Portable hay bar?

[Xanthoria]

Is there such thing as a portable hay bar for showing? My mare’s stall at shows quickly becomes a mess of hay, even with haynets, because when others feed they just toss flakes in the door, so there’s a lot of waste.

Something like this would be perfect (lightweight to take to shows) but appears to need to be permanently fixed to the wall, which won’t work.

Dura-Tech® Mesh Corner Hay Feeder | Schneiders

Or like this, but bigger:

Poly Hay Basket (204P)

Something that can be hung off the wall or stall bars, is easy to just throw flakes into, allows for head down eating, safe but durable.

I would just use an XL tubtrug but mare would use it as a toy…

[fivestrideline]

Is your horse shod? How about the easy load hay nets like smartpak makes, clipped to the front bars? They open at the top and it’s easy to just drop flakes in and clip it back. Clipped to the bars of the stall (on a string loop) would have it low enough for mostly grazing position without dragging the floor, but I’d still worry about shoes if that’s a factor.

Something like this. Schneider’s also makes one in a huge size.
https://www.statelinetack.com/item/tough1-web-hay-slow-feeder/E013353%20NVY/?&srccode=GPSLT&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7JOpBhCfARIsAL3bobe9Ugyt4CnywQXB68y0ZPyNX8p51NOqnXu0dGp-1EyEnIqrVbMadAwaAr1iEALw_wcB

[Xanthoria]

She is shod, and last show she got her shoe stuck in a regular haynet and broke it despite it being strung up high the evening before.

Slow feeder we don’t need: she is prone to ulcers and I give her as much hay as she likes at shows and want her to eat freely.

[fivestrideline]

They make large hole bags like that. But, low hanging won’t work I see! I just like front of stall hanging for ease of use by others who don’t want extra steps.

The benefit of the webbing bags is they don’t “deflate” and hang super low when empty like a net. Loop and clip means no one can hang them wrong.

Maybe one of the smaller water troughs? Or a tub trug tied to the wall with a brick in the bottom? I also saw a comment about bolting a rubber feed pan to a piece of plywood so the horse had to stand on the plywood and couldn’t toss the bowl around. Maybe that and a tub trug - clunky but not necessarily heavy.

[stb]

A Porta Grazer would be an expensive option but it would work for you here. They are super easy to load and even if your horse plays with it (which mine have certainly done) the hay stays in the feeder.

[trubandloki]

Not cheap, but what about the Portagrazer?

https://porta-grazer.com/

Edit to add - @stb and I had the same thought at the same time.

[Bonnie2]

Love my haygain feeder. I use it without the excluder ring for my hard keeper just to keep him from strewing hay everywhere. A plastic barrel with the top cut off is cheaper but the haygain is heavy and well balanced.

[Feathered_Feet]

I will third a portagrazer. Mine can hold ~ 1/2 small bale (maybe 4-5 large flakes?), so that plus a flake or two/hay bag will definitely last all night. Not cheap but minimizes mess, helps hay last all night (vs gobbled down), safe for shod horses, and quite durable.

But definitely let your horse get used to eating out of one well before you go to a show.

[mmeqcenter]

I think these are very easy to put flakes into.

Tough1 Web Hay Slow Feeder - StateLineTack.com

Standard Hay Feed Bag - StateLineTack.com

[Junebuggie]

I have one of these and love it! Easy to load and will collapse for easy transport. You can also change the size of the holes, which is nice. Pricey but very well made.

HelixFeeder Collapsible Slow Feeder for Horses - Free Shipping to Canada and...

[frugalannie]

Hmmm. Do you have a sail maker, tent repair place or someone who has a heavy duty sewing machine around? Using some canvas or old sail material, cut out a piece sort of like the shape of the Dura Tech item. Cut another smaller piece which will be sewn on to the first one to made a bag with a gap at the top. Customize shape and size as needed. Find someone who can do grommets (sail maker?) and put grommets through both pieces of material at the top corners. Do one or two either way down the sides or at the bottom. Do one only through the back piece along the top edge. Hang on the stall either with snaps and baling twine (if you’re worried about your horse getting hung up) or use old dog collars on the stall wall/ grill work and snap from them to the grommet. Might work for you.

They don’t call me frugal for nothing.

[Xanthoria]

Great ideas - thanks everyone!

So to clarify the need, I’m looking for something you can literally throw two or three flakes of hay in from the stall door - seems like that’s the only way to keep it contained because folks feeding at the show won’t have time to put it in haynets (although I might convince them to hang a prefilled one if I left it right in front of the stall…) There’s still going to be hay on the floor tho.

@Junebuggie that’s neat! But I don’t need a slow feeder - I want her eating lots. I did see similar pop up leaf holders though for gardening that could work! Price is good too, but durability TBD on those.

The Porta Grazer is too $ for me. Maybe it’s just finding a way to mount one of these temporarily

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30E07414-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5

[irish_horse]

I recently tried this mesh hay bag for camping and my horse loves it. They can see out and they like that, and unless they fling their hay out it stays put. Easy to fill once clipped, not really anywhere to get a shoe caught (though they really can hurt themselves on anything.). It is huge and easily holds multiple flakes.

Best Discount Price on Trail-Rite's Mesh Hay Bags

[fivestrideline]

Oh that’s fascinating! I may get one for myself actually

[candyappy]

@Xanthoria

I would just use an XL tubtrug but mare would use it as a toy…

Can you not just attach a holder ( or 2) to your XL tubtrug like is on the lamb feeder and that way maybe it would stay put, at least for a while??

[mmeqcenter]

In that case, I’d just go for a trailer feeder

Tough1 Premium Corner Feeder - StateLineTack.com

[Jackie_amp_Starlette]

You all got me thinking and look at this…

Amazon.com: 2 Pcs Slow Feed Hay Net Hay Feeder Hay Bags for Horses Goat Stall Trailer Horse Feeding Supplies (Black,35 x 31 Inch) : Pet Supplies

[RhythmNCruise]

I’d probably get two of the large, heavy-duty, easy-fill web hay nets and have at least one of them full and in front of her door at all times if possible. So, when she’s emptied one, they can just unclip the empty, clip up the full, and be done. If you get the big ones and fill them to capacity, they should last her quite a while. Whenever you see an empty one, refill it yourself so it’s ready. Have the place to hang it right inside the door and it literally won’t take more than a matter of a few seconds to unsnap the old and clip on the new.

I take care of a mare that lives with my gelding, and she has the Smartpak slow-feed hay net with the “gator mouth” that makes it very easy to fill. I put a large, heavy-duty galvanized spring snap link clip on the rings of the hay net and just snap it to the ring in the stall. Easy-peasy. I have to take care of them in the morning before work, so time is of the essence. I feed hay outside on the ground most of the time, but if I know it’s going to be rainy in the morning I go ahead and fill their hay bags the night before. It literally takes no time to do hers. (Mine is a more aggravating model from a different company…I’m going to get one like hers eventually). And hers holds a LOT of hay.

Anyway, that’s my idea. I’d get two of those, stuff them to the max, and keep a full one handy at all times so they can be switched out easily as needed.

[Simkie]

Is a muck bucket too shallow? You could tie it to the stall wall to keep it in place.

[Xanthoria]

Feels like that or the TubTrug would be a bit shallow to work ideally. But better than nothing!