Horses waste 60% of a round bale. With a Texas Haynet, they waste less than 10%.

 

Eliminating waste is one of many reasons horse owners are switching to slow feeding. The Texas Haynet is a slow feed hay net, mimicking intake speed of natural grazing and allowing animals to digest and absorb more nutrients—just as nature intended.

 

Our round bale hay nets

 

• Prevent serious health problems such as colic, founder, ulcers
• Prevent devastating eye injuries caused when animals burrow deep into a hay bale
• Prevent lung irritation and damage caused by inhaling dust and other harmful particulates
• Eliminate the clean up of spoiled leftover hay horses won’t eat
• Reduce aggressive meal time behavior by keeping horses busy working for food
• Extend the life of the bale by keeping hay that would have been wasted, clean and in front of the horse instead of on the ground covered in urine, feces, and mud
• Prevent obesity caused by overeating
• Help hard keepers sustain a healthy weight
• Help maintain proper insulin levels
• Help reduce the presence of flies and other pests
• Reduce stress, boredom, and stable vices

 

Slow Feeding

 

Horses require a continuous supply of forage.  In a natural environment, they spend 18-20 hours a day grazing and can consume up to 1.5 lbs of forage an hour.  The slow, constant, trickling in of food keeps the horse’s 100 foot intestinal tract moving and balanced.  The goal of slow feeding is to imitate this crucial biological process by providing a constant supply of hay 24/7.

However, many horses are confined to stalls or dry lots where meals are rationed out twice a day. When forage is absent for several plus hours a day, digestive problems such as ulcers, colic, and diarrhea begin to emerge. Weight management and behavioral issues also arise due to an empty digestive system.

Conversely, when horses engorge themselves with unlimited amounts of hay, other serious health problems can occur. Insulin, ph, and bacteria levels become unbalanced. Excessive gas can build in the hind gut leading to chronic diarrhea or even worse, colic.  In addition, most horses will waste large amounts of hay by refusing to eat what hits the ground and using it for a restroom or bedding.

Our slow feed hay nets simulate grazing by keeping forage in front of the horse continuously and slowing down consumption to a natural rate.  Texas Haynets help owners avoid many of these painful, costly, and sometimes fatal digestive and metabolic aliments.

Increasing Movement

 

Horses will spend hours eating at a round bale, urinating and defecating in place. This creates the build up mud that can contain thrush-causing bacteria and provide a perfect breeding ground for flies and other stable pests.

With Texas Haynet’s round bale hay net, horses leave the bale more frequently to engage in other herd activities such as playing, grooming, and sleeping. By spending less time at the bale, dominant more aggressive horses allow the rest of the herd to eat peacefully.

Equine Welfare

 

A portion of Texas Haynet’s proceeds are set aside to support non-profit horse rescue and therapy organizations across the country. Each month we provide a net to one horse rescue or therapy organization. Click here to see the organizations that have received a hay net.

FAQs

 

Have more questions about our hay nets for round bales?  Click here to read the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.