How to use slow feed hay nets for horses

or tearing off the tops of plants when browsing.  Try to mimic that situation for their longterm biomechanical health.
Using nets efficiently
Using hay nets is always going to be more timeconsuming than tossing hay out loose but there are ways to make the filling and distribution faster and more efficient.
The Stablehand Haynet Filler makes net filling much quicker and less frustrating.
If you have extra nets on hand filling enough for a couple of feed times can help especially in winter when there are fewer daylight hours.
Filling smaller nets can also be done quicker by using a ring or tub to hold the net open or a Duratech Hay Net Filler. It fits the Haysaver Small Nets and Greedy Steed medium and large size nets and makes slipping the hay in so easy. They are also great for filling sacks of manure or shavings.
Round Bale Nets
Horses love having access to a round bale.
The most efficient of all methods is using  Round bale Haysaver nets.
The upside is less frequent replacement of bales and the hay is always available much better for the gut.
The downside is they may not reduce hay intake enough for very greedy ponies and they encourage a lot of standing around the bale which can cause a lack of movement.
The more horses the more movement there will be as they swap places or all head off for a drink.
Its also important to ensure you have enough round bales for all herd members to get access generally a maximum of 4 horses per bale is fine if they all get along fairly well.
I always remove the outer layer of hay using the soiled bits for mulch and the rest for making piles for those who might miss out on being at the net. This also helps the horses to get used to a round bale net initially as they have something to fill up on before tackling the netted hay.
Protection from wet weather
These horses have their own section to eat from which can help when first feeding a herd on a round bale. The cover also helps reduce spoiling by rain.
Another consideration with using round bale nets is that if you only have 1 or 2 horses eating from the bale it will take longer to finish and the weather can spoil the bale unless its sheltered somehow.
The bottom of the bale can also spoil if contacting the ground so sitting
it on a pallet helps.