Feeding hay from Floor, Net or Har Bar?

[gina2201]

I used to feed it lower down, (in finn's stable he had a ledge -old dairy farm) about knee height so it was not mixed up with bedding/trodden on.

Feeding from a hay rack and haynets can over develop the muscles on the underside of the neck, weakening topline muscles and also getting hay dust in their eyes, so i would always feed from floor where poss.

 

[Theresa_F]

Cairo has a small holed haynet - he does not like to eat hay once it has been on the floor. I hang it fairly low - he cannot get his feet in it as the holes are small, he does not have shoes and does not roll in the stable.

Chancer drags his hay everywhere and eats only a little of it once it has been on his bed. He has a haybag - good compromise and I have it as low as is safe - he cannot get his feet stuck in holes and there is one big hole and does not wear shoes.

They are out 24 x 7 in the summer and get out 4 days a week in the winter so get plenty of opportunity to each as they should. They also have feeds and balls on the floor when in.

 

[vicijp]

I dont really understand why anyone would want to feed from a haynet? Are these the same people that stipulate that unless your horse lives out for at least half a day you are the scurge of the earth? Can anyone think of anything more unnatural for a horse?
Common problems and solutions:
'my horse messes his hay with his bed' - you are feeding it too much.
'my horse eats his too fast' - you are not feeding him often enough.
Sorry for the rant, but I think they should be banned.

 

[Bert&Maud]

Feed from the floor for three reasons: Better for respiration and back, but also, often overlooked, the development and wear on the teeth and jaw, which are angled so the horse can graze from the floor. Horse dentist says many tooth problems would be avoided if hay was fed from the floor. IMO if there's a lot of waste you're probably feeding too much, they will normally forage and clean up quite nicely, unless they're very fussy!!

 

[spotty_pony]

Our both have hay mangers but they are quite close to the ground and so it is like they are grazing naturally without the hay getting mixed up with the bedding!

 

[lozxox]

on the floor but with a haynet up incase he wants to eat from that. so both are fine. i prefer on the floor but it makes no difference for me