About 3 years ago, I stumbled upon a website called Paddock Paradise when I was looking for a way to slow down my mare, Baby Doll’s speedy way of inhaling down her hay twice a day. I knew that it was healthier to allow horses to have access to hay 24/7 because they are grazers and browsers. I knew that horses could get ulcers and even colic when forced to eat meals like humans and wait 3-8 hours to eat just 2-3 times a day. But I wasn’t able to feed more often and I knew that if I left out an entire bale for my mare, she would eat it all gone in a matter of hours, because she could easily hoover 1-2 flakes of hay in 15 minutes.
And after another 20-30 minutes that same hay would be coming out the other end and she’d be hungry again.
So, on the advice and information supplied at Paddock Paradise, I ordered my Hockey Nets from Arizona Sports Equipment and soon had Two Small Mesh Slow Feeder Hay Nets installed in my barn and in one of my paddocks.
And my mare Baby Doll was belly up to the hay nets eating the way that a horse should: slowly, and with smaller mouthfuls. I could put 1-2 flakes of hay in her hay net and she would still be grazing out of it 3-4 hours later!
So it just made sense to offer the hockey hay nets to Apache 2 years ago when she came to live at the Laughing Orca Ranch. Unlike Baby Doll, though, she was more impatient with the slow feeder style of eating hay and she used her hooves to whomp the hay nets until she created a few rips. I repaired the rips with hay bale twine and raised the hay nets higher and we didn’t have any issues after that.
Jump forward to our recent snowstorms and I’ve not seen brown earth in 14 days. Yeah. This snow has over stayed it’s welcome. I’ll be happy when it melts away and we can get some fresh, soft powder, because the real problem is trying to walk on this hard-packed, ankle-twisting, knee-yanking crumbly concrete kind of snow.
Last week I gave up trying to manage our steep hill twice a day, to bring the animals 7 gallon buckets of warm water to melt the ice in their water tanks. (Last year some underground critters chewed through electric lines and it’s too expensive and too big a job to rewire). So I bought a new 40 gallon water tank and a tank heater and got it installed at the bottom of the paddocks, between the llama/goat paddock and Apache’s big paddock, close behind our house.
So instead of having to struggle over the steep 400 feet of treacherous snow to reach the barn, now I only have to walk 50 feet from my back door. Yay! I’m so happy! No more having to break ice or haul 7 gallon water buckets up that slippery steep hill!
But then I realized it made sense to create a winter feeding station down by the house. So I ordered some more Hockey Netting from Arizona Sports Equipment and it arrived in just 2 days and I had a new hay net installed the same day and everything was good to go!
I did this hay net a little different than my first ones.
First I ordered the hockey puck barrier netting which is thicker than the basic hockey goal netting that I used the first time around. And instead of using caribiners to attach the mesh to the fence, I used the “Purse-Style” hay net design and tied it to the top rail with hay twine. But I want to change a couple things soon because I used what I had at home for the hay net opening, which was just two old mop handles. I’d like to get some thick wooden dowels instead. And I used some old socks, cut down the side to create two strips for tying into the mesh, to keep the mop handles from sliding out of the hay feeder on either side. I’d like to find something else. Any ideas?
We have a fourth garage/storage building that I can store hay and I don’t have to go up to the barn anymore to feed or water. I can do everything down close to the back of my house where I have easy access to everything I need.
And Apache’s happy because her hay is up off the snow and she can eat all day long. I like being able to look out my kitchen or bedroom windows and see her out there munching hay or taking rests and napping in the sun.
I want to bring one of the llama and goat feeders down, too, so they don’t have to eat off the cold snow. I considered making them a slow feeder hay net, too, but I’m pretty sure the goats would chew it right up. Plus the llamas and goats are cud chewers and utilize their feed much better than horses do, so forcing them to eat slow doesn’t make much sense. They will eat hay until their stomachs are full and then go lay down for a couple hours and regurgitate their cud for rechewing.
But I’m soooo happy with my new set-up and now feel like I can manage whatever the rest of our winter brings.
19 comments :
Good deal. I didn't run out and buy hay nets the first time you posted about it, because I wanted to see what problems arose and how you dealt with them. I knew my horses would rip the nets with their teeth and hooves. I feed three times a day, and am starting to resent the mid-day feeding, because it limits how many hours I can be out of the house running errands. I'd have to get three nets, because Lostine wouldn't let the other two near one.
