https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/hay-ball-feeder-22530
This is only one, I found others too.
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we made a chuck wagon for Socks to move his hay from paddock to paddockā¦ easy to roll aroundā¦ Bonnie took it over as Her Feeder .
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Fun! That is so tempting and I think my mare would love to play with a hay ball, but probably I should focus on a more practical solution.
@rulex I had not seen that feeder before. Iām not sure if they would share, but I really like the massive and sturdy construction of that.
@Clanter Love the chuckwagon! A mobile hay station is a good idea for rotating paddocks.
Everyone - thanks for sharing your ideas! There are some innovative feeding solutions I had not considered before and some really awesome products on the market.
A hay hut / bale barn can be used with small squares too. You could put several bales in at a time (with a net covering). Would save on your daily labor, and they dramatically cut waste.
You can buy them with a net already installed, but itās super simple to attach one yourself.
Just drill a couple holes on each side along the bottom, install eyebolts with washers so the eye is on the inside of the bale barn. Now you have a place to attach your net on the inside. When you flip the bale barn back down over your hay, the net just naturally drapes over the hay.
Theyāre not cheap but itās one of the best purchases we made for the farm. Itās a game changer.
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Not sure it is any less practical than the others, esp since they check your boxes, but mkay 
At my old farm, my fenceline was electrified and I had nothing to hang nets on. I saw these online and built my own with materials from Lowes:
As shown in the picture, they are lower than I would feel comfortable using for a horse with shoes, but they make taller t-posts.
I have been coveting a set of porta-grazers for years, they are just too pricey for me to buy multiples for my herd:
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Iāve had mine for about 1 1/2 years now. I bought it for my horse when we were still boarding and had it at two different barns. It is AWESOME and she loves it.
The only problem Iāve had with it was that at first I didnāt realize you werenāt supposed to pack the hay in tight. So she ended up scraping the grid with her teeth, creating sharp edges, that then scraped her gums. But I talked to the owner/inventor and she told me not to pack the hay so tightly AND how to fix the grid ā I sanded the sharp parts down with a Dremel tool.
I also bought a new grid with the smallest holes at my last boarding barn because she was still eating hay too fast. They fed really nice, soft, second cut hay. She didnāt have any trouble eating through the smaller holes. I had somewhat of the same problem with the scraping because I couldnāt seem to communicate to the staff how to pack it properly. But it hasnāt caused any scraped gums so Iām not too worried about it.
And she really does love it. She prefers to eat out of that over loose hay!
I now have my own little farm (sheās been here a week and a half now!) and sheās in a paddock with one other horse. Yeah, thereās no sharing the Savvy Feeder. Iāve been trying to create other, less expensive options, but they both want the Savvy Feeder. My next attempt is going to be one of the nylon web style hay bags inside a water trough. If that doesnāt work, Iām going to have buy two more Savvy Feeders (one each plus one extra).
Also, itās so popular that theyāve been tossing it around the paddock. It doesnāt seem any the worse for wear.
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Tarter Hay Basket with this slow feeder net attachment (I used a homemade net attachment for years but found this through a post in this forum, and itās better):
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Thanks for the review!
I think I will start with Janetās idea of a rubber trough with holes drilled in and a hay net clipped in and see how it goes. Maybe Iāll start with just one and see how the chunky guy does with it. If they like eating from feeders and need something more durable and purpose-built, Iāll acquire some of these Savvy Feeders.
Thank you to everyone for your product ideas and creative solutions!
Hereās a DIY slow feeder made from re-purposing a shipping crateā¦total cost with the crate was under $200ā¦holds multiple balesā¦easily services 2-3 horsesā¦solid side walls protect the horses & nettingā¦best part is itās quick & easy to load with hay from small bales or flakes from large squares.
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I bought a hay ball feeder at the start of winter and immediately bought another one ā both my big horse (with shoes) and my mini use them and like them. The ones I have were a lot cheaper and you can fit quite a bit in it.
Mr F made me two feeders like the porter-grazer. Get one of those blue plastic barrels, cut it in half (or lower for the mini!). Cut a sheet of plywood into a circle so that it fits in the barrel, then cut some round holes in it similar to the porter-grazer. Repeat for the other half of the barrel. Smooth all rough edges and ta-da ā youāre very own hay feeders for a nominal amount.
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I love my Porta Grazer. Worth every stinking penny. Iāll be getting more of them.
I did make an attempt at making my own using a plastic garbage can. While my initial effort was not as useable as the real item. With a bit more thought, I believe they would doable to create. If the cost was a prohibitive factor Iād certainly try making them for my personal use.
If you are interested, the main issues were: garbage can sturdiness, uniform circumference of the can from top to bottom, and creating a locking system for the lid (so clever ponies donāt just remove or flip the lid sideways in the can)
I like that ball feeder. I need one! I think it would be great for a flake of special hay!
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Thanks! I donāt think I could ever be convinced to attempt constructing my own! My horses would kill a regular trash canā¦ then proceed to kill themselves on the pieces. 
My gelding smushed my first attempt. Thankfully no injuries but I promptly removed it. (The can popped back into shape without cracking but I didnāt trust it)
The actual Porta Grazer is incredibly sturdy. He hasnāt killed it yet, even when itās loose in his stall (as opposed to anchored in the corner). Even the staff likes it. Easier than nets to fill and no loose hay in stall for them to clean up around etc.
Yes! I have seen them in person can tell how sturdy they are. I really like the design. Maybe someday.
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Yes! I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
They are spendy up front. I only have one horse right now. Iām adding the cost of another Porta Grazer to my overall budget for my next horse lol
I have 5 currentlyā¦ so it would be pointless to buy less than 5. Unfortunately thatās a big chunk of change to shell out for feeders. So Iāll keep stuffing my $10 nets!
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I hear you! Thatās a big chunk, ouch! Nets werenāt an option for me boarding so that prompted me to try the Porta Grazer.
