Does anyone use inverted tractor tires as hay feeders?
We are thinking about using them, but are wrestling with the concept of flipping them inside out.
To turn them inside out, you cut the edges back to the thread and then flip them around.
Some people use them without turning them, the rough part out.
You need to be sure the tires are not steel belted and have possible sharp wires in them.
Cutting the edges off, you can do that with a sawzall type tool, makes them safer, so if a horse were to fall in there, he can righten right up, not get caught on that edge.
Many people here use those tires for feeders and water tanks, the larger ones, 5’ or 6’ or bigger and there is someone that come along and cuts and turns them over for you for a minimal cost.
Ask your local tractor dealers or tractor tire companies about this.
Thanks for the info Bluey.
Our problem is that in this area, no one has ever heard of flipping a tire inside out and using it as a feeder. The tire company that we got the tires from have no idea how to flip one. 
I got my big tractor tires for free from the local John Deere dealer. Sawed off one side wall with a Sawzall, and poof, tire feeders. Never have seen where flipping them inside out was all that much better, and did not really care to wrestle with the things that much. They’re perfect as they are, and the price was unbeatable. 
Better to cut both side walls back, so there is no lip on the bottom where water may stand and mosquitos breed.
Just a little caution…
Tires make great feeders BUT they also absorb heat nicely and various reptile type critters can find their way inside for a nice warm place to snooze. Some of these have no legs, rattly tails and can really cause some pain!!
Pix Please
Well. Other than the “snake” post above, this sounds like a good idea.
Does anyone have a pix of this that I could see. I have some old tires that I don’t know what to do with.
Thanks.
Don’t think we’ll have too many problems with rattly snakes
http://www.wenzelconstruction.com/feeders.html
There is a picture of an inverted tire feeder on this page.
Like the fact that you gain some height when you invert them.
If we can’t figure out how to flip them we will use them as is.
We haven’t any poisonous snakes close by. The cats like hiding in them, though. I drilled big holes on the sidewall to let water drain and this works OK.
I’ll be honest, though–I’ve flipped them back the other way now that the colt is big, with the sidewall UP (I know, the HORROR) because it keeps the hay inside better–we have some fierce winds around here from November until April.
Personally I’ve seen too many accidents with tire feeders. Adventurous horses have somehow gotten themselves into the feeder and cannot get out. Some had to be lifted out with a hoist. Worst,some have gone in head first and have suffered injury or death. One I saw broke his neck. I know many people have used them for years without trouble but I don’t think I would take the risk. I would rather wast some hay on the ground or pay more for a safer feeder. Also forget making one out of wood. Splinters, weather rot and bored chewing horses will destroy it in no time.
We used a number of inverted tractor tire feeder for years. The positive is that they are virtually indestructible by horses. The downsides were the amount of wasted hay and in wet weather, water would pool in the bottoms of the feeders making a sloppy mess.
By the time spring came, the amount of urine soaked hay around the feeder would be more than half way up the sides. It’d take us a week or more, just cleaning and hauling the waste out every spring.
They’ve all been replaced with net feeders. No spring cleanup of wasted hay required now…