So glad I found this! With one 29 yr. old geezer who quids, one draft-cross Hoover, and one Haflinger cross pony who needs to diet, I'm gonna make 3! Hope the goats won't destroy them...have to think about this...thanks for all the links.
If I wasn't boarding I'd be all over this! But I like to keep things simple for the folks who feed my horses!
I'm glad you worked out an easy feeding/watering system for your critters! I bet when it's REALLY snowing it'll be even more awesome.
I love your net design. I have some netting here I've been meaning to do that with but haven't gotten around to it yet. I might try your purse style feeder when I do get around to it.
For anchoring your wooden dowels, you could screw an eye-ring into each end of the dowel then use double ended snaps or twine to attach it to the netting. Just be sure to go slow when you screw in the rings so that you don't split the dowel. A little wax on the threads would help prevent splitting as well.
A friend of mine has been feeding this way as well with good results. I am thinking about trying it myself. Thanks for the post.
I wouldn't change a thing, you made good use of what was at hand and it looks fine to me ! Great idea
It sounds like you have a perfect setup now.
If you screw an eye-ring into the end of the dowel, I'd pre drill holes.
I'm going to check out getting some nets for my boys. I've been using Nibble Nets, but I realize they will have to be replaced.... so the hockey nets may be the ticket.
Your hay net looks great. I have used Freedom Feeders hay nets for two years now. They are built well and show no signs of wear. There is also another company called Nibble Nets which I haven't tried. I don't know how they compare to yours as far as cost and durability, but wanted to let you know about them in case you ever need to replace the one you made.
I have been looking at Port a grazers, but just for two of them it is quite expensive. I think I will give this a try. Libby is an in haler with her food, and I want something that will take her a little longer to eat. Only problem I see now, is The Donkey! Is she going to eat the netting??? Star grazes on her food.....she does not inhale it like Libby. Then I have to find a spot sturdy enough on the fence to hang it. Good idea. I am glad you posted this.
Lisa: I went to the site you linked, and I do not find: Hockey Puck Barrier Netting. What size did you get. I see they sell it by the Foot too. How many feet? What width? HELP! LOL
The hockey puck barrier netting is on Arizona Sports Equipment and only comes in one width. You just figure out how long you want it to be. I ordered 4 feet, which makes the hay net only 2 feet long (once it's doubled up and stitched with hay bale twine on the sides). That size will only fit one large flake inside, but knowing how Apache likes to use her hooves to paw at the hay net, I didn't want it to be too long. I'd go with 6 feet long, which makes the hay feeder 3 feet long) if you are wanting to put in 2-3 flakes of hay.
~Lisa
Quite ingenious of you!!! Cool
maybe if you find the dowls you can drill holes and put a bolt and wing nut through them or some other kind of clip??
OH! I like the eye bolt idea, they you could use a large snap to hold them together, easier to undo.
That looks like it works real well. I am lucky we dont have to feed here cause we got good grass all winter but if I ever need to keep any in, that sure seems like a good idea.
I guess I dont appreciate enough that we have cows/bulls/calves to water, so my horses always have a working heated water trough.
what wonderful ideas. I feed 3 times a day and have to seperate all horses as my mini/shetland cross eats very slowly compared to his roommate a Walker/shetland cross.
I feel a lot better knowing that you aren't wrestling with heavy water buckets and stumble crunching through that snow. I imagine it was expensive, but keeping you safe is priceless. Good job! Very ingenious stuff for the hay bales too!
That's really awesome!! If I ever have to feed square bales again I'm totally going to try this. :)
Brilliantly made! I also use barrier netting, and aren't they a nice company to do business with? I used two 1"x2" boards, screwed on horizontally to the inside of the run-in wall, and just wrapped long, sturdy cable ties several times around the board that clips the whole thing closed, and attached double-ended snaps to those. It's lasted two years so far, with four horses and two mini-donks, and I've only had to replace the baling twine on the sides once. I do like your idea, and love the Paddock Paradise website!
Btw, the savings over the Freedom Feeder was significant: $15 for puck barrier netting, or $75 for Freedom Feeder? Simple math :)
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