Small hole hay nets - how small is too small?

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Sassylassy

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I am in the process of sorting out my collection of hay nets and looking to replace the older and most ragged ones. My horse is a greedy and (currently) slightly over weight cob and so I am looking at small hole nets with 1.5 or 2 inch holes to try to slow him down a bit. But some of them look far too small to be useable, such as the 1inch holes on the greedy feeder type nets, or the double net type. So, if you use these nets, do you find them useful? And if not, why not? All opinions and advice would be welcome.
 
I used to use them, the tiny holed ones that were around £50 each. He'd get frustrated and learned to eat the net with his molars then help himself to the hay inside.

I now have a tough slow feeder that affixes to the wall. He tried to destroy it but it has remained pristine! It has much larger holes but because it is a rigid structure, they can't access the hay except for a few bits at a time. It lasts around 2 hours as opposed to a net that would only do around half an hour. It has a hopper effect inside so the hay always falls down within reach.
 
Double nets, no, didn't do very much at all. I can't remember the brand but it was similar to this one and didn't slow her down at all really.

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I have been using the shires soft haylage nets (1.5") for 4 years now and won't use anything else if I can help it. Really hard wearing, I've not had to replace a net yet, only the string, and do slow them down. 1.5" is as small a hole as I'll use for my 14.2 pony tho, the 1" ones I think are more suitable for tinies.
 
I use the shires greedy feeder nets for my connie. They work fine and definitely don't stop him eating but they do slow him down a lot. He couldn't cope with the trickle nets they just frustrated him and then he gave up trying to eat at all!
 
I use nets with 3cm holes double netted (elico little piggy haynets), and rest assured, it barely gives my mares pause for thought. It will still be almost all gone by morning (except for a tiny handful in the bottom). I measured and, with double nets, they currently eat 1kg per 3 hours.
 
I have been using the green greedy nets and the shires mesh haylage nets . My pony has been able to eat well the green ones but she’s been really slowed down with the black shires , to the point there’s a considerable amount left compared to the green net .

They doing a great job. I tie them to a dolaf as she’s in a stripped bit as she keeps pushing the tricked net out the field . I can definitely recommend the shires mesh haylage nets if you wanting to slow your horses feeding down
 
Nibbleze hay nets have 2.5cm holes but they will make up nets with a different size as well. They can be used on the floor - if your horse doesn't wear shoes and I think this does slow them down more. The nets don't have any knots and are kind to teeth. The price is high but they do last for ages.
 
First Frost said:
I use the shires greedy feeder nets for my connie. They work fine and definitely don't stop him eating but they do slow him down a lot. He couldn't cope with the trickle nets they just frustrated him and then he gave up trying to eat at all!
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Yes! Trickle Nets! Rigs would NEVER give up eating but was clever enough to empty it then grind the empty one with his molars so it would have a hole big enough next time! He destroyed the nasty hay bag!

He much prefers the new wall mounted slow feeder. Lost it with it the first couple of times, as he could see the haylage but couldn't get it all. He tried the catches, tried kneeing it, pawing it, leaning on it... then realised it was solid and set to eating.

He can eat quicker, but it slows him enough that he will even sometimes leave it for a while and go back. Amazing! It's always empty after a few hours, but may still have some left after 2 hours.
 
smolmaus said:
I have been using the shires soft haylage nets (1.5") for 4 years now and won't use anything else if I can help it. Really hard wearing, I've not had to replace a net yet, only the string, and do slow them down. 1.5" is as small a hole as I'll use for my 14.2 pony tho, the 1" ones I think are more suitable for tinies.
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I use the same 1.5 and have for years for my hoover of a warmblood. Bar an initial huff & stare, hes slowed right down with these but has sussed it out & patiently nibbles away.

PurpleSpots said:
What is a dolaf please? Google couldn't help on this one!! If it's a magical device to keep ground nets stationary in a field I'd like to get one!!!
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I think they must mean dolav (typo) a big square plastic box.
 
Thank you for all the replies and few ideas of nets etc to consider. I think my horse would get very frustrated with the 1inch hole nets, but will certainly look at the Nibbleze ones.
 
I use the Harry's horse slow feeder (you can get them on Horze, but also Amazon, I think). They're about 1.5 inch. Whenever I use a small holed net, though, I do also put down a small pile near it, so they can get the initial munchies over with, before settling to graze on the net.
 
HaplessHorse said:
I use nets with 3cm holes double netted (elico little piggy haynets), and rest assured, it barely gives my mares pause for thought. It will still be almost all gone by morning (except for a tiny handful in the bottom). I measured and, with double nets, they currently eat 1kg per 3 hours.
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I use these and find the same. They typically last a couple of years before she makes a hole in it
 
I use a mixture. We have the shires soft mesh 1.5nch hole for PM nets. They are great but most of them have damage. My lot must be quite destructive as I'd been told they weren't easy to rip.
We then use a mixture of our older shires 'deluxe haylage' and 'normal haylage' nets. They actually have faired better than the soft ones and I don't need such a small holed net in the daytime.
 
