Next winter - hay feeding ideas

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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I know it's a long way off but wondered if anyone had come up with something to solve this in the past...
Need to hay the big man but not his buddy, who is 4 hands smaller and who I want to use winter for keeping the weight off.
I'm not keen on stringing up a net out of her reach as big man has neck changes and I'd prefer he ate from a lower head position. OH is an excellent DIYer so building something is an option. I have a 50 gallon round water tub which makes a great floor level feeder. Was thinking maybe some kind of frame to raise it so that he can get his head in but she can't..?
 
I had a system that had hay one side of a half door in a low net that the horse could reach but not the donkey. Straw was available for both in their loafing area.

However the mare took to passing mouthfuls of hay to the donkey and going back for another one for herself.
 
haybox - sides big enough that pony can't get a look in but nice and deep so horse has to lean over the side to get in to the hay. I've found all my horse's have better backs/necks from it
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JJS said:
I have field envy! Look how lovely and dry your ground looks!
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ha- that was taken in january when they were on the rested part of the field. Believe me, its not that dry all over and that bit is currently being rested again as it's too wet to put them on it!

you can see the mud in the section they're currently in - they won't get on the bit the wheelbarrow is on until june/july probably!
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I wondering if I can get our hay supplier to drop 5 round bales along our hill top where it stays drier and then progressively unwrap each one as they finish them. There's no tractor access without making it worse in winter but i worry about the naughty horses peeling the plastic off the unused bales. 5 bakes might last through the worst of it?

I'm like you op, wondering how I can make next year easier
 
stencilface said:
I wondering if I can get our hay supplier to drop 5 round bales along our hill top where it stays drier and then progressively unwrap each one as they finish them. There's no tractor access without making it worse in winter but i worry about the naughty horses peeling the plastic off the unused bales. 5 bakes might last through the worst of it?

I'm like you op, wondering how I can make next year easier
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Bit of electric fencing round the bales that aren't to be opened then when the next one is ready change your electric fence?
 
stencilface said:
That's a great idea! Do you think it would be a good plan? Can only try and fail right?
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a lot of wrapped bales will stay stacked outside so there shouldn't be an issue with them being kept out with fencing round them. You will just need to watch that the farmer doesn't pierce the wrapping when moving them in the first place. They should have the equipment to pick up bales without the plastic being disturbed. then I don't see any issue with having them dropped at the top with a good gap between them so that you can easily put your fencing round a group of 4 then move to a group of 3.
I have a solar panel running my electric fencing so that I don't have to keep swapping out batteries. I did have a leisure battery running my fence and had to swap every 2-3 weeks. Depends how mch your horses respect the electric fencing as to how much of a shock they need to not try getting through it.. I've also seen people use sheep hurdles but i'm not sure I'd risk that
 
We kept possibly the world's most greedy horse off opened bales with electric fencing this year. Just a tiny energiser with two D batteries was enough.
 
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