My mare is on 24/7 outdoor board with a round bale, and I can’t BELIEVE how much weight she has put on in the last 6 weeks! BO agreed to a WeightWatcher paddock for her and a fat mini. I made a feeder with a square bale sized net (holds a small square 40-50 lbs) clipped into an old trough, holes 1.5 inches. They hoover almost a bale in about 12 hours which is NOT the point of the exercise! I can’t visit 2x daily to fill net and do not want to leave them all night without hay. BO has agreed to share cost of a net for a round bale, but I am dithering as to which size holes to get. Mare is healthy,13 years old, worked 5-6 days per week, gets a ration balancer only in addition to forage.
Tell me about your experience with horses on the 1 inch net- reassure me she won’t starve!!
We have a few hoovers at our barn. Their 1" hay nets are doubled, to help slow them down. Your mare will be fine!
She will not starve! Really, really.
My 2 have been getting their hay in 1 inch hole nets for several years. Even giving them just a measured/weighed amount, it’s still a challenge to keep them from being too portly. When I first started using the nets, of course, they let me know that they were going to die of starvation, but they’ve long since gotten used to the nets and don’t bat an eye anymore. I’m such a mean mama, they have to wear muzzles for turnout as well. But the Weightwatchers routine sure beats the chance of laminitis. Their only other feed is a ration balancer, flax, some supplements, and Thyro-L.
Mine put a bit of weight on with a 1" net. They won’t starve.
I use nets with 0.75" holes for my donkeys. They work very well, and allow them to have almost free choice hay in their nets in their dry lot.
The 1" net works for those who really are relentless.
i think 1" is best for the fatties and the smallest available.
I double my 1" nets.
Can you buy a second net and fill half the ration in one and half in the other, so the BO only needs to chuck it in the feeder?
Thank you all for your reassurance. The BO wants to put a round bale in the paddock and has agreed to get a 1 inch big bale net. That will make life easier all around, especially as there is a third fat equine joining my mare and the mini.
