Hay saving fail

[poiuytrewq]

I thought these mortar tubs would be a good plan to prevent my horses trashing their hay.....

As you can see they appear to just pull it out, put it on the floor and trash their hay ?‍

Any clever ideas? Apart from being a waste it’s a pita trying to scrape it all back up.
There is barely any grass so although they evidently aren’t starving I do need to put hay out.

 

[TheMule]

A square piece of net with a bungee cord can work, or I have adapted something similar by drilling some rods through in a criss-cross to make smaller gaps so they can’t pull bigger pieces out

 

[Roxylola]

Could you get any sort of net over it? Or one of those big full round bale nets to put the entire unit in?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Sorry, I can't help at all, ours have done a similar thing! The boxes were attached to the shelter and they detached them to empty them.



ETA, I have just spotted your water trug, we have some like that, we have worked out that they must be almost 30 years old but can't find any more. They were extremely good quality.

 

[cauda equina]

Drill some holes in the bottom and tie haynets inside?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Sorry, I can't help at all, ours have done a similar thing! The boxes were attached to the shelter and they detached them to empty them.



ETA, I have just spotted your water trug, we have some like that, we have worked out that they must be almost 30 years old but can't find any more. They were extremely good quality.

Oh really? That’s annoying, I was given 2 and one blew away in a storm and got cracked I’d hoped to just pop and buy another!

 

[WelshD]

How about a cargo net - the sort you buy for cars?

 

[poiuytrewq]

How about a cargo net - the sort you buy for cars?

Aha! Like the one in the boot of my car which is pretty redundant!

 

[paddy555]

What I have found works without much wastage inside the stable are plastic bins the size of 45gall oil drums. No lids or the top cut off. These are fastened back to a right angled corner.
they are deep so the horses have to put their heads in to eat which stops wastage and stops them dragging it out. Hole cut in the bottom because my hay is soaked and in the field it may rain.

What you may be able to do is something similar in the field and secure it by putting in a good, thick strong fence post to fasten it to. One bin for each horse a bit apart.

 

[Shooting Star]

ETA, I have just spotted your water trug, we have some like that, we have worked out that they must be almost 30 years old but can't find any more. They were extremely good quality.

You can still get them they’re made by Stubbs, I’ve got one that size without the handles but they still do a handled version too - viovet sell them ?

 

[poiuytrewq]

You can still get them they’re made by Stubbs, I’ve got one that size without the handles but they still do a handled version too - viovet sell them ?

Oh great thanks! I’d found some cheap versions but will go look at Viovets

 

[ycbm]

Mine too. I gave up and went back to nets.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine too. I gave up and went back to nets.

I feel like I waste so much of my life filling nets! ?

 

[meleeka]

Oh great thanks! I’d found some cheap versions but will go look at Viovets

Wicked do them too. https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Black-Storage-Bucket---69L/p/191176

 

[FinnishLapphund]

If you simply put a large holed metal mesh grid down on top of the hay, would they only lift that out?
Could you do a bit of DIY, and perhaps use some carabiners to attach the metal mesh grid at one side of the tub, and the other side of the mesh grid can both open like a lid, and sort of follow the hay downwards?

Use a marin grade elastic shock cord to attach a net over the opening of the tub?

 

[poiuytrewq]

If you simply put a large holed metal mesh grid down on top of the hay, would they only lift that out?
Could you do a bit of DIY, and perhaps use some carabiners to attach the metal mesh grid at one side of the tub, and the other side of the mesh grid can both open like a lid, and sort of follow the hay downwards?

Use a marin grade elastic shock cord to attach a net over the opening of the tub?

I had thought some kind of grid but the boxes are tapered towards the base so I’m not sure that would work. ?‍

 

[cauda equina]

Or -
Make an attachable lid eg out of a bit of rubber matting, cut some eating holes in the sides and turn the whole lot upside down so the lid becomes the base?
Sort of like a hay hutch

 

[vhf]

I put ties in the bottom of mine and attach haynets. Still have to fill haynets, but then I need to carry the hay out there in something anyway - Cornwall is too windy to do it many other ways.