Haybar and slowing horse eating?

Spyda

Spyda

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I'm fitting a Haybar shortly and wondered how people slow their horses from scoffing their hay when feeding from one of these? Is it possible, or don't people who use these generally ration their horse's hay? I was wondering if I could somehow fit a large small holed haynet down inside the Haybar at a lowish level and let mine pull hay from there to slow her down? Or is that pointless??? Experiences and views appreciated! :)
 
You can't slow them down using a Haybar, simple.

Just hope they get used to having loads of hay available all at once and slow down gradually.
 
Not really sure how that would work.

Haybars I'm sure are good for those that munch away in the corner, but most I know off drag the hay out and scatter it all over the stable which kinda defeats having a hay bar, you might as well put straight on the floor.

Suppose if you jammed a large wad in, it will be harder for them to pull it out but it will only be like this until they have eaten some off to loosen it.

Either use a haylage net (although there too small to pack enough in for a full night for a large horse I've found) so I'd just double up with two small hole nets, but then if you don't like using nets then that's not good either.

You could make your own wooden hay or metal trough, to fix onto the wall at head height (like the old fashioned ones) but with smaller gabs maybe?
 
What I did with mine is when mounting the hay bar, first fit a tie ring underneath the hay bar, fill your hay net as normal double net if you really want to slow them down, turn net upside down into hay bar threading the haynet cord through bottom of hay bar and tie haynet onto tie ring, this will help slow them down. Tried and tested until my mare sat on the hay bar and broke it!
 
I use a small-holed large net and have the tie-ring about 2' up the wall in the corner, with the haybar in front of it, for piggy horses. this slows them right down and they're still eating from floor level, but they can't get their feet in the haynet, best of both worlds.
 
Can I ask HandTS and kerilli if any of your horses have managed to pull the net through the hole at the bottom.

I've got an intelligent (gets an apple out of water bucket in under 10 seconds) and very greedy warmblood who does a limbo to turn his head sideways under the hay bar.

He guzzles haylage - tried adlib and he just kept going. Hay belly got bigger and bigger.
 
If I had a horse that pigged its night ration fast, I would probably put half of it in a small holed net, and some in the haybar and some on the floor, so the horse has to look for the hay and entertain itself.
 
the net thing does work put a tie ring on the side and tie the net into that we do this toslow them down and for my little TB as she just trails in through her bed =/
 
I used a Haybar but do be honest its a bit of a pain. My horse eats it quicker, and then pulls it all out and thrashes it around in his shavings bed. I'm now back to haynets.....
 
when we said we wanted haybars, Dad made us hayracks - they are made from old scaffolding boards sanded off, and made into an open topped box on legs. Then there's a square of metal mesh weighted down with bricks around the edge to help slow them down.

works a treat and was sooooo much cheaper than a haybar.
 
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