kellybee
Well-Known Member
I have a 15.2hh standie, who tends to gorge and is capable of demolishing a haylage net within an hour or so. I mean a large net, with the smaller haylage type holes. So I started to double net and found that will stretch it out a little, but wont last him from bringing in til last check late at night.
So then I added a second net (also doubled), to see if having more would make him less inclined to gorge. Doesn't work but was worth a try. So now I'm back down to one, and am triple netting! Whilst he's still got a bit left after 3-4 hours I really dont think he needs two large haylage nets at night. He has a feed (grass nuts, speedibeet and micronised linseed) when he comes in and same before he goes out, and has regular hay in the field during the day. He's only in very light work (after a back injury he's walking only for the next few months and only for a max of 60 mins), so I'm wondering if I should invest in a 1" super fine haylage net?
Has anyone ever used them and are they worth buying? Will it actually slow him down or will he still be able to gorge with that?
As a side note - He's also very impatient to come in at night. From about 2pm he will stand at the gate kicking and neighing to come in. This week he's churned the fence line pacing up and down to the point that I actually asked my other half if there'd been a tractor or something in the field. I honestly think he'd rather eat the haylage that's inside than the hay thats out because neither of the ponies he lives with seem hungry or even particularly inclined to come in at night. The hay is great quality and put out fresh every day - wonder what goes on in his head?
So then I added a second net (also doubled), to see if having more would make him less inclined to gorge. Doesn't work but was worth a try. So now I'm back down to one, and am triple netting! Whilst he's still got a bit left after 3-4 hours I really dont think he needs two large haylage nets at night. He has a feed (grass nuts, speedibeet and micronised linseed) when he comes in and same before he goes out, and has regular hay in the field during the day. He's only in very light work (after a back injury he's walking only for the next few months and only for a max of 60 mins), so I'm wondering if I should invest in a 1" super fine haylage net?
Has anyone ever used them and are they worth buying? Will it actually slow him down or will he still be able to gorge with that?
As a side note - He's also very impatient to come in at night. From about 2pm he will stand at the gate kicking and neighing to come in. This week he's churned the fence line pacing up and down to the point that I actually asked my other half if there'd been a tractor or something in the field. I honestly think he'd rather eat the haylage that's inside than the hay thats out because neither of the ponies he lives with seem hungry or even particularly inclined to come in at night. The hay is great quality and put out fresh every day - wonder what goes on in his head?
He's the first to be turned out every morning and will roll in the mud, is rugged appropriately for the weather and doesn't seem to feel the cold either. He clings to the little cremello usually, and all summer they've been glued to one another. He doesn't like to be without the herd and will stress if hacked or stabled without company, so this is odd behaviour for him. All our fields are open at the moment so although he's consistently at the gate, the other two are invariably right up in the top paddock with three hedges between them and the yard gate/Ollie. Its as though he's so desperate to come in that he's willing to risk his safety by being away from the others.
