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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> 
> As to dropping flakes of hay from a loft to horses below, that works
> fine if you confine the horses to stalls. Of course, getting the hay
> UP into the loft requires much greater effort than stacking it at
> ground level. 

Don't discount loose hay out of hand.  There are little oddments of space 
here where it is impractical to use a tractor (which I don't have anyway) and 
not 
worth hitching the horse and all the paraphenalia.  Yet they can be cut with 
a scythe in just a short while and all those places being harvested 
incidentally here and there all summer adds uo without it being a killer task 
all at 
once.   A little loose hay to pitch to the loft is light work.

A barn desigened for hay storage will have a block and tackle to raise the 
bales to where they can be swung into the loft easily.