Haynets in field.....do you? Would you?

[Hippona]

Ok....I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem so I'm interested in what other do.

My 3 horses ( 2 good doers and an arab- OK doer) are out in a small winter trash paddock....minimal grass plus plenty of mud. Obviously they are getting hay at night in the stable- arab gets ad-lib, other 2 natives get adequate in a small holed net.

I'm putting out hay in the paddock- a decent amount- more than they would get overnight but obviously its being gobbled down by the natives and when I check then in my dinner hour its gone.

So...I put more out- I don't like then having nothing, especially as the arab gets grumpy/girthy if he doesnt get enough forage.

My concern is that I don't want the natives to get fat, which they will do if I keep putting out loose hay. But the arab needs access to ad-lib hay....not necessarily huge amounts but steady access.

Other than tying small-holed nets to the post-and rail fencing, how can I stop the natives getting fat whilst allowing the arab to trickle feed?

Ideas please?

 

[Natz88]

Is there anyway you could split the small paddock & have the 2 natives one side & the arab the other least that way, you can limit what the natives have & the arab will be getting what he needs?

 

[a kind of magic]

I have used haynets in the field, I'm doing it at the moment. We have 2 mares and an 8 month old foal in their 2 acre winter paddock (just moved there from the autumn grazing) and as well as the grass that has been rested they have ad-lib hay. I find if I leave it on the floor it gets pooed or weed on, so we put it in small holed haynets. That way it's there as and when they want it but it doesn't get ruined or trodden into the mud. Works for them.

 

[Hippona]

I guess I could.....it had crossed my mind .....was just thinking there might be some other way.

Might have to invest in some fence posts

 

[scrunchie]

I've used haynets in a field before and had no probs. You just need to find a dry area in the field to hang them because they stand there for ages.

 

[indi4]

My friend had a fence post hammered into the ground in the middle of the field with a tie ring on to tie the net to. This work quite well, and he had to work a bit harder to get the hay as the net would move about bit to.

 

[Hippona]

My friend had a fence post hammered into the ground in the middle of the field with a tie ring on to tie the net to. This work quite well, and he had to work a bit harder to get the hay as the net would move about bit to.

Thats a good idea....

 

[Ibblebibble]

I'd separate them , surely the greedy natives will just shove the arab off the haynet and still stuff their faces?
I have had to remove my ginger boy from being with my big girl because he bosses her around and was stealing all the hay, he was getting fat while she was struggling to maintain weight he's now on his own so i can control how much he has and she's got daughters pony in with her for company

 

[starryeyed]

^ Ours do that. We have to put a line of electric fencing to split the field because mr fatty steals everyone elses hay out of the nets!
I'd try and separate them if possible as I too think that your natives will be gobbling the arab's dinner, though the nets will definitely make the hay last longer.

 

[Ladylina83]

I've used haynets too and it works fine if you change where you tie them all the time - if your mud is really bad though I'd just put on half day TO till it dries up - at least they are getting out but I find standing around in a stable eating hay preferable to standing around in deep mud eating hay

 

[Brandy]

I have two greedy natives and a TB so am in simliar situation. One (agressive) native is seperated, and Tb and small native are together. (tb won't be on his own.) I have used smal holed haynets made into 'hay pillows'

You have to have the right sort of net - small holes everywhere, including when you have tied it up (some nets have bigger 'holes at the top just under where the string is)

I fill with hay, tie the top up, then thread the excess string in and out of the rest of the net so that when it is empty, there are no large holes to get a leg through. I just leav eit on the floor for the native that is on his own. I have ntohing to tie to (elec fence) and it really helps stop hay blowing away in the windy weather.

Don;t use them for the TB though.........

 

[SavingGrace]

We don't put hay/haynets out in the fields unless they are out 24/7. There is 13 on approx 18 acres in Graces field and there is still enough grass to keep them occupied for the 4/5 hrs they are out. I think the staff would be there all day if they put hay out lol x

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

We used to roll out large round bales of hay and let the horses stand and eat that. It probably won't suit you as the natives would just eat ALL day and then all night, but at lease the Arab would get a look in!

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I once had a 16.2 TB sharing a paddock with a tubby section A, and I hung the haynet higher than th eSection A could reach. (He was still able to do the hoovering )
The other option would be to use some electric fence and separate them. Thats what I do now, so I can feed each of mine according to their needs.