Feeding Hay with Horses + Goats

[sassy]

I’m trying to figure out the best hay set up for the winter to appease my goat loving horse. I have two older horses who have about four acres of pasture and free choice to come and go into two stalls as they please. I put hay in haynets in the stalls and this works ok, when they feel like going inside.

In the summer they hang out in the stalls in front of their fans but now that it’s gotten cooler they are less interested. The entry way/barnyard area outside the stalls is concrete with rubber mats. The goat/sheep pen borders this area on two sides. My horse has decided he prefers to stand outside the stalls and eat hay with the goats (see: steal the goats’ hay).

I’m trying to figure out the best and most efficient way to feed hay on the “horse” side of the goat pen. I’ve done some research and found nibble nets, freedom feeders, and a variety of other options. Does anyone have any suggestions? I could get more of the metal racks like the goats have but the horses pull the hay out of them pretty easily. Both horses are older, barefoot, and low energy so I’m not particularly concerned with them being destructive. The caveat being one of them is quite good at eating through hay nets. I’m trying to cut down on waste. Picture for reference

[clanter]

Electric fence to separate the them

Our granddaughters’goats are kept in paddocks separated from the horses with an electric fence tape to keep every one on their side of fences

(ours goats are fed Bermuda hay while horses are fed Teff, the goats want the Teff)

[Calvincrowe]

Build a taller fence? Can you simply add two more boards there to keep the horse’s heads on their side?

[sassy]

Oh no, maybe I asked the question wrong. I don’t want to separate them. Just put a hay feeder for the horses on their side so they can eat by the goats since that is clearly what they want

[luvmyhackney]

I would put a hay net on top of the goats metal rack.

Basically leave goat hay as is and then secure a smaller hay net on top protecting the goats hay filled with the horses hay.

My goats eat from a hay bag with no issues.

[Calvincrowe]

Won’t the horses simply finish their hay, then eat the goat’s hay, if you put nets on top? If that’s not a concern, that would be a good solution to try.

[jherold]

I use small hole hay nets, make a loop with the rope and attach a carabiner. Wrap the excess around the loop and clip it on the carabiner. Screw on a sturdy eye bolt and clip the carabiner to that. The wrapping keeps the excess rope from getting tangled on the horses legs. I get the relatively cheap nets, Shires I think. I have 12, so I can make a bunch in advance. Works great when you’re in a hurry to feed.

[seabreeze]

I’m a big fan of the Hay Chix hay nets. I use the half-bale nets. They come standard with 1.75” holes. I ordered them with the livestock holes (2.5”) because I didn’t really need to slow down the hay eating, just eliminate most of the waste (and it worked!). For unshod horses, you can leave them on the ground, or you can hang them if you prefer.

[trubandloki]

Are the goats getting the same hay as the horses?

I would guess this is less a situation of them specifically wanting to hang with their goat friends and more a case where they found easy to eat hay at the perfect height for eating it.

The hay bags in their stalls the likely have to work a little harder than this to eat from.

Put a hinged covered on the top of the goats hay and maybe hang a couple of hay bags right there for the horses.

Your set up is adorable, as are your horses and goats.

[clanter]

@trubandloki

I would guess this is less a situation of them specifically wanting to hang with their goat friends and more a case where they found easy to eat hay at the perfect height for eating it.

our granddaughters’ goats want whatever they do not have but see another eating, they are opportunist climbing over anything to get what they believe is rightfully theirs but they have learned (for the most part) to respect the electric fence

[candyappy]

Use a cattle panel, hog panel or wood (like you have on there now) to block their access to the goats hay feeder.

Then put an acceptable slow feed method for the horses and feed them right there. You could block the top of the goats feeder but the horses can still get to the sides and reach over and mess with the top.

Food always tastes better when it belongs to someone else

[spacehorse]

I feed my goats with the hay bags that Smartpak makes. They haven’t hurt them in the slightest.

SmartPak Slow Feed Hay Bag (smartpakequine.com)