Haynets!

[Taboo1968]

I've never been one for using haynets in a stable.... however on Saturday as we unloaded horse from lorry there was still quite a bit of haylage still in the net so I thought I'd tie it in stable. Now this is only a rather small haynet and I tied it that tight I managed to get the string back and through three times!!!!
Now owning the TB that has not got a pulse and is sooooo quiet, I never have it another thought..... that was until I got a call the next morning from OH who had got to the yard before me.....
Said horse had obviously rolled in the night and got legs caught in haynet..... luckily haynet came off the wall, but was trapped between his hoof and shoe.....

So please please please..... think about the risks of using haynets, no matter how high or securely they are tied..... this could have ended a lot worse (thank god it didn't) but I shall never use a haynet in a stable again!

 

[Tempi]

gosh, how awful but at least it wasnt too serious. I always use haynets as does everyone on my yard and noone has had any problems.

 

[samp]

I never use haynets due to the risk of being tangled and also I believe that horses should eat off the floor/ in a bucket. This is how they graze in the wild

 

[KatB]

Same as you samp, I feed off the floor as I truly do believe it has helped my boy who is prone to coughing, and just becasue I don't trust haynets! But then again, I know alot of people who use them with no problems. Just personal choice I suppose!

 

[samp]

KatB I have owned horses for 15years and none of mine have ever coughed

 

[Tierra]

Also feed from the ground as I think its more natural for them. Ive never been a lover of haynets.. I dont like anything hung in stables to be honest, least of all bits of twine type things!

 

[siennamum]

I have one little pony who will not eat off the floor....

One pony who believes he should thoroughly mix his haylage with his shavings before peeing & pooing on the lot & standing all night wondering where his food has gone. They both have haynets, though I hate them as a rule & dislike the way they build muscle in the wrong place. Everything else gets their haylage on the floor.

 

[charlie76]

We never use haynets. Feed off the floor or in a haybar.

I know of a horse who got the haynet string(not at our yard!!!!) round its neck and strangled itself- owner founf it dead in the morning.

 

[Kelly1982]

I have always used haynets and never had a problem with them and neither has anyone else i know.

I have always tied mine at the front of the stable though so if my horse was to roll she wouldn't get her legs caught anyway (well hopefully not but you know what horses are like).

Plus i like the fact that its slows her eating down so that she has hay for most of the night otherwise she eats 4 wedges in about an hour and then stands with nothing.

 

[KatB]

Sorry samp, are you saying feeding off the ground helps coughing? Or that he shouldnt be coughing at all?!

 

[SSM]

Donkey has a net because if I put it on the floor she poos on it and then won't eat it

If it was my own stable I would put it in a good old fashioned wooden hay rack. I am paranoid and it is tied high and looped back through the knot - still it gives me something to worry about in the middle of the night

 

[Theresa_F]

Cairo does not like hay off the floor, he has a small hole net which he could not get his huge hoof caught in. I also put my nets at the front of the stable well away from the bedding.

Chancer has haybags - he will drag everywhere and pee and poo on his hay - the haybag is a good alternative to a net - one large hole at the front so less chance of risk of injury to youngsters.

I have used nets for years and have not had any of my horses get caught in them nor any breathing problems but they have all been sensible sorts in the stable.

 

[fairhill]

I use the small hole haynets - less chance of trouble.

I went up to feed my old horse her breakfast years ago and she didn't appear at the door. She'd got her leg all the way through a hole in the haynet, and been stood there patiently waiting for someone to untangle her. She'd finished all the hay, so can't have been too bothered by it...

 

[siennamum]

It is healthier for them to eat off the floor, allows the mucus to continually drain, which otherwise can cause them to cough.
As important I think is the effect on their teeth, they are designed to eat off the floor and eating at an unnatural height causes them to wear their teeth badly. I have mine checked yearly but they rarely need any work doing as they eat everything at ground level.

 

[Super_Kat]

Scary stuff! I would feed mine hay off the floor if they didn't drag it into their beds and trash it!

 

[riotgirl]

I use small hole haynets and attach it to the wall with 5 nails! I can't feed her off the floor as she just wees in it and tramples it into the bed. If my stable wasn't so rickety I'd probably get a haybar, but I am too worried about her rubbing her bum on it and breaking the stable! You can see the walls wobble as it is when she rubs her behind on the wall!

