How do you fill your hay nets?

Kezzabell2

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Just wondering, as my horse is on a bit of a diet and I like to feed as much hay as he can eat, so last winter I shoved in as may slices of hay as I could leaving them in this sections, but now I'm using smaller holed nets and trying to not give him so much, (but still enough to last the night) so I've started fluffing the hay up, so he has about 2 and a half slices in each net!

does anyone else not fluff the hay up?
 

Mongoose11

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I'm not sure what you mean? Fluffing it up so it looks more will make zero difference to the amount that he has to eat or the length of time it will last him. Sorry if I am misunderstanding something...

I don't really understand the post 😟
 

Kezzabell2

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No I just mean I'm fluffing it up so the hay net is full! I'm aware that it will not last him any longer haha! Just I seem to be the only person at the yard that didn't fluff it all out in the nets, so was getting about 4 or 5 slices in each net
 

Cortez

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I weigh all the hay that is fed, "fluffing" it will make no difference. If your horse is supposed to lose weight then it is highly unlikely that he'll do so if fed all-you-can-eat hay.
 

be positive

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No I just mean I'm fluffing it up so the hay net is full! I'm aware that it will not last him any longer haha! Just I seem to be the only person at the yard that didn't fluff it all out in the nets, so was getting about 4 or 5 slices in each net

I think people have too much time on their hands if they bother fluffing up the hay, try doing 10 nets a day and they would soon just stuff in by the section, the only time I fluff it up a bit is if I am rinsing it under the hose as it ensures it is all evenly done, otherwise they get stuffed full and fed as they are, the horses are happy as long as they are full.
 

skint1

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I just decide how much my horse will have and stuff it in there, I think I get what you mean, if you leave it in wedges you can probably fit more in, however if you fluff it up you use less but it looks more? What about double netting (using two haynets) that should slow the horse down so the smaller portion takes longer to eat.
 

Jo1987

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I never fluff it up, however much I'm putting in. I'm horrendously allergic to it so I try to do it as quickly as possible, keeping slices completely intact preferably!
 

suffolkmare

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My boy lives out now but when he was in at night I'd tease it out a bit before soaking/steaming (tried both, gave up and put him back out 24/7, happier and less coughing!), but would occasionally weigh it (dry!) to check the amount he was getting, especially as he didn't always finish it, but would chomp on his bedding instead! They get through round bales at a rate of around 1 a week for 1 pony (mine) and 5 horses.
 

Kezzabell2

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I just decide how much my horse will have and stuff it in there, I think I get what you mean, if you leave it in wedges you can probably fit more in, however if you fluff it up you use less but it looks more? What about double netting (using two haynets) that should slow the horse down so the smaller portion takes longer to eat.

I do have a couple that I double up but the holes are still pretty big, the smaller hole nets do seem to last longer!

we have weigh in day on Saturday, so will see if he's managed to lose weight since they were last there! I'm pretty sure he would have as he's in a lot more work and feed has totally changed! so fingers x'd hehe
 

MissJessica

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I don't fluff them up but know people that do, can make a mess & therefore an extra job to sweep up.

I put slices in a Haynet and weigh ensuring consistency therefore sometimes have to separate bales but just pull apart. Not fluff.

I then steam and feed from the floor both for respiratory benefits.
 

Pinkvboots

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Can't understand the reason for fluffing the hay in a hay net, I know plenty of people that have done it maybe it's to give the impression that there is more hay in the net than there actually is, personally I don't have time for fluffing it just gets shoved in.
 

Kat

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When I used nets my technique was, ram as much in as possible, when you think it is full ram some more in. Stop, weigh the net, ram yet more in and then put your back out attempting to lug it back to the stable.

Now I just fill a wheel barrow or two and chuck it in the haybar.
 

millitiger

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Fluff it and stuff it.
Once you think it's full, squish down even more with your foot and top it up.

I actually think I get more hay in the net with this technique than by not fluffing.

(I only do one net a day though to take to the field for daytime so I have time to do this!)
 

BSL

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Can't understand the reason for fluffing the hay in a hay net, I know plenty of people that have done it maybe it's to give the impression that there is more hay in the net than there actually is, personally I don't have time for fluffing it just gets shoved in.

We always broke up slices of hay when doing haynets, I still do. Reduces dust and ensures no nasties have been baled. Chinese lantern bits as an example.
 

Tyssandi

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Just wondering, as my horse is on a bit of a diet and I like to feed as much hay as he can eat, so last winter I shoved in as may slices of hay as I could leaving them in this sections, but now I'm using smaller holed nets and trying to not give him so much, (but still enough to last the night) so I've started fluffing the hay up, so he has about 2 and a half slices in each net!

does anyone else not fluff the hay up?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172414502...49&var=471245552101&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
Nope i put sections in as they come out the bale, 10 haynets to fill. I have and just bought one of these. Waiting to receive it
 

Toby_Zaphod

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I fluff up hay off a large bale before stuffing hay nets. I do this so when I put the net in the steamer the steam penetrates the net easier. The nets are still full but well steamed so no dust.
 

WelshD

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I leave the hay in sections in the possibly quite unfounded belief that being compacted it takes the ponies longer to eat and reduces mess

As one pony only gets one pad of hay his haynet looks hopelessly flacid and tiny so if I ever have visitors I fluff the haynets up like mad so they look lovely and bulbous!
 

Cobbytype

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We always broke up slices of hay when doing haynets, I still do. Reduces dust and ensures no nasties have been baled. Chinese lantern bits as an example.

I always like to break open the slices to check what's inside, but I can appreciate those with several horses can't spend ages faffing with each net.
 

ClareGilby

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Hi. My mare is very large and eats a lot. She was eating a bale a day and woofing it quite quickly. I now give her two hay nets every night, one with big holes and one with small holes so she can eat the first one as fast as she likes and the other one keeps her going all night. I ram in as many slices as I can get in.
 

D66

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I fluff, it's what the "Manual of Horsemanship", said to do to get rid of dust and foreign objects. Only have one horse to do ATM.
Have just bought a small holed, hay pillow because it looks easier to fill.
The latest load of hay is so nice I'm not fluffing it much.;)
 

fornema

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I use round bales and so don't have the convenience of slices so mine are stuffed as full as possible, for both mine i double net large haylage nets as they can eat their way through a very large haynet in a couple of hours alongside being out 12hrs a day.
 

jojo5

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Guess you have enough versions of fluff or not fluff now, but just to say one of the most important reasons for fluffing is spotting foreign objects - over the years have seen rubber bands, a screwdriver, black plastic pieces, and just recently part of a branch from, apparently, a fake tree.
 

Casey76

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We have the big round bales, so it all ends up fluffed. It's a pain in he behind when you have to do two big nets (9kg). Depending on which field the hay came from sometimes I can't get anywhere near 9kgs in. It would be so much easier to pull 3-4 slices off a small bale to put in a net. Having more compacted hay might slow the hungry beasts down too!

Having said that I'm always amazed at what comes out of some of our bales, especially if the field is beside a road (shoes - human, carrier bags, barbed wire(!))
 

Damnation

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Best bet is to weight the nets. You can get a cheap fishermans weight off ebay.

I have round bales, I grab and fill - the layers aren't that thick so anything dodgy would be spotted.
 
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