We normally make all our own haylage and we are very fussy about it. Not only does it have to be great quality when we make it but it has to be safe for feet - it goes without saying that its tasty stuff, smells amazing and the horses love it!
Last summer was difficult in many ways and factors outside our control meant we missed all the good weather in July, when we would normally try to cut, and only managed to make a third of our normal harvest.
Fortunately we had more than enough to get us through the winter but with horses on the track year round I knew I was likely to run short over the summer. Problem is, although its easy to find haylage, its not easy to find really good haylage which is safe for horses and their hooves.
Step forward Devon Haylage, whom I'd come across in the past when they asked to use a blog I wrote about hay and haylage. I was more than happy for them to share it, especially as I'd heard good things about their haylage from owners who used it.
What is particularly nice is that - along with the ryegrass and timothy haylage which they stock - they also have a native grass mix, which is taken from old leys - permanent pasture like ours which has a much richer variety of plants. I've now bought in a load of small bales from them to tide us over and I'm very pleased - the horses like it as much as our own and I think it will be a safe alternative.
So if any of you are looking for haylage then do keep an eye out for theirs. They understand forage, they understand horses and they understand how important nutrition is for hoof health.
PS: As you know, I don't often post reviews on here but when I do they are always completely unbiased and independent :-)
I wish this was available in the US. There is no such thing as small bale balage (haylage). Finding horse quality balage is near impossible and using 1000 lb bales is not a viable option for just one horse and two donkeys.
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