This message is from: Gail Russell <g...@zeliga.com>
The free up feeder looks easier to close, but I think I like the Hay Hoop better than that one. I love my barrels because I can just throw a whole bunch of hay into the feeder and am done feeding very quickly. The barrels can be cut in half (to make two big tubes, instead of one longer one), and would likely be big enough for most people's needs. However, you would not have the stiffening power of both the top and bottom rims, which could be a problem. There is also a slow feeder sold by Happy Grazer. It attaches nets to the top of a large trough. The nets have a purse string top that you close over the hay you have installed. The biggest one takes two bales of hay. The nets are bigger openings (1 1/2", I think), and the netting is thin. It appears to be the strongest net of all I am aware of. The larger size may not be a problem. "Presentation" is everything in hay nets. Hanging, as filled bags, the horses can throw them around to get fines out. If hay is wet, they can pull hay out faster because it is a little like pulling a thread on a knit garment....the first string draws the next ones out. I think the Happy Grazer may be pretty slow feed, despite the large hole size, because the horse has to reach down through the net to get the hay, and cannot rely on gravity to press the hay up against the holes for him, as occurs with a hanging net. The cinch chix netting is heavy material, which I think slows them down. The Happy Grazer is thin material. It is used for shark protective cages, I believe. The Happy Grazer Replacement net is $210. You could buy it and build your own feeder out of a large plastic water tank, or even out of wood. There is one big, big advantage to the Happy Grazer. That is that you are truly protected from sand colic. With my feeders, the horses throw the feeders around, and, often they manage to get the fines into the dirt outside of the Rubbermaid tub. I have yet to try tying the bottom of the net to rope that is threaded through the water tank's drain hole and then tied to something like a tennis ball just outside the feeder. This would keep them from swinging the net around as much. Note also, that the Happy Grazer Replacement net comes in a 1 1/4 inch size that SHRINKS. It might be small enough for a Fjord! I own one of the Grazers that is a plastic bucket with a piece of plastic that goes over the hay, with large holes. My Fjord has destroyed the holes. The manufacturer says it is because I did not fold the flake of hay into the feeder just right, and he had to get too aggressive. I think that is way too much work. As I talk, I am considering that I might want to try one of the Happy Grazer Replacement nets and build my own box. They ship the plastic part by Greyhound, and it does get expensive. http://shop.happygrazers.com/NEW-Higher-Quality-Replacement-Net-for-X-slow-feed-mesh-11-4-412012002.htm Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
