Hay nets, muscles and teeth

[Jessey]

New hay hanger installed with my usual helper

I was wary of these being used to scratch on and causing injury

so I covered them with old carpet

willing testers at the ready

I’m not sure how it will hold up, but you don’t know until you try!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Looks good!

 

[domane]

Gracie has a swinging net in her new paddock.



And a natural (flowing) pool to drink from.

And a lovely sheltered cubby under the tree to eat her hay or shelter from flies in summer. It's just a shame that is a massive yew tree () but they've had horses turned out in that paddock for 40 years and none has ever died!

 

[Jessey]

Gracie has a swinging net in her new paddock.

View attachment 105991

And a natural (flowing) pool to drink from.

And a lovely sheltered cubby under the tree to eat her hay or shelter from flies in summer. It's just a shame that is a massive yew tree () but they've had horses turned out in that paddock for 40 years and none has ever died!

It looks perfect, you’re braver than me having them anywhere near yew though, I’d not risk that.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

That does look like a lovely spot for a horse, @domane

 

[NettingExpert]

I think slow feed hay nets is good, and my horse become more health now.

Please join in with your thoughts

I feed loose hay in boxes in winter when they’re on a little grass because if they run out they still have grass to pick at, but the rest of the year I net with small holes to make their hay last, unrestricted ad lib results in fat heffers!

I’ve just gone back to nets in the boxes and noticed (again) them eating in a very unnatural way, they tug up and away from their body with their nose, the complete opposite to natural grass grazing of tugging back towards their feet (I’ll try and get videos shortly). They do similar with low hung hay nets. Its got to cause incorrect muscling, right?

Then the vet checked Jess teeth last night and I noticed the start of some damage on her incisors
View attachment 105800
Im guessing that’s from her very brutal method of eating from nets, probably the smallest hole one that has knots. It’s minimal, but its there.

As horrible as it may sound I’m less concerned about Jess, but I want young Niko off to the right start so am rethinking how I do things.

Are there certain heights/ways of attaching nets that promote more natural behaviour? Are there any good DIY slow feed box solutions that do?

Not relevant to most, but I can’t feed off the floor due to our sandy soil, that would be my first choice solution.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I was sitting in the shelter in the rain this morning watching Sid and Sonne working on their breakfast haynet. On purpose I had let it hang low and loose and it seems to me that their movement using it is not too bad, what do you think?