Remove or not remove bale twine

[yaffsimone1]

This is the first winter where i have only two horses in our paddocks. I was thinking about putting a rectangular hay out for them to munch on.

I will seperate the hay into two because they will fight over one. Though I'm not sure whether to take the twine off, if i do they will kick it all over the place, if i leave the twine on some of the hay remains intact but then i have the fear of the greedy so and so's eating the twine accidentally.

I would hang haynets from our fencing but we have nice new post and rail and the YO doesn't want me hanging stuff from it

What do you guys do with your bales in the field?

 

[Polos Mum]

I wouldn't leave twine on, eating or getting tied up in it would worry me!!

I have a large wooden potatoe box tha fits a whole small bale in it, too big for he big horse guard so they eat nicely one side each

 

[TandD]

Find a really big 'tub' or bottom of a barrel....... A large tyre from a tractor may also work....put the hay in there!

Can't kick it about but also no worry of tied hooves or eating of the twine!

 

[Capriole]

Take the twine off. Otherwise when the hay is eaten you will have big loops of accident-waiting-to-happen lying around your horses feet...

 

[Lynsey&Smartie]

I split mine into piles, mine are such idiots that they would manage to get the twine wrapped around their legs/neck if I left it on so I always remove it. I did end up with a lot of waste trampled into the mud last year though doing it like this so I'm looking at something to put the hay in this year, again something that they can't hurt themselves on as the 3 year old will get himself into trouble if at all possible!

I also tried haynets on the fence last year but the bit by the fence got really deep and muddy with them standing there all the time and they did break some fencing too.

 

[Spottyappy]

Remove. I once saw a horse sever his tongue on twine. Not my horse or yard, I hasten to add.

 

[yaffsimone1]

Ahhh two brilliant ideas....i feel stupid now for asking the question and not sitting down and thinking about it!

 

[yaffsimone1]

Remove. I once saw a horse sever his tongue on twine. Not my horse or yard, I hasten to add.

The very reason why i didn't want to leave it on. I think i would rather have the extra hay wastage than create an avoidable accident. Our two aren't the brightest

 

[pansy]

I wouldn't like to leave in on - I know not everyone likes them but we use lorry/ tractor tyres - stuff the hay inside, when the ground is looking a bit muddy move them around the paddock - tend to have one for each horse & have been using them for a few years & not had a problem

 

[Tern]

take it off then put in piles but if your gonna put it in a tyre be careful because im not sure if its my special horse or what but if it's in a tyre she will paw the tyre, get her foot stuck, spook and just be a special 7 yr old

 

[Leo Walker]

Use a wheelie bin feeder? Get 2 wheelie bins, cut a hole in the bottom, tie it to a fence or something solid and you have 2 feeders that save mess and dont risk harm

 

[Inthesticks]

Always choose the front tyres of a tractor or a fork lift. I have them and they are perfect, no wastage and it helps keep it dry. Also, you can move if to muddy

 

[yaffsimone1]

Thank you for all your replies.

I've decided i'm going to try the tractor tyres. I'm going for say 3 tyres and will have them in various places. I'm hoping that way horses wont feel pressured to gobble all the hay up in one go.