Video Why Robin?

[doodle]

Yes I know a loose haynet on the ground is bad. It was for the length of the video, my foot is on the net holding it still and I was ready to grab. I had untied it and chucked it out the door while he was eating and he made it clear he wanted it.

Anyway, he looks pretty keen to be eating it. He seems much happier eating from the ground. Does his neck hurt? I am pretty sure his throat is hurting him. I will be speaking to the vet of course. I have questioned his neck since before the hocks diagnosed. But does this point to sore neck or greedy/lazy horse?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Would he eat from a large trug bucket as his quite unwell at the moment I would ditch the net and make it easy for him to eat as pulling a net takes effort if you know what I mean.

 

[doodle]

Yep I could try that. The problem is yo has said, repeatedly, recently no loose hay. I have always used the massive shires haylege nets, 2 each night. So he could have as lib but not quite gorge himself. Tonight I refilled the haynet in the video and tied up. So he has that with the big holes and a shires one. The big holes nets only hold about 5kg so even with 2 that wouldn’t be enough. Thinking the big holes must be easier. I hadn’t actually clicked until he was so keen for it in the ground. I also gave him lots on the floor but that won’t go down well with yo. But if I could say his neck is sore then it might be ok. The last few nights he has eaten less hay, and yo commented I had given too much so did notice the change. So a bit of an experiment to see where he eats the hay from.

 

[rextherobber]

I always feed mine hay in a couple of big tub trugs as one has arthritic changes at the top of the neck, it's definitely more comfortable and natural. Or if your YO is adamant about the no loose hay rule, try hay bags (the sort with the hole, not the mesh square), you can hang them a bit lower as they don't sag like empty haynets do. Am sure if there's a medical reason, your YO will relent...

 

[Lurfy]

I always prefer feeding from the ground where possible. Why does the YO not want any loose hay? If that is the case then could you put hay in a rubber tyre feeder in the corner?

 

[vmac66]

When my mare had neck issues I gave her 3 Hay bags instead of nets. Much easier for them.

 

[doodle]

Well that didn’t work. He had eaten a fair bit from ground but mostly mushed into bed. This is why yo dosnt want loose hay. Very little eaten from nets. Furious horse now wanting out NOW

 

[bouncing_ball]

I use one of these in the stable. Don’t bother with grill bit.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Could you get a fold up baby cot thing and put the hay into that? Saves you spending out for a proper hay box which are usually £100+

 

[Annagain]

Can you fix a few planks across the corner of his stable to form a makeshift haybar? Attach a baton down each of the walls and the cut the planks at an angle so they can screw into the batons.

 

[Mrs G]

It was expensive but I really rate my Parallex hay saver. My lad cribs on haynets and I didn’t want to waste hay having it loose. I can fit more than 10kg of hay in it, there’s no waste, it allows for a low eating position and the ‘grill’ slows his eating down.

 

[doodle]

Thanks everyone. Friend knows someone selling a haybar so might try that.

 

[hollyandivy123]

get a large trug and drill a hole about an inch wide in the bottom, you can then fill your net and thread it through the hole so it is inside the trug.........hay kept together and no problems with feet getting caught in the net, just make sure the net is below the height of the trug

 

[asmp]

Thanks everyone. Friend knows someone selling a haybar so might try that.

I do like haybars but one of ours ‘noses’ most of the hay out and onto the floor ?

 

[doodle]

He does like getting his nose under a pile of hay and throws it about!

 

[Trouper]

Would always feed everything from the ground anyway. It really is not good for their necks/poll to be constantly fighting a haynet for every mouthful. So, yes - a haybar or an improvised one.

 

[doodle]

Does that behaviour mean he has a sore neck though?

 

[doodle]

He is not getting more than a handful of hay on the floor. He spread it everywhere. Including the opposite corner pulled up on his water buckets so he couldn’t drink!

 

[Trouper]

Does that behaviour mean he has a sore neck though?

Not necessarily but any repeated, non-natural behaviour can lead to problems down the line. Horses occasionally browse hedges and trees if there is some particular vegetation they need but not for hours at a time. Head down grazing is their natural position.
I am afraid some horses just like to toss things around (!) and some like to dunk their hay in the water trough before eating. Had one where it was a task every morning to remove a water trough full of soggy hay. It's just them. However, a hay bar may keep your YM happy so hope you find one.