Floor feeding - eazigrazer haycube etc ?

[Iloveeverycat]

Hi,

I have a rising three year old cob. I currently use hay nets but I want him to eat hay in a more natural way I.e. on the floor

I’ve tried feeding him from the floor (even weighed the correct amount out) and he either throws it everywhere or eats it too fast

I’ve heard hay cubes are good but there doesn’t appear to be anything to slow eating and the main feature seems to be being able to soak hay

eazigrazer looks good , does anyone have one ? Will he launch it across the stable and break it ? Interested to hear people’s thoughts

 

[Highmileagecob]

My friend uses a Haybar and loves it. I went back to using nets after finding a rat taking up lodgings! Whatever you use, please make sure you can empty it and clean it daily.

 

[gryff]

I've got haybars and a parallax hay saver. If you want something to slow down eating, the jay saver is a much better idea. It isn't cheap, but really nicely made.

 

[Iloveeverycat]

I've got haybars and a parallax hay saver. If you want something to slow down eating, the jay saver is a much better idea. It isn't cheap, but really nicely made.

I saw the parallax ones and they look ideal , is it dangerous to keep in the stable though ? I’m worried he will drag it and fall over it

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We have haybars in the stables and Eazigrazers in the shelter. The Eazigrazers are tied to the upright struts of the shelter so that the horses can't throw them out and roll them down the steep field.

 

[gryff]

I saw the parallax ones and they look ideal , is it dangerous to keep in the stable though ? I’m worried he will drag it and fall over it

I wouldn't have thought so. They are substantial but well made. No sharp edges. But neither of mine are trashers in any way.

 

[TPO]

I have haycubes and rate them. Much less wastage than I had with haybars.

I have seen that some.people have fashioned a plastic grille that fits inside the haycube to slow consumption.

 

[cauda equina]

I've used a Hay Saver in the stable, it was fine

 

[Fransurrey]

Assuming he isn't shod, you could use one of these. I sewed a zip into mine (I bought the XL), so I could use it as a 'hay pillow' in the field for two ponies, but 99 % of the time I hang it with two double ended trigger clips in the shelter.

https://www.harryshorse.com/en/catalogus/view/hay-net-slow-feeder/itemcode.36000704/

 

[Surbie]

If not shod, can you just use a trickle net with the drawstring/rope threaded back through the net? I do that with mine, not that it seems to slow him that much.

 

[Hallo2012]

builders bag!

my 4yo is suicidal with big hole nets, wont eat out small hole nets and throws all the hay out of anything shallow, wasting 50%.

builders bag is secured to rings with very frayed twine and front hand loops are cut off.

working really well

 

[Birker2020]

I have a net hanging over my haybar as my horse just pulled everything out of the haybar and couldn't reach the bottom although its only 4 inches off the floor to drain it.

I have been looking at buying a haycube second hand as they look quite good, I suppose you could attach a fitting at the back of the cube onto your stable wall, it wouldn't be hard to do and I shouldn't think the plastic would break in doing so if you used a hand held drill. I don't know whether in fixing it, it would make it dangerous, or if its more dangerous if it moves about if the horse drags it.

 

[Birker2020]

We have haybars in the stables and Eazigrazers in the shelter. The Eazigrazers are tied to the upright struts of the shelter so that the horses can't throw them out and roll them down the steep field.

How far are your haybars off the floor (horse size)? I wonder if my haybar is too tall, I am sure mine is only 5 inches max to allow the hay to drain out, but I find my horse can't get his head that far down into it. I've since seen shorter haybars, which I assume are for ponies and I wonder if I should have bought one of those.

When I had Bailey I had to put an upturned plastic tub into the base of it but she'd end up pulling it out with her teeth and the hay would all fall to the bottom.

 

[milliepops]

I have been looking at buying a haycube second hand as they look quite good, I suppose you could attach a fitting at the back of the cube onto your stable wall, it wouldn't be hard to do and I shouldn't think the plastic would break in doing so if you used a hand held drill. I don't know whether in fixing it, it would make it dangerous, or if its more dangerous if it moves about if the horse drags it.

haycubes come with a bar to fix onto the wall that they slot into.
i haven't ever bothered with them tbh as my horses don't move them about.

 

[palterwell]

My cob climbed into my hay cube and had to be cut out ? I would never use one again. I can’t post a photo on here but if anyone wants to see the remains of it I posted a photo on the haycube Facebook page in reviews. There was no response from Haycube. He is 15.2 and once he was in it was impossible to pick his feet up to get him out.

 

[milliepops]

one of mine climbs into everything (water buckets, boxes, you name it, all kinds of things that other people use safely) but she could get out of the haycube and as the edges are all smooth,no harm done

She is the reason i can't use a feeder round the big bales in the field now... i just know i'd arrive one morning and find her in the middle of it

 

[laura_nash]

I just use small holed haynets on the floor, with the rope threaded in out the way, with both my cobs. No good if shod though, or the type to panic if they do get caught up.