| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MinHe |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 6:32:06 PM
A friend at the yard very kindly put my haybars up for me this afternoon. Roupert took one look at his, and got stuck into his hay. However, 10 mins later when I went in, half his hay was pulled all over his bed - just as he did BEFORE the haybar.
Marimbah on the other hand, thinks his is A TRAP. He won't go near it. He ate one piece of hay that I offered him very grudgingly, with his neck stretched out as far as he could so that he didn't need go near the thing.
Horses - whatever you do for them, they're not grateful for it!
Keren |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MinHe |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 7:35:58 PM
Well, hay in both beds today! We are trying damp hay to see if that makes any difference (Marimbah has always been one for 'dunking' his hay!). Might try the ribber skip in the bottom trick as I have a couple that have been torn through enthusiastic flinging!
Keren |
| Pashon2001 |
Posted - 12 Feb 2013 : 3:05:38 PM
Mine ripped them off the walls, poo'd in them, and yanked everything edible out of them. They were a nightmare to clean out. Have a few new ones sitting here if anyone wants them? |
| Vera |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 7:33:19 PM
Both my boys have haybars and they get a big thumbs up from me. Dennis used to empty his but eventually got bored of that game and just eats it now. Morris has always eaten his very nicely without a scrap of waste.
I do have a tip for those that do use one. They can be a pain to clear out the bottom. My simple solution was to place a rubber feed skip in the bottom. It quickly molds to a triangle shape and the handles on it mean I can reach it easily to empty. I feed wet hay so it stops any seepage onto the stable floor too. |
| Judith S |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 7:18:32 PM
One of the problems with haybars is the top 'rail' is not very sturdy and collapses when posterior is engaged. There are a couple of makes like Easyfeed that have a much more sturdy design at a much cheaper price. |
| MinHe |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 6:18:16 PM
Well, the verdict this morning - Roupert had pulled his hay out and stirred about as much into his bed as usual, but Marimbah had obviously got over his doubts and eaten a fair amount of his from the haybar. So the results are one all!
Keren |
| phoenixbruka |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 3:09:49 PM
both mine have haybars and I put haynets in them with a tie ring is low down, works a treat, no waste, they dont eat too quickly and much better for the horses
Dentist is happier as well as the wear from eating low is better
susie |
| Louise17 |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 1:02:57 PM
Sonny used to pull all his hay out of the haybar onto the floor (sadly I lost him last year) - not due to him pulling the hay out I need to add! Ali, as far as I know used to have haynets, but he has taken to haybar brilliant and doesnt pull it out at all.
It is great for me as I have an allergy to hay so I just put slices in the haybar so a lot less handling that trying to fill nets. |
| Arachnid |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 12:30:52 PM
I was thinking of buying one of these, I'm so glad you posted this Minhe. It didnt occur to me that the horse might be scared of the haybar - of course he would |
| Pop |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 09:17:56 AM
I found the similarity of a HayBar to an upside down plastic composter quite uncanny. And the difference in price tempting £7 v £70.
I have hay racks, with lids and lined with hay nets above the har bar/composter; and a ring to tie haynets so they are inside the haybar.
Whatever I did, Zar eats hers nicely and never makes a mess, whatever I do, Mats removes the hay from any container, and puts it on the ground. If its in a haynet or a hayrack, Mats gets in a temper with it, my solution is to pull it completely apart and put it in the hay bar, then she cannot pick up a whole load at a time. She takes a bit out, puts it on the ground eats it and then takes a bit more, still, she wastes so much.
I think I would be quite disappointed if I had paid £70, but I consider them very good value for £7.
You have to use something like a couple of lengths of 1/2 x 3 inch wood to fix them; and some coach bolts. They are more flexible than a proper haybar, but it does stop them scratching on them because its not rigid enough for scratching, they tried, and gave up.
I have yet to make my planned outdoor feeders, thats a cut down composter held by a tyre. I will drop a tyre inside and when it fits snug, cut off the excess, so fairly solid and easy to move around. |
| FireLight |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 05:26:15 AM
I use them, one of mine nibbles his hay nicely from it and nothing goes on the floor - brilliant! The other one will do the same if the haybar has hay in it but put haylage in and he empties it all over the floor! But generally I find I have less mess than feeding off the floor. One of mine was scared of his so I filled it with hay and then put his feed bucket on top full of carrots and tasty bits, he tucked in and then when finished I took the bucket away and he just carried on with his hay. |
| MinHe |
Posted - 11 Feb 2013 : 12:12:20 AM
Mine have always been fed from the floor. but since we went on to shavings getting the hay mixed with the bedding was more of a problem, hence the haybar. Will see tomorrow if they have been a success or expensive failure!
Keren |
| Jumanji |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 9:52:23 PM
all mine have haybars with haynets in them ,the ring is the same height as the haybar hence they are still eating from the haybar ,they just cant pull it all out ,or get their feet stuck in the nets ,i think they are great. |
| joanna_piana |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 9:39:28 PM
No my friend has one and her horse just pulls all the hay out and eats it off the floor! I use any leftover hay as bedding anyway as saves on shavings costs so don't mind if Ishara mixes her hay in. |
| Tomos |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 9:15:39 PM
Complete waste of time for our horses, they just pulled it out and spread it over the floor, I sold the one's that hadn't been squashed (hay bars not horses !). I don't like hay nets, so we use metal mangers, which work very well
Mandy |
| Suelin |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 8:08:44 PM
I got rid of mine. My horses just chucked the hay out, the waste was horrendous since Ollie will not eat anything that remotely resembles bedding Complete waste of money in our case. Haynets here for the foreseeable. |
| sab2 |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 7:03:38 PM
I bought them for some of my lot, only 2 out of the 10 leave their haylage in and eat it, the rest just toss it out onto floor, they also quite enjoy using them to scratch their bums on which resulted in them coming away from wall at one side, i now just use haynets for some and the others just toss on floor and eat that way, your right Keren they are very ungrateful sometimes, but we still love them |
| Vik1 |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 7:03:22 PM
Had them in a yard I used to be. Personally I think they are a waste of money. It was just pulled out all over the floor. Couple of times, she managed to pull it off the wall with the way she banged it when pulling the hay out. Much prefer haynets. |
| liz |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 6:55:04 PM
I had haybars put in for my 4...
Two of them were a great success, one of the ponies does as yours and pulls her hay all over the floor and the fourth knocked his off the wall, so he is back to a hay net!!
So, 50% success rate! But saves me filling 4 haynets and on balance I am pleased with them :-) |
| littlearabians |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 6:52:08 PM
I have made similar things in my stables but out of plywood... works a treat no hay or very little hay in their beds. |
| pinkvboots |
Posted - 10 Feb 2013 : 6:51:00 PM
When I used them they worked fine, some people tie the net above them but its kind of defeating the object I think. |
