Hay Feeders = less gorging and waste

Large barriers worked out to solve the issue perfectly. I drove two steel posts in, slid some large diameter PVC pipe I had over them to protect the horses and discourage them from rubbing on them (they have plenty of trees for that), and then tied a portable fence panel across to make two sides to the feeder.

I’ve since swapped the portable panels for shade cloth so I can use them elsewhere and that works just as well.



Inside the hay feeders, I have heavy duty mesh (the kind they use for making gates) clipped to the base with old rug clips on some baling string, so they can be easily removed for filling the hay, and to stop the horses tossing them out. The holes could be smaller but it works ok at the moment, keeping most of the hay in the feeders rather than being tossed out as they search for the tastiest morsels (which always seem to be at the bottom!).

Before next winter, I’ll add some gravel around the feeders to help with the mud/slipping when it’s really wet and this will also give them a dry standing space.

While researching hay feeders, I came across some interesting examples where feeding systems have been automated – some are very sophisticated and would definitely save time, giving you more opportunity to ride and maintain your horses. Have look at this site for some interesting ideas