 

[jayvee]

I too use the small holed ones. But I wish I didn't have to use a net at all as all the horses trample, pee, poo and waste so much. Not to mention the pain it is to muck out when like that.
And I agree it strenghtens the wrong muscles and feeding off the floor is the ideal for the sinuses etc.
The perfect stable would be to have say of foaling box size which one end would have the bedding and the other end bare rubber floor where I can but the hay on the floor. But knowing my luck they would still want to pee on the hay!!!!
Oh what to do eh..

And just a little story.. One of them managed to attatch himself to the net the other night!! He must have rubbed the net with his chest and the rug having those clips, clipped onto the net! He was technically tied to the net but didn't seem bothered (paitience of a saint). I don't know how long he'd been stood there as found the morning.
I now make sure the clips face inwards!!

 

[claire1976]

I used to use haynets but now I fill a large rubber tub with hay and leave on the ground as I believe its more natural to eat off the ground. I have been told that continual use of haynets can affect the horses jaw as they are not designed to eat high up. Same reason as why I don't use a feed bucket that hooks over the door anymore,
A good point made about the risks of getting tangled as well.

 

[luane1]

my lot get fed off the floor and usually there is not a scrap left unless we are away somewhere and we take small bales of haylege which they find different and are suspicious of but if they are hungry they will eat. The only time it is trampled through the bed is when we give too much. They are awful with haynets when travelling and manage to untie every sort of knot and travel with the net between their feet if we are not careful.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

Now. whilst I love the thought of feeding from the floor or a haybar (I think haybars are fab!

) what about those horses that gollop their hay down? For example, my dad fed little man this morning for me, and not trusting my dad to go into the stable to fiddle with the haylege net ( last time he went in he stood in the corner drilling and left the door open, needeless to say, little man bolted). Anyway, i told my dad to chuck a slice of hay over the door as I'd be an hour late.
When I got there, it was all gone!
So how do you limit how quickly a horse eats it's hay if you don't use a haynet?
And yes, personally I HATE haynets.

 

[TGM]

[ QUOTE ]
So how do you limit how quickly a horse eats it's hay if you don't use a haynet?

[/ QUOTE ] I have a hayrack with quite small mesh for my greedy eater which slows down her haylage consumption. Still has the disadvantage of eating at an unnatural angle, but removes the tangling risk.

Old mare has it in a rack too as she tramples on it and then won't eat it. But they live out most of the time so not too worried about the few times they eat haylage in the stables.

Daughter's pony is perfect - you can feed hers on the floor with no trampling and she takes her time!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

lol, little man pulls it out of the net, drops it, stands on it, then won't eat it. I think I shall look for a rack next time!

 

[Nailed]

Most horses at our yard are fed from nets.
Ted has his in a big pile by the door, gets it everywhere including in my hat but he enjoys it!
Most common way of a horse getting its hoof caught is the net gets between the shoe and foot. Quite common really.
Shoes may be a wee bit loose now thought =o)
Lou x

 

[magic104]

I feed off the floor or out of a large cut down barrell as I wont feed out of haynets for reasons already mentioned. I have to lump it, they get quiet a lot of haylage & some of it does get trampled into the bed, but so be it. I am lucky as I do not have to watch the weight of any of mine, they are good doers but then I just monitor the hard feed.

 

[Happytohack]

Exact same thing happened to a horse we had some years ago - ended up with haynet stuck between hoof and shoe. Tilly has also had her head stuck in hers! All my lot have haybars now. Hate filling loads of haynets anyway.

 

[Chex]

I use a cut down barrel too, or if they're in the cattel court thay have a big hay heck. Some of it is wasted in his bed, but I pay for adlib haylage, so doesn't bother me!

 

[Taboo1968]

You could let a bomb off next to this horse nad he wouldn't flinch! God knows how he did it, guess he was just having a roll and got caught!!!

No more haynets for me.... I'd rather battle with the bedding than go through that again!

 

[Chumsmum]

I have same problem with my lad - back lady recommended off floor too but he just wolfs it down. Have compromised with half on floor and half in net tonight but now having nightmares about him getting stuck in the net

Please, please someone invent a way of feeding a fattie on the floor!

 

[Evadiva1514]

I feed all mine off the floor, heard and seen too many accidents with haynets to put me off for a lifetime!!

 

[Oaksflight]

I always use haynets, never had a problem. If I had the choice, I would prefer to feed from the floor or from a haybar, but livery where he is doesn't allow it unfortunately.