to have it loaded in my truck by an employee.

We're going to be building a new barn soon and I want hay storage to be ground level and not up in a loft. DH thinks a barn should have a loft so he may be putting hay away by himself one of these days. He's 60 and I'm not far behind so think we should get a little smarter about things.

I too wish we could still find young guys to hire at hay time. I thought the last one we hired was going to keel over in the field. I finally paid him and sent him home. He looked pretty fit too.
I talked to a MO winery owner once who said he can't even find kids to hire to pick grapes anymore. The only help he could ever get was retired folks.
I've never understood paying to participate in a fitness center but not be willing to do outdoors, manual labor and get paid for it!

I like the plastic sled idea! Going to have to get one!

Joshie · #17 11/30/13, 03:24 PM

We are fortunate to have our own hay field. We go halfzies with the guy who cuts it. This year we asked if he would stack it in exchange for some extra hay. We have a smaller tractor but I am not strong enough or tall enough to drive it.

We could never afford an elevator but I do the rolling thing to get hay from the top. I also use bales to kind or roll them to the top. We do 't feed grain so that eliminates a lot of heavy lifting. I think a lot of horses who get grain could do just as well without it. I find I do much better by rolling hay. Our horsey guy made a very nice hook but it isn't easy to use.

Minelson · #18 11/30/13, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where I want to

5) they make plactic handles you can attach to your manure picker that allow you to pick and keep much more upright- a back saver.

More?

I have never seen that...got a link?

where I want to · #19 11/30/13, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

I have never seen that...got a link?

Yes- it's called Stout's Backsavergrip - and I saw Amazon has it but I bought it through their website and then found them in my local hardware store.
http://www.amazon.com/...page=1&rh=...cksaver%20grip

I use one on my manure picker and on the pitchfork. I think I tried it on my push broom but I was not happy with that.
Basically it took a bit of learning- I now stand more sideways at poop pile to pick. But no bending at all and lifting to carry the forkfull is easy.
To adjust it to the right place on the handle, I put it on loosely and stand in the position where the fork just touches the ground- that is where I tighten it on.

SueMc · #20 12/01/13, 09:47 AM

That grip looks really handy! I often have the hay fork roll in my hands when I pick up an unbalanced, heavy load.
Thanks for the link.

Joshie, we found our very used elevator pretty cheap. It took a lot of lubricating, a new cord and a little motor work but it works great. I think there are so many people baling rolls rather than squares that the old elevators are not being used as much.

This method of stacking hay look great!