As some of you may know, I’ve tried been thinking about restricted, free access hay feeders for a while. Here is the first try and the update. So, I was still looking for an easy to use solution that worked for me, the horses and the barn staff.
I heard about using hockey netting for making large (and small) hay nets on an email list (a sister list to the EquineCushings yahoogroup). A link was posted to Arizona Sports Equipment. I went ahead and ordered eight linear feet of ten foot wide netting. It cost me under $30.
I meant to make two large nets for my horse’s stalls. The first one took me about thirty minutes, the next fifteen. I cut the net in two for pieces about 5′ x 8′. I hooked the short end to the stall bars with cheap aluminum carabiners from Target. Next was folding them in half and lacing up the sides with baling twine. I used bright red for one and blue for the other. I trimmed about two feet off one net, so that it wouldn’t drape on the floor when empty. The other I left alone. I wanted to see how each would work.
Yes, I need to trim the hay string off at the bottom. I couldn't find the scissors.
She took about 30 seconds to be happily munching away.
Lily pawed at the net at first, but soon gave that up. She seems more contented now too. I ended up liking the shorter net better for the stall. I think that the larger net will work for a whole bale in the pasture. I’ll find out about that this weekend….
I really like this idea for Spanish Mustangs. The other types give them too much to play with and I fear they feeders will be destroyed. They cost too much and are too labor intensive to have destroyed in a few short weeks. But this they can eat out of and because it is hanging flatter against the wall it is out of their way and if they chew it or play with it it’s in expenisve and quick to replace.
Nice job!. Keep up posted as to how they hold up.
And I think that they are pretty safe, as long as your horses are not shod.
They have already saved me A LOT of wasted hay. They will pay for themselves pretty soon on that count.
I hope there is time when I come up in June to see your barn set up and your stash of equipment
I like this – I had bought small mesh hay nets and tied them to the panels so they couldn’t be carried out of the stall into the mud…they work well, but BOY are they hard to fill up. Most of the time now I don’t feel like wrestling with hay, so just end up putting the hay in their stalls without using my nets. I’ll check out that site – Thanks Simrat!
Yeah, I hate wrestling hay into a net or bag. This is easy. The opening is about 4-5 feet across! I really want to try a whole bale in the larger one and see how that works….
I am following your every word. I am setting this up for my boys in a new boarding situation on Sat April 4. I have been experimenting for6 months. Bottom line, what size hockey net could accomodate a large rectangular bale for pasture? Thanks, Goldie
How large a bale? My net made from the barrier netting (5′ x 8′ folded in half) held a 70 lb. two string small square bale with some room to spare. You have to put the net over the bale, cinch it up, THEN cut and remove the strings through the netting.
Here is a post about putting a whole bale in my net. http://www.akalranch.com/2009/03/new-look/
How much webbing would you buy to make a net for one horse?
Do you mean netting? It’s not really webbing. I am guessing that you mean the netting material, so I’ll answer that.
The company that I bought it from only has 8′ width as the smallest size. My piece to make one net was about 4.5′ x 4′. They may have finished nets closer to that size. I would suggest calling them up and asking. I see that they have hockey goal nets (stronger than my barrier netting) a little smaller at 52″ x 36″. That should make a decent single net. You might not be able to fit a full small square bale, but it would be stronger than mine. The cost is similar to what I spent for two nets though.
http://www.arizonasportsequipment.com/equipment/goal-dressings/goal-netting/
My hubby had some of that netting in his shop so I tried it for my arab and her goat-It worked good but was a pain to fill. So I got the bright idea of using a hole in the side of the barn about the size of a flake to open it around. So now I can fill it flake by flake from the other side. Exepect for the big hole the goat made when she found a little hole and put her nose thru (I’m lucky she has no horns) its been working great. But boy we sure have gone thru the hay this week keeping it in front of them at all times. It does slow down right?
Once they realize that the hay will always be there, they should slow down. My net was very easy to fill when hanging up.
And if it will fit a whole small square bale, try putting the bale up on end. Don’t take the strings off. Then put the net on like a knee sock or panty hose. After the net is closed, then reach in to cut the baling twine and pull it out.
Glad to revisit your site!! My bales in Calif. are 100-110 lbs. They have 3 strings. After using double Shire Nets, I am now using the heavy duty net from ArizonaSport. Since 4-09, all the nets are ripped that I tried except the new heavy duty ones. Thanks, I enjoy all your posts, on yahoo sites as well. My boys are on Facebook as well as my art too.
Goldie, please post a link to your FB page and/or your art. I would love to see it!
Are you using the heavier goal netting from Arizona Sport? I’ve been thinking of upgrading. After a year of use, I had my first real hole in a net this week. Not bad, I think. Even then, I just laced it up with baling twine.
i have two swiss alpine wethers (neutered male goats) with horns. I wonder if they would get tangled in and rip the nets. They hang with the horses. They seem to like to wrap things around their horns and necks. I think they are responsible for holes ripped in the small hay nets I was using (i agree they are a lot of bother to fill).