Has anyone used paracord to maKe thier own slow feed hay nets? Experience please

[fjordmom]

I have a recently diagnosed IR horse, who has now managed to do something to a leg/tendon in the slushy, slippery snow. (Vet appointment is already scheduled.) He is currently on stall rest and likely to be on rest for an extended time.

I need a way to slow his hay consumption in both cases. I had a very poor experience with an economically price hay nest that hardly lasted a few weeks. My friends who have bought the very pricey ones are repairing theirs regularly, so I’ve wondered about just making my own.

I have found a source of very reasonably priced 550 paracord. Since I grew up in the “macrame generation,” (ya I’m old) I thought once I figure out the formula (how long and how many cords,etc.), it really shouldn’t be that hard to just make my own. Slow feed nets will not be a forever thing for this horse and his buddy, so I will need several at minimum. If I need repairs, which I’m sure I will, it could be rather easy and cheap.

Any experiences, please share. TIA

[bcody]

I made one once. It was easy and fun, but you need a lot more cord then you think. I used it on a pony. It held up. But would have been a lot more economical to buy a couple.

[secuono]

I made one from baling twine. Takes a LOT of line!

[Simkie]

I’ve got to think this is cheaper and easier:

https://www.amazon.com/SE-Small-Hole-Hay-Net/dp/B00IRF0096

I have several of these going on their third year of daily use. No problems at all.

[fjordmom]

Thank you all, so far.

Maybe I need to do the math again. I do know it will take quite a bit of cord, but could get a 100ft roll for $6. I am hoping to eventually get the horses on to 1 1/2 inch holes, which are harder to find than the 2".

Simkie, might start with what you’ve suggested. My boys are not particularly destructive types fortunately. So if these truly hold up well, maybe double bagging would be a possible way to get smaller holes.

[Ceylon_Star]

I have a few of these ones for when I can’t manage double-bagging a full bale for my pony (he usually gets given a full bale, strings uncut, in a 1/2" hole bale bag, in a 1" hole bale bag, then hung horizontally across the corner of his shelter from both ends so it spins as he pulls hay from it. Keeps food in front of him 24hrs/day and keeps his brain busy so he doesn’t find ways of escaping his paddock to show up on my doorstep. Haha). https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U9POPBG?psc=1

Much smaller holes than the ones posted above. The plastic mesh does stretch a bit over time as well so keep that in mind. The “normal” 2in slow feed nets eventually end up closer to 3in, in my experience. These ones start at about 1in and stretch to about 2in.

Double bagging with the 2in nets can help a bit, but the smart ones quickly figure out how to get it all out faster.

[beowulf]

I use almost exclusively haynets for my one stall-bound (thankfully he is now liberated) horse and for the filly - I’ve had fantastic luck with these… The only reason I bought more recently was because I wanted to fill up a few day’s worth… anyway, the old ones are at least 5-10 years old and they’ve held up spectacularly well - one is only ripped because we had to cut it when a horse got a hoof/shoe stuck in it, the rest are still as good as the day we bought them:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/cotton-rope-hay-net/p/x1-27441/?ids=am0uearywtio3fw2thdrbwub

The holes are not teeny-tiny, they’re about 3x3 inches or more… but they slow down my guys, who are sloppy and fast.

The mouth/opening is huge, and the cord is really long – you can fit about 60lb in it if you really want to cram hay in it - I usually do about 2-3 flakes worth, but it could fit much more if one was so inclined.

I also splurged and got this net - it’s actually holding up really well considering it lived outside 24/7 in rain/sleet/snow Oct-Jan as a haynet for my tough-on-everything TB:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/kensington-slow-feed-hay-bag---2-flake/p/x1-27749/?ids=am0uearywtio3fw2thdrbwub

It can hold MUCH much more, but I am not sure if the d-rings sewn on it can handle much more than a bale. I haven’t tried it.

[csaper58]

Is the $6 cord real paracord, or the craft store generic? This video discusses the difference. There are also different grades of real paracord.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRLP3fxXBqk

The craft store generic I bought has an outer coating that easily ripped off and exposed all the filament guts of the cord. It was a mess.

YMMV

[tazycat]

[QUOTE=secuono;9034228]
I made one from baling twine. Takes a LOT of line![/QUOTE]

I knew someone who made their hay nets from baling twine. They held up fairly well. Think there’s a video on YouTube on how to make hay nets from baling twine. … Not positive on the video deal though.

I personally wont use slow feed nets after seeing horse chewed holes in it. I just put the big bales out cut off twine. Wasted hay Is the least of my worries its been cold and dont want horse having to tug tug at bale.

[Simkie]

Simkie, might start with what you’ve suggested. My boys are not particularly destructive types fortunately. So if these truly hold up well, maybe double bagging would be a possible way to get smaller holes.

If you’re looking for wee-er holes, go with the greedy feeder. They’re just as durable

https://www.amazon.com/Shires-Greedy-Feeder-Large-Black/dp/B00E3GECRO

[fjordmom]

To all who suggested various nets that have held up for you. Helpful to know as I narrow down choices.

csaper58 - yes I do believe it is the good quality cord; nylon core, etc. Here’s the site for anybody that is interested. Interesting video, thanks, in case I do go that route. One of my bigger concerns is will the cord be too strong and not break should they get caught somehow. Both are barefoot, but horses…

tazy - Slow feed net is a health MUST. It has been recommended by 3 vets for my one recently diagnosed IR and other chow-hound, easy keeper Fjord horses. Wasted hay is the least of my concerns. Maintaining proper weight, avoiding insulin spikes and laminitis is the real reason that I must go to these nets. IR horse is 22 and has been muzzled for years, when we have green grass. Vets are saying I have done an excellent job keeping him healthy, but age is just getting the better of him at this point. We need to fine-tune management as best we can. The other is 11 and a new one for me. I want to forestall the problems as long as possible. I do not want these guys to suffer a serious founder. Thanks, I think I saw that YouTube video too, got me thinking. Just looking to use material that will stand up to time and outdoor climate.

