idea for feeding hay in the field

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Mel1

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Hi

in the winter we feed hay/haylage in the field on the floor, most of it gets eaten but inevitably the horses walk on it, it gets all wet and muddy and they wont eat it, they poo and wee on it, it makes a mess, and it trashes the field. and on windy day it blows away everywhere.

I am trying to think of some ideas of how we could feed hay int he field in something that would contain itand that would be safe for the horses and big enough for 2 horses to share.

have you got any ideas?
 
We feed ours from some big tractor tyres that the farmer was only too happy to offload onto us. They keep all the hay in, and then there's a nice dry patch for the hay to be put in next time. If you need to move them you can just flip them or roll them to a new place, and they don't usually poo in the tyres!

I don't think they have ever fallen over them in the dark, but they are big enough to see and rubber with no sharp edges etc so fairly safe I think :)
 
We had one of the portable cattle hay rack feeder thingies on wheels (technical term, you know ;)) at our last yard - one of these: http://bit.ly/qwYb0J. Worked quite well.

If you can't buy one locally off a farmer, try Farmers Weekly or Farmers Guardian.
 
I saw a link to an ebay ad on here the other day... someone selling wheelie bins with a big hole cut out on the front towards the bottom. you put a whole bale in the top, shut the lid and fasten it and wheel it out to the field, stand it up and secure it to a fence or tree or whatever.. looked quite a good Idea... whether two horses would share it or you'd need one per ned is another matter but it solves a few issues, incuding carting hay to and getting it in the field with hungry neds waiting!!
 
Our employers had some plants delivered and they came in this natty box. It is basically built around a pallet and was brilliant for feeding my four all of last winter. We put the cross-pieces in the top because my TB would plunge his nose in and sweep it all out the other side so with the bars in he couldn't do that without bumping his nose! SS Greengold bags fitted neatly into a triangle for re-filling and if the ground got poached it was fairly easy to move single-handedly.

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Hayhutches are fab :) I have two of them. Only problem is, this winter I shall have three horses to accommodate... doh!
 
domane said:
Our employers had some plants delivered and they came in this natty box. It is basically built around a pallet and was brilliant for feeding my four all of last winter. We put the cross-pieces in the top because my TB would plunge his nose in and sweep it all out the other side so with the bars in he couldn't do that without bumping his nose! SS Greengold bags fitted neatly into a triangle for re-filling and if the ground got poached it was fairly easy to move single-handedly.

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What a good idea :) i have a few crates knocking about and OH is pretty handy with DIY stuff!
 
I had a pony in some temporary accomodation last winter, stable ok but turnout a bit makeshift...I found an old (clean) green upright plastic compost-er type thing with a lift-up door at the bottom...filled it full of hay and in the am opened the door so he could pull it out at leisure, and when he went in at night, shut the door. Think these are pretty cheap to buy and will probably get one this year for new ned, new field :)
 
We have metal water troughs with small holes in the bottom to let the water run out if it rains. The hay goes in and it has like a metal grid on the top that goes like a weavig grid is the only way i can explain it haha,just wide enough to get the hay out but not so big that the numpty horses who try and climb in get there feet stuck! As they eat the hay the metal bit goes down with it so they get all the last bits and just remove that to refill,they have been made by my yard owners and they are brilliant! No mess and no injuries!:)
 
CBFan said:
I saw a link to an ebay ad on here the other day... someone selling wheelie bins with a big hole cut out on the front towards the bottom. you put a whole bale in the top, shut the lid and fasten it and wheel it out to the field, stand it up and secure it to a fence or tree or whatever.. looked quite a good Idea... whether two horses would share it or you'd need one per ned is another matter but it solves a few issues, incuding carting hay to and getting it in the field with hungry neds waiting!!
Click to expand...

mmm interesting idea!
 
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