Horsekeeping
Lucky enough to have a horse.
Awareness of the outside world. Recover with integrity. “Corruption thrives in times of crisis … The urgent responses required, however, led some States to trade compliance, oversight and accountability for achievement of rapid impact, thus creating significant opportunities for corruption.” UN: International Anti-Corruption Day. I assume the UN is referring to nation-states rather than US states.
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Rodney is back on alfalfa.
A few weeks ago, the horses stopped getting their morning digestif.
It wasn’t a policy statement. The small pile of alfalfa bales ended up hidden behind a large pile of coastal bales. The alfalfa slid off my radar. Possibly a lingering effect of my distrust of Thoroughbreds on high-test (twitch, shudder).
Rodney’s weight drifted downward. His moodiness level drifted upward.
Okay, okay, I hear you. Finally.
Rodney promises to keep his cookies in the cookie jar and I promise to feed him a small amount of alfalfa for the calories and potential tummy-soothing properties.
Milton gets a taste because giving nothing wouldn’t be fair.
The Alfalfa Adventures, A Look Back
Rodney was more than willing to clean up whatever Mathilda was unwilling to eat. He can be quite the contortionist when alfalfa is on the line. [Grocery List] 2013
Alfalfa hay? Shredded money? Is there a difference? [Foto Friday: Mystery Material] When your geriatric horse gets anything she wants. 2014
There was an interlude of alfalfa cubes somewhere in here. I was never behind the experiment, so I don’t think I reported it. [Feed Adventures, Part 1 of 2] 2016
(Previous Horse) was nuts the next day. Jumped great but was impossible to handle … This was from alfalfa fumes. Ever since then, I have been jittery about feeding alfalfa hay. [Rodney’s Recap, Heat, Liberty, and Hay, March 2020]
(Milton) Gets a small serving of alfalfa when Rodney gets his [Recap]. He also is managing to keep the lid on. [Milton’s Moments, Driving Practice, Liberty Work, and Bite of Hay, March 2020]
Because it’s easy to overlook the obvious, one reason we added alfalfa was because of a hay shortage. [Annoying Shortages Not Related To The Virus, But Of Course The Current Situation Makes Everything Worse] April 2020
Now that he is getting all of his coastal, I’m hoping I can reduce the amount of alfalfa. [Here’s An Idea, Let’s Change Several Variables At Once, Saddle, Schedule, and Diet, Part 2, Rodney] October 2020
We have also tried alfalfa pellets and bagged alfalfa bales.
Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 
I’ve had nothing but love for alfalfa and it makes me sad that it’s so expensive here in New York (at the tune of $40 per bale). I hear a lot of distrust of alfalfa but I have yet to experience it. I use pellets daily as a carrier for supplements. During hunter pace season I add an alfalfa flake for added protein and tummy care. Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience!
‘nation states and not the US states’? These past few months you have to wonder…
Never had one of my horses get hot off alfalfa, so I’m a firm believer in it’s deliciousness and tum properties though with easy keeper Dante he doesn’t get as much as he wishes.
We are discovering that Rodney tolerates this alfalfa but not that over there, this bale but not that bale. Because of course he would.