[Simkie]

fjord, please just ignore tazy. Her horses are imaginary.

The shires nets I linked to have weathered outside in MN And my horses, who attract all sorts of crazy WTF issues, have never had any problems with them. (KNOCK ON WOOD!)

The 50" nets will fit a whole bale. If you’d like something smaller, they make a 40" version and perhaps a 30" version? I usually just load them up.

I don’t find the 2" holes to really slow them down, but it DOES keep hay waste to an absolute minimum. I used the 1" hole net (greedy feeder) for my fat filly. THAT will certainly slow them down, but IME, not to frustration levels.

[fjordmom]

Simkie - Gotcha

Nice to know they weather well. I’m in northern MI, so probably similarly rough winters. I plan to use them in my hay boxes (re-purposed 20 bushel fruit totes) as well as in the stalls at night.

I hear you on the 2" holes. The non-IR pony was laid up for a short time last summer and we tried a 2" net. Slowed him down all of 15 minutes compared no net and he was still visibly stressed. The net lasted less than 3 weeks before he had a big hole ripped in it. (Don’t think it was a high quality net though, just what I could get ASAP locally.) I think he expected that as long as there was a net there, it should deliver food. I’m hoping by slowly phasing him in to increasingly smaller holes over time, he may slow down and stress less. The IR pony has always been a moderately slow eater. These guys are just too efficient when it comes to using what they do eat. Neither of them seem bother by having muzzles on.

[csaper58]

[QUOTE=Simkie;9034605]
fjord, please just ignore tazy. Her horses are imaginary.[/QUOTE]

Yikes! This is beneath you. # Go High. I’ll edit it out if you will.

OP… the Shire’s nets are very good.

With a greedy or cold horse I’ll put 1 flake on the ground and the rest in the net. That lets them gobble just a little and be less stressed.

[Ceylon_Star]

I should mention that the nets I posted have held up for 2 years now of wet west coast winters with an IR haflinger cross who is TOUGH on his nets. The only nets I’ve had that have held up as well are his bale bags made by Purely Ponies. Even when we hit -15C in December (which is CRAZY cold for us) they did just fine.

I almost prefer the plastic of the colourful nets for our winters BECAUSE of how wet it gets (the Purely Ponies ones are a cotton blend twine I believe? Whatever the material, they absorb moisture), but if the bale bags get really gross for whatever reason, soaking them in baking soda and vinegar and then rinsing really well gets the gross out nicely.

If you need to soak for whatever reason, I definitely prefer the more plasticy nets.

[tazycat]

https://postimg.org/image/jhky66qpd/
Picture of my horse who’s far from imaginary!! Isnt that amazing a real horse!!

[Simkie]

Uh huh. Where’s the palomino that was animal control thin?

Going to take another picture of your computer screen?

[Twisting]

I use these. For my Fjord. I know you said you wanted to work up to the 1.5 inch holes, but my boy took about 15 minutes to figure out the 1 inch holes. He goes through about a pound an hour, on average. I feed him once a day, 18-20 pounds of meh timothy and he had grass nibblings for his none hay time. I usually split it into two bags, they are pretty big. I have fit about 80 pounds in one bag, when I was trying to figure out his consumption rates. I have double compressed bales though, so that helps.

[csaper58]

[QUOTE=Ceylon Star;9034744]
I should mention that the nets I posted have held up for 2 years now of wet west coast winters with an IR haflinger cross who is TOUGH on his nets. The only nets I’ve had that have held up as well are his bale bags made by Purely Ponies. Even when we hit -15C in December (which is CRAZY cold for us) they did just fine.

I almost prefer the plastic of the colourful nets for our winters BECAUSE of how wet it gets (the Purely Ponies ones are a cotton blend twine I believe? Whatever the material, they absorb moisture), but if the bale bags get really gross for whatever reason, soaking them in baking soda and vinegar and then rinsing really well gets the gross out nicely.

If you need to soak for whatever reason, I definitely prefer the more plasticy nets.[/QUOTE]

Yup, the plasticy nets last well outside here too.

I have the Tough-1 slow feed nets. they are made of polypropylene, a type of rope that is water repellent.

The nets in your link are very interesting, never have seen anything like them.

[moving_to_dc]

I have a whole-bale size net that has 1" holes. I don’t know the brand, but the net is black and the neck string is blue. I have tried to use it on my 4 horses that are only fed hay in slow nets - some are 1.5", some are 2".

All 4 of my horses HATE the 1" net. As in, they give up even trying to eat out of it. If it is the ONLY source of hay/forage in the 40x80 drylot, they still will not eat out of it. It is hard to describe, but when it is filled to overflowing, the holes expand, but as soon as any of the hay is consumed, the holes collapse down on themselves like an accordian, and do not let any hay poke thru. It doesn’t even resemble a hay bag at that point, it looks like a solid black bag. I watched my 40-yr old gelding literally try to chew a hole thru the bag one day, picking up the mesh and chewing on it, dropping it and chewing on it again.

I don’t know if other 1" bags are the same way, but I would never recommend the one I have. Wish I knew the brand…