Red-1 said:
Yes! Trickle Nets! Rigs would NEVER give up eating but was clever enough to empty it then grind the empty one with his molars so it would have a hole big enough next time! He destroyed the nasty hay bag!

He much prefers the new wall mounted slow feeder. Lost it with it the first couple of times, as he could see the haylage but couldn't get it all. He tried the catches, tried kneeing it, pawing it, leaning on it... then realised it was solid and set to eating.

He can eat quicker, but it slows him enough that he will even sometimes leave it for a while and go back. Amazing! It's always empty after a few hours, but may still have some left after 2 hours.
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Have you a link for the slow feeder. I think at some point my willingness to fill hay nets is going to crack.
 
I think they just frustrated my cob.watching him yanking the hay out made me worried about arthritis in his neck in the future. My solution is hayw in a normal net fed 50/50with straw. That way he lost weight, kept it off and always has something to eat. Straw based chaff in a trug is good too.
 
rhino said:
I have one, but it’s the bigger holed one as I’m not trying to restrict forage intake, I just like that they are knotless. Nice quality nets.
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Is it quite soft? I don’t like the trickle nets when new as they are so hard!
 
Red-1 said:
Yes! Trickle Nets! Rigs would NEVER give up eating but was clever enough to empty it then grind the empty one with his molars so it would have a hole big enough next time! He destroyed the nasty hay bag!

He much prefers the new wall mounted slow feeder. Lost it with it the first couple of times, as he could see the haylage but couldn't get it all. He tried the catches, tried kneeing it, pawing it, leaning on it... then realised it was solid and set to eating.

He can eat quicker, but it slows him enough that he will even sometimes leave it for a while and go back. Amazing! It's always empty after a few hours, but may still have some left after 2 hours.
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Had a conversation with both vet and equine dentist about this, once, horses getting frustrated with the tiny holes, snatching at them and chewing them up - evidently it’s not impossible for horses to get the Haynet nylon strands between their teeth, start tugging/ yanking to get free, then rip out some actual teeth 😱 ☹️.
The EDT also said that the continual wear of nylon when horses are always pulling through small mesh, affects dentine, bit like some of the plastic muzzles.
(Old style haynets were made from hemp rope, sometimes tarred, but with massive holes. Danger then was a pawing horse might get its hoof through!)
Something to be said for ad lib, loose pile in the corner, low-cal fodder!
 
Exasperated said:
Had a conversation with both vet and equine dentist about this, once, horses getting frustrated with the tiny holes, snatching at them and chewing them up - evidently it’s not impossible for horses to get the Haynet nylon strands between their teeth, start tugging/ yanking to get free, then rip out some actual teeth 😱 ☹️.
The EDT also said that the continual wear of nylon when horses are always pulling through small mesh, affects dentine, bit like some of the plastic muzzles.
(Old style haynets were made from hemp rope, sometimes tarred, but with massive holes. Danger then was a pawing horse might get its hoof through!)
Something to be said for ad lib, loose pile in the corner, low-cal fodder!
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I think it’s a case of horses for courses again, some horses may get agitated by slow feeder nets and start having a go at it and thrashing their necks around, some horses nibble away quietly (like mine) and seem to enjoy the enrichment, it also means they get constant access to forage.

For some horses, they will take a break from eating occasionally or nibble slowly if they have ad lib. For some (like mine) loose ad lib is literally impossible because they’ll wolf down 8-10kilos of forage and have none left in the morning (bear in mind, these are 14hh good doers), which quickly becomes unsustainably expensive because that is a round bale/week, not to mention mine will gain weight on that amount, no matter how low cal it is. (I felt guilty last year so gave Saus ad lib over winter, she came out of winter overweight, cob is known to do the same).

ETA: I would advise checking teeth for wear and changing tack if it’s causing a problem.
 
HaplessHorse said:
I think it’s a case of horses for courses again, some horses may get agitated by slow feeder nets and start having a go at it and thrashing their necks around, some horses nibble away quietly (like mine) and seem to enjoy the enrichment, it also means they get constant access to forage.

For some horses, they will take a break from eating occasionally or nibble slowly if they have ad lib. For some (like mine) loose ad lib is literally impossible because they’ll wolf down 8-10kilos of forage and have none left in the morning (bear in mind, these are 14hh good doers), which quickly becomes unsustainably expensive because that is a round bale/week, not to mention mine will gain weight on that amount, no matter how low cal it is. (I felt guilty last year so gave Saus ad lib over winter, she came out of winter overweight, cob is known to do the same).

ETA: I would advise checking teeth for wear and changing tack if it’s causing a problem.
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Yes mine is the same, 14hh good doer who will happily snaffle 8-10kg in a short period on the floor! With nothing left…to be fair in a regular haynet it’s pretty empty by morning!

I’ve ordered one of the equilibrium ones and will see how it goes.
 
Ty for the equilibrium link! The shires version is getting harder to get hold of and one of mine has gone walkies 👀 shame their free shipping doesn't cover NI tho 🙃
 
I've got 2 of the equilibrium hay nets. My horses can still eat 8kg of hay overnight but it does slow them down compared with the floor or bigger holes. They do have some additional larger holes created which have needed repairs, but I've had them years now and use them daily.
 
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