Safe Slow Hay Feeders for Mini and standard horse?

[LauraInPA]

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted, with this rough winter, and being pregnant, it has been a bit crazy! Chief our new (and first) Mini is doing soon well though and we are totally obsessed with him! Cass, my Morgan, and Chief are totally inseparable and best buddies. I couldn't be happier with how they get along. Chief rarely goes into his area which is a small paddock that Cass can't fit into with his own "mini" shed, if he needs to/wants to get away.

The only issue I have been having is a safe way to feed them hay. I am so sick of all of the wasted hay, but am nervous that most hay feeders will not be safe for a mini also. I thought that I had a brilliant idea and bought a whole hay bale net, and placed it in a trough to keep the hay contained and slow them down, but Chief (the mini) was climbing in it, trying to lift the whole bale out, and within a few minutes, they had drug the bale out and were playing with the tub

I am just so nervous that Chief will get his hoof stuck in most things I see, since he is such an avid pawer. I attached a pic of the little monster with this set up...PS- the rain rot he came with is cleared up now!

Anyone have any other ideas of what may work for a mini and normal horse pair?

 

[sundancer]

I am so happy the rain rot cleared up! Its great that Cass and Chief get along so well, makes it so nice!!!

I have tried millions of ways to do hay while they are out. Square bales, round bales and just loose flakes of hay. I have found that the slow feeder haybags (openings being 1 and 3/4") work the best. I hang them from my fence and it takes most of the morning for them to empty the bag. I stay away from the nylon hay string type bags, my mini got his foot caught in it pawing and it had no give to break. I was glad I was home to get him unstuck. They come horse size and mini size so they both can use them. The ones I have now are at least 3 years old and still going strong!!!

I have tried garden fencing over the bales, nylon netting etc worked for a while but they always seem to figure out how to work around them!!! Good luck!

Julie

Victory Pass Stable

Maine

 

[LauraInPA]

Thanks so much! I can't wait for his coat to shed out so he looks better. I just started him on a coat supplement and he is now on a proper deworming schedule, so hoping to have him looking his best soon!

As for the hay bags, I had two of these in my girls run in shed (standard horses) and they ripped holes in the middle to access the hay better

The Morgan mare is a total fatty though LOL! Wondering if I should give one of these another try of the boys. When it is raining they have hay racks in their sheds, but I wanted something that holds more for all day in the field too.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=3a500766-4e71-443b-885d-e8f04c28fd35&itemGUID=6da364b8-87cb-4e64-a988-35e7195282b8

 

[Brody]

For my minis I use a feeder tub (like in your picture) and I strap in the hay bale with a ratchet strap. This holds the hay in (for the most part) and keeps them from wasting it AND I wind the strap around the twine so that I never have loose twine that gets lost in the pasture. I haven't used a slow feeder bale net (as I have the same fear as you expressed - a leg getting caught), but I haven't needed to restrict their access either.

This may not be the solution you are looking for - but simply strapping the bale into the feeder might be a nice temporary fix to keep hay from spreading until you figure out a new system or approach.

 

[targetsmom]

For minis I use the Busy Snacker hay nets but I have also used a much bigger Nibble net whcih would hold enough hay for a big horse. Each has flat webbing and holes that are too small for a mini to get their hoof into. I hang them. Our minis do not waste ANY hay but we also weigh it and feed them 4 X/day. Lunch is fed on mats (most have resurfaced after being burried in snow all winter).

 

[Margo_C-T]

I am REALLY 'sold' on the mini/trailer slow feed net from Freedom Feeder! Because I'd already used another type,the 'Busy Snacker', with 1 1/2" openings, my minis had learned to use a slow feed net, so I bought the Freedom Feeder ones w/ 1" openings. The slow and deliberate eater didn't like that at first, but now will use his, the other one did fine w/ those smaller openings from day one. They make larger nets; not sure if any of the larger ones have the 1" openings, but it is easy to find out on their website. I feed over mats, snapping the nets onto the fence down low so that the net 'rests' in the feeder,outside, or inside their stalls, snapping into a large staple in the wooden stall wall, again down low and w/ bag resting in a feeder, so they eat 'head down' and on mats. The 1" openings are very safe for minis,and work well to truly 'slow down' eating; I personally wouldn't go larger than 1 1/2"openings, whether in true 'nets' or flat nylon 'nets', for minis; larger horses can also manage quite well w/ that size net opening; in my experience and opinion, 2"openings and up don't really work well to 'slow' feeding, and ARE a risk of catching hooves for minis.

 

[LauraInPA]

Thanks so much everyone! I am going to give the nets another try and hope that the boys are gentler on them than the girls were I think much of the wasted hay is due to them pawing and tossing it everywhere...if only they would toss and play with their Jolly Balls instead! Hanging it to take the fun out of it should work though.

 

[AngC]

He's (he?) cuter than all get-out with the net in his mouth.

I looked at many, including:

--instructions on the internet of how to weave/knot one out of baling twine (problem: W-A-Y too "shreddy" for me)

--"affordable" fish-net looking things sold at our local farm co-op, similar to the one in your photo (problem: holes too big and too "shreddy)

--the Busy Snacker sold at our local co-op (problem: sized for "big horse" and construction didn't seem that durable)

I wasted numerous hours on the internet researching and ended up buying a Nibble-Net for our 2 girls. I've only been using it for about a year now, but the girls have been batting it all around (i.e., wear/tear on the stall wall) and it still looks pretty new. (From my research, it appears the woman selling these is/was a sail maker (as in boats.)) The openings are 1.25 inch. Baby has pretty small hooves and she has never been able to penetrate.

I don't know how that would work out if you're trying to feed horses of different sizes (mini and Morgan.)