Hay Bar

R

RedRed

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 November 2007
Messages
115
Visit site
How do you get on with your hay bar does it do the job!, or does your horse still pull the hay out, where is the best (cheapest) place to buy one (east anglia area)
 
I had two liveries that had these, yes the horses still pulled the hay out into their beds but not as much as putting it on the floor, the seeds dropped onto the floor underneath and I saw that Ingatestone Saddler had a cheaper version around £50 they do online ordering.
 
Yes they still pull the hay out but at least I know I am giving them the same amount each time. As I had difficulty judging how big the piles on the floor were each time
 
Yes the hay still gets pulled out but most of it is eaten. No where near as much mess as when left in pile on floor. Also noticed all is eaten when Ness is worked - although only a weekends at the moment.
 
I have three. They are great. My ponies calmed down and were not so aggressive as they hated double haynets. I put them haybars in and they ate madly for about a week and then realised that when it was gone it was gone.....so they relaxed slowed down and now even have some left in the morning. I find if the hay is not so good then they pull it out to get to the best bits but most of the time just bury their heads in and slowly munch. I would recommend to anyone. I had the last one off ebay for £20
 
I am pleased with my Hay Bar - horse has now recovered from seeing a frightening 'black dragon' in the corner of her stable.

Yes, she still chucks some of it out, but there is nowhere near as much waste as there was when it was fed on the floor.
 
I think a fairly normal piece of plywood does the job just fine - am feeding hay from a corner manger with a large rectangle of plywood, in the style of a haybar (except probably built before the haybar was even invented...) and it does just fine.

At my old yard I used to feed soaked hay in big tub trugs clipped against the wall (but on the floor) - much better than a haybar for soaked hay, as you do not get the stable floor or wall wet, and if you pack the hay in tightly you do not get any wastage.

Can't say I see the point in the great expensive of a hay bar one iota?
 
Ronnie knocks most of it out with his head, and then eats it off the floor, but it's much less messy than if I feed it straight off the floor - when he then digs at it with his feet, pulls it into the middle of his bed and wees on it. Then won't eat it. The haybar does stop him doing that. But I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives!
 
Will go the plywood route I think. I looked at the ones on Ebay, but plywood is cheaper
wink.gif
 
I love my hay bars! The only time my horse removes his hay from it is if it is not such nice hay as normal - I think this is in protest!!
 
I dont have one for Mackenzie but Welsh section D I look after has one, basically she eats from it but pulls the hay out of it and spreads it all over her stable, there a great idea but I personally wouldn't spend the money on one but make something very similar, although they do look rather posh!
smile.gif
 
Farra is pretty good - only if it is very full does hay end up on the floor.

Chancer - can be still a bit messy - especially if there are any docks in the hay - he pulls then out and throws them to the back of the stable. However, not as messy as when he had hay on the floor which I had to give up as I threw away more than I put in.

For me, I love the haybars as I can put in 3/4 of a bale at a time without overspill and mine do get through a lot of hay a day when in.
 
Kenzo - I shall paint the plywood and write 'Diner' on it
smile.gif


Theresa_F - Do you pull it apart or leave it in the leaves? I ask because my mare is a mucky pup!

Design question: is there a gap at the bottom so's seeds etc can fall out?
 
Derby house used to stock hay tubs...basically big black tubs with two rings on adjacent sides so you could hook them on to wall mounted spring clips (clip side facing the wall to avoid injuring your neddy and positioned so taught). I bought 4, they also had a trolley with it which I also bought as it was good for wheeling soaked hay in the tubs out into the field and meant I lost less to it being walked into the ground. I bought them 5 years ago at £25 each and have never looked back. I think stubbs made them, I have never had a single injury from them for either of my horses, and they would play with them as the teeth marks around the rims testify...indestructible to date and don't know why they are not around anymore...pm me if you want pics
 
[ QUOTE ]
Design question: is there a gap at the bottom so's seeds etc can fall out?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. You also fit them a few inches off the floor, so you can sweep it out.

I throw in whole sections.
 
Love my Haybar- however horse likes to empty his hay on the floor, dance on it and then beg for fresh...

So screwed haynet ring into wall inside haybar and tie a haynet inside it. Works a treat- can't trash his hay, he has to take his time eating his hay, works his neck and little waste.
 
I love my hay bar too. I feed soaked hay so I put a rubber feed bucket in the bottom of mine to catch the run off. It also catches all the seeds. Makes it so easy to keep the bottom clean.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top