Oh Haynets!

You name it, I have the haynet.  I have spent a great deal of time sourcing and trying various types of haynets which will do the job I require… to allow slow continuous feeding.  Wolfie, Buttons and Honey all require restricted amounts of hay. They are all stabled over night in winter and can be standing in anywhere from 4pm to 9am the following morning. For anyone that is able to do night checks and put haynets in last thing at night and first thing in the morning, I envy you. Like many people I can leave the yard at 6pm content in the knowledge that my horses are comfortable and have plenty of hay and water. However, if I return to the yard at 9pm, I can guarantee that they will have very little hay left, if any, meaning they will be standing for up to 12 hours in their stables without anything to eat. This to me is not acceptable and I’ve been trying haynet after haynet to get around this issue. In an ideal world, I would have the facilities to keep them outside all year round with ground feeders, areas of dry hard standing in all weathers and a good field shelter.  However until I win the lottery, I, like most people, keep my horses at livery, so we have to make the best of what we have. Personally I find it much easier to feed a horse up than to restrict feed intake. Managing a horse on a restricted forage diet takes time and effort and the easiest answer is often just to give them more hay as opposed to trying to slow them down.

I soak all of my hay in excess of 12 hours. Depending on their condition scores (which I do monthly) I feed them at 1.5-2% of their bodyweight, so extending feeding time is vital. Horses are not designed to stand without forage for long periods of time as it is unnatural and unhealthy for normal gut function and can increase the chances of the horse developing an ulcer. For horses and ponies who have had laminitis or are insulin resistant, being fasted for a prolonged period of time and then fed can cause an insulin surge beyond normal levels which could be harmful. Eating hay slowly and consistently helps steady and maintain normal glucose levels. There’s also the psychological effects of being enclosed in a stable for hours on end with nothing to eat, possibly causing or contributing to vices and stereotypical behaviour. 

So, I require nets which are strong, rot resistant due to being soaked, with holes small enough to reduce intake without making it completely impossible to get the hay. I want to keep them busy, working to get the hay but I don't want to stress them out or leave them completely frustrated. I use 3 nets in the stable for Wolfie overnight, to try and encourage him to move from net to net, I then have to have 3 nets soaking for the next night, which requires me to have a lot of nets!  This is also to save time so I am not transferring hay into different nets.  I want nets which are long lasting and good value for money.

Here's my honest reviews of 8 of the nets I’ve bought, tried and tested. They are a mix of nets suitable for horses and small ponies like my Shetlands.  Have you had similar issues trying to find the perfect haynet? Please feel free to post your comments. You might even have the name of a net I need to try next!

  

Shires Fine Mesh Haynet (30mm holes small or large. Retails around £6.95 plus postage)

I have tried various versions of the fine mesh small holed haynets, including Shires. The Shires is a good size, probably holding at least 3 leaves of hay and it is a lightweight net, with a metal tie ring and a good length rope. It is also easy to open and fill although I think it is generally best suited to feeding dry hay through. These fine mesh nets do not withstand being continually submerged in water and stretch very easily so your 30mm holes soon become 60mm plus holes. This means they are better for horses who are not overly zealous with their nets. With a little practice, horses become very adept at eating out of small holed nets, and the Shires is really is no problem for Wolfie. I tend to double-net and put a more robust net on top of this one.  Even for this price, I really would be expecting something a little tougher and am not convinced these nets are going to last the rest of the summer never mind making it through a harsh Scottish winter.

IV Horse Miser Net (40mm holes.  Retails between £14.00 - £15.65 plus postage)

Based on trawlernet technology, the trawler net uses fixed knots, making it very strong.  It is UVA and ammonia resistant and designed to be used anywhere from the stable, to travelling, or in the field.  It is a large net which could hold 3-4 leaves of hay. It has a good long rope and plastic tie ring at the bottom, making it easy to tie up at a safe height. It is pricey for a haynet but I have been using 2 of these for soaking hay and feeding for the last 2 years and they are still very strong and they withstand pulling without fraying. To me these are ‘safe and dependable’ nets if that makes sense as I never worry about Wolfie getting anything caught on them. A solid, sensible net in the haynet world, expensive, but a good investment if you need a tough, robust net and want to maximise eating time.

