Feeding hay from the floor - but still slowing eating.

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Walrus

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My boy is ridiculously greedy! He eats his (limited) hay ration very very quickly. I currently feed him in a tight "Elim-a-net" which is really good and slows him down really well. However he is developing a rather strong muscle under his neck. Obviously this isn't totally down to his haynet and we are working on his ridden work but I would much prefer to feed him from the floor.

So, any ideas for how to slow him down yet have him eating with his head down. So far my best idea is a haybar in the corner of his stable with a tie ring screwed to the floor at the bottom of it and his tiny holded haynet tied into the bottom of it. Has anyone tried this or anything like it?

Ideas welcome!

:)
 
I'll be watching this thread as my boy has a hay bar and eats very quick- especially now he's not on much hay because of the approaching summer!
I wont use a haynet either because he chews and sucks everything and I'd be scared it would fall down...or a part of it lol! Also he's got teeth missing and some growing and I'd worry he may get a net caught in there!

I give him a big handful when he comes in whilst Im finishing jobs/ seeing to my other horse then give him the rest last thing before I go which is about 7-8pm I'm up about 7am so its long enough without food :\ but cannot think of anything else!!!
 
I made a slow hay feeder, I'm on mark 2 and have another improvement in mind. Its currently made out of a 50gallon water container usually for heating with 2 bars running through the top and the wire grill sits between the hay & bars

Trouble is the container has slopped sides so the wire is cut small to fit down to the bottom, which is turn means its too small at the top and he can flip it up. So I think we'll change to a wooden one so I can have the grill cut to the size of the box
 
Got a cuddly cob like this. He hoovers down hay like spaghetti!!!!!

But, is it a problem, he eats quick as he has good teeth. Give him hay/straw mix to slow him down if req. But, he will live no doubt so should not stress about it. Worse things happen.
 
Thanks guys. It's a tricky one. I had thought about a trough with a grill of some sort on top but I think the risk of him flipping it over is much more than him ever having the energy to get his legs over a hay bar and tangled in a haynet!
 
I was going to suggest mixing some barley straw with his hay so that he has more to eat but the barley straw will give no calories (its something my vet told me to do with my fattie just a couple of weeks ago) its working fine with her, I do 2 parts hay to 1 part barley straw.
 
GGRider said:
Got a cuddly cob like this. He hoovers down hay like spaghetti!!!!!

But, is it a problem, he eats quick as he has good teeth. Give him hay/straw mix to slow him down if req. But, he will live no doubt so should not stress about it. Worse things happen.
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Yes, I'm aware that worse things happen but I thought I'd just pick people's brains on this. I'm very keen to try and avoid the huge muscle he is currently developing under his neck! I have considered mixing hay and straw but getting hold of good quality oat straw - just one bale delivered is practically impossible in my area! Surely he can still eat it fast even if it's a hay/straw mix?
 
Shame you can't get some delivered one by one. How many do you have to buy before he will deliver? Chances are you'll use all of it.

Do you bed down on straw? Maybe you could look into using it as bedding. I look after two giant hoovers and they get two flaps (7.5kgs hay a day weighed) from the floor and when it's gone it's gone but at least they can satisfy the chew instinct on straw instead of the door! :D

I heard wheat straw is quite sugary so barley and oat a good choice.

Think of it as mimicking a natural diet. When they roamed they would only stop and properly graze a few hours of the day, the rest would be picking at random bits off shrubs and trees or sleeping.

Also, if you do add straw, it takes longer to chew, helps digestion and prevents gastric issues than if a horse stood with no hay at all.

However, if I owned a horse who could eat lots without getting fat, I'd just give non-stop hay :D
 
Sorry if I sound shirty about the straw. Trust me, I am fully fully aware of the benefits of feeding fibre, I know about feeding straw and I know about how horses are trickle feeders and I know in the wild they would graze for 18 hours a day! I will carry on looking for some straw- round me there is no oat straw at all, it would have to be clean barley straw. Must work harder!

But I'm still interested as to people's ideas about slowing down eating from the floor. :)
 
Walrus said:
Sorry if I sound shirty about the straw. Trust me, I am fully fully aware of the benefits of feeding fibre, I know about feeding straw and I know about how horses are trickle feeders and I know in the wild they would graze for 18 hours a day! I will carry on looking for some straw- round me there is no oat straw at all, it would have to be clean barley straw. Must work harder!

But I'm still interested as to people's ideas about slowing down eating from the floor. :)
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Good luck Walrus, sorry I recycled old ideas but it was the only thing I know to slow down fast eaters :)
 
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