Feeding hay from the ground...

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Silverspring

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I have always used haynets for feeding my horses hay, mainly haylage nets as both my boys were greedy fatties and would finish the haylage in about 2 seconds flat otherwise. My new girl is not so greedy, actually she'll only eat til she's had enough then quits, never finsihes a haynet and is a bit of a nightmare to keep weight on.

What I'm thinking of doing this year is buying a big round tub trug (the shallow one that are about 2-3ft diameter) and asking the YO to chuck her hay in that instead of the net. What I want to know is are there any benefits to feeding from the ground or a net and are there any risk with feeding from the ground? I know it seems silly but I've always used a net and not using one seems a bit radical to me!
 
most neck/wither problems are due to "grappling" with a hay net..

feed from the floor...or a haybar..

and the cry of "oh, they waste so much" shouldnt be an arguement if the horses comfort is an issue..
 
Feeding from the ground is more natural and they will pick out the best bits first(good if hay isn't the best at some times of year) Feeding from a haynet mean they eat slower and less waste but they can't forage through it like they can when it's on the floor.
 
I use haybar or feed from the ground.Much better for the horse but my horse empties his hay bar then eats so I will be buying a big tub for the new horse and save my money.
 
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I know it seems silly but I've always used a net and not using one seems a bit radical to me!


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They feed from the ground out in the field, why should it be any different or 'radical' to feed from the ground in the stable? It is better to feed from the ground, more natural & the hortse can't get tied up in a hay net & cause injury.
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Feeding from the ground is natural, so it will naturally have benefits, they can forage with their noses, pick out tasty bits, breath,sniff with bits shoot up there noses and dust etc going n there ears and eyes. Also if you talk to any horse dentist, they will explain what happens to the jaw and the effect on the teeth when constantly eating from nets as opposed to horses in the wild etc

Of course not all out horses benefit from feeding from the ground, specially our mucky buggars that spread it all over the place, poo on it and walk it into the bedding.

Feeding from haynets can also effect the muscles in the neck and of course effect the back but, if your horse grazes through the day, then I don't really think a net every night will cause the above extremes. Also you add the risk of your horse pulling a tooth, from getting stuck in hay net.

It really depends on the individual horse, you can get hay bars (or make your own) which can have both benefits of ground feeding and not wasting your hay quiet as much.

I know a yard that feed hay/hayladge in very large plastic square tubs, no idea what they were but it works very well!
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The reason to feed from the ground is neck and back muscles, the haynet puts the horse in a reverse bend shape to a healthy bend and shortens the muscles in the back and neck.

Basically a net will develop the reverse of everything you are trying to teach your horse.
 
So I assume everyone that posted feeds haylage/hay from the ground? It amazes me that I have never seen anyone do it before or maybe I have but it jus hasn't registered?

I know it's more natural for them to eat of the ground but I assume there was a reason we started with haynets on the first place? The haybar sounds expensive and breakable (she like to rub her behind!) so I think I'll try the tub first
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No, I feed from a haynet I'm afraid, *bang bang, shoots ones self down!*
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don't like to and have always fed from the ground with my other horses in the past but he wastes it nd then doesn't eat it after he's thrown a party in his stable, I pay for good hay so he aint wasting it plus I'd rather him eat from a net than loose weight.

I fill a huge net and its all gone the next morning, also use hay bag on lower level when he's tied up and I'm grooming him so he's not riving about and head butting me. He's quite expressive with his feet (paws and plays with his snack ball) so my worry is a haybar might cause some injury, they have hay fed from the ground in the field through winter and they only come in from Oct to April so its not like he's constantly eating from a net.
 
I used to feed my mare from the ground because she used to get her front hooves caught in the haynet (lord knows how she did it, I always tied it high enough, obviously she was a gymnast in a former life) Never had any problems, she did wolf it down a bit quicker though, obviously, but she was a greedy pig anyway!
 
I do exactly what you are thinking of doing and have done for years. I fill the tub with hay, put a net over the top while I soak it and then when I empty the water away the hay stays in the net/tub and doesn't go all over the yard. (Obviously I remove the net when I put it in the stable).

When I first did this I got some really weird looks but a couple of others at our yard do the same thing now.
 
I always feed haylage from the ground. I started feeding from the ground when I discovered that when my TBx ate haylage from a net she got choke whereas from the ground she was fine
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I know a horse who will refuse to eat of of a net, and when his hay is put in a hay bar he takes it all out and puts it on the floor. This is the only way he eats it, within about 5 mins of putting it in the bar he will have unceremoniously dumped it all on the floor, walked through it a few times, and begun munching!
 
I have never seen a haynet in use in stables here, even in the local State Stud, where you might think everything is spick and span, without so much as a grain of dust out of place......
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The only time they are used, that I have seen, is when horses are travelled - there's usually a haynet tied in the trailer for snacking on.
 
There are loads of risks from feeding from a net, two being getting teeth/jaws caught, and strange muscle formation. Horses are designed to feed from the floor, and we feed hay from the stable and field floor - loose in the stable, and in two huge tractor tyres (free from local farm) in the field. So I'd say no risk in what you are planning!
 
my girl used to be a fatty so i used to do double haynets
for one reason or another she is no longer a fatty (think its her age) and i feed hay from the floor, i would buy a haybar if i had the spare dosh, but she is happy with the floor right now
she has a huge stable when she is in, but she tends to live out and get fed hay in the field on the floor
i think feeding from floor level is far better, would never go back if i can help it, think its much more natural
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I have fed haylage off the ground for years. The only time I use a net is when they travel in the lorry. I think they get used to eating off the floor and slow down over time. I have the fattest pig of a pony and even he doesn't eat it all up straight away and has a rest between gorging himself
 
Mines fed from the ground and always has been. Unless you are feeding too much, there should be no wastage. Mine is fed enough that there are a few scraps left in the morning, but he has eaten 99% of it. I find about 5-6kg is enough for "ad lib" at this time of year with not so great grazing. That is with a 16.2hh ISH gelding.
 
feeding from the floor alows all the gunk from their noses to escape out rather than down into their inside. Stretches the back too - hate haynets - only use for travelling
 
I will never, EVER use a haynet in the stable
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A friend of mine went down to his yard one morning, and found his beloved pony groaning in agony, half dead, in his stable. He'd got both hind legs caught in his net whilst rolling, had shattered both whilst trying to free himself, and twisted his gut in the process
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I do have a haynet, but I only use it for travelling, and even then, I prefer to use a hay bag. In the stable, we've always fed from the floor, and if there's any wastage I just give her less hay the next time, so she has to pick out all the bits that she's mixed into her bed!
 
The way I understand it, feeding from the ground is beneficial in many ways: allows mucus to drain from airways, keeps the muscles of the jaw in correct alinement. It also allows for normal range of movement which prevents the nuchal ligament from becoming shortened. However, I think you've got to use common sense, feeding from a haynet once a week is not going to damage your horse! However, watch out for parasites when feeding from the ground - it's got to be clean! But, this mainly relates to pasture management.
Bit of a pain though when they go straight over and poo in their dinner!
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