 

Elim-A-Net (Made by Parell Products.  (Inner net design and retails at £10.00 and above plus postage)

 “More than your average haynet”.  The Elim-A-Net people say that the ‘inner net design’ creates a physical barrier which alters the shape and size of the holes compared to a standard haynet to prevent rapid forage consumption and over eating. I bought two of these nets last year when Wolfie was on box rest after his virus. When I discovered them I was so excited (yes I do get excited over haynets). The idea and concept of these nets is brilliant. It is designed to eliminate the need for double netting. However, the braiding of the nets is very poor and weak, the inner net stretches and breaks which actually distorts the holes to the extent that Wolfie can stick most of his head in. I have really only used these nets with dry hay as I didn’t feel confident that they would survive being submerged in water, and within a couple of days there were holes in them. The idea is great, but more work and thought has to be put in to the actual materials used.  The Elim-A-Net might be OK, if the horse is a delicate eater but not for one that gets torn into the net.  A big disappointment to me and in my opinion, really not worth the money.  You would be better buying 2 cheaper small holed nets and double netting.

 

Trickle Net (25mm holes and retails at around £30.00 plus postage)

A robust and practical haynet which can hold just over 4 leaves of hay.  It is made from 4mm braided polyethylene and is rot proof. This is a heavy duty practical net which is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.  It is suitable for all types of forage including hay, straw and haylage. The net is designed to promote the natural grazing rhythm and the holes are supposed to be the optimum size to reduce intake without restricting too much. It is a large net which is easy to fill. Sounds perfect … but then there’s the price.  The nets are hand made and apparently production costs are high due to the strong material and the labour involved in making them. Don’t worry, the thought of paying £30.00 for a haynet still makes me break out in a sweat. I bought it as nets with 25mm holes which withstand soaking and are not going to stretch are hard to come by.  Is it doing its job? Yes it is.  I’m not sure yet if it is good value for money though … I’ll let you know if remains in action over the next 5 years.  For that price I want my money’s worth!  It is possibly a good investment if you just feed using one haynet.  With this net there is a noticeable difference in the length of time the horse is eating. The 25mm holes definitely slow horses down but it may be best to feed alongside another net to begin with as it took Wolfie a couple of days to get used to this net and the effort required to eat from it. People have reported that it has reduced cribbing, box walking and door kicking in some horses that have remained busy and less bored using the trickle net. It would also reduce the time taken to double and triple net.  

Hardwearing mesh nets (40mm holes £7.50 plus postage from Martsnets on EBay)

Hardwearing net made from 3mm net twine, again the same as used in fisherman’s nets.  This is a huge net, probably fitting up to 7 leaves of hay (although there is a smaller one available). The holes are around 40mm and I was impressed with the long sturdy rope. These nets are available in an array of colours, so if you don't want your nets getting mixed up with other peoples at the yard, then these are for you. They are very eye catching and get lots of comments. Proving to be robust and hard wearing, I have bought a couple of these and use them as the top net when double netting as they are easy to fit another net inside. The seller is very helpful, dispatches quickly and will combine postage for multiple purchases. All in all, very good value.

 

IV Horse Mini Miser Net  (40mm holes and retails at around £12.25 plus postage)

A smaller version of the Miser net and again made with fixed knot North Sea netting which is used by Fishermen and is designed to be UV and rot resistant. These little square nets fit ½ to 1 leaf of hay, however, the ropes were a bit short and I re-roped both of mine. The holes are small enough that little feet cannot get stuck in them and I’ve found this to be a tough little net able to withstand the table manners of greedy little ponies. 

Wee Pony Haynet (25mm holes and retails at around £10.99 plus postage)

This is another net which uses trawlernet technology but this time made more with smaller ponies in mind. It is UV stabilised for rot resistance and can fit up to 1 leaf of hay. I sometimes actually use this net in my horse’s stable to give him varying degrees of difficulty in his nets. These are long narrow nets, almost like a sock, so they can be a little awkward to fill, but are great once they are tied up. Again, the holes are small enough to stop little pony feet becoming caught and they have withstood being soaked and Buttons using them as a scratching tool. Both my miniatures use these nets and it has really prolonged their feeding time and their determined lips and teeth.  It is quite a versatile little net which could be used for ponies or horses.  I would recommend these for any little ones watching their waist lines.

Teenie Weenie Haynet (20mm holes and retails at around £8.10 plus postage)

This net lives up to its name, it is teenie on the tiny scale. It is supposed to be made from tough trawler netting and designed to take up to 1 leaf of hay. I was lucky if I managed to squeeze half a leaf of hay into it, it was really awkward to fill and the rope was so short the net wouldn't close. Buttons was able to empty the hay out of the top without actually having to use the holes.  The rope was so short that once the net was tied up, Buttons would have needed a step ladder to reach it. My ponies live in a stable which is designed for miniatures, so all the tie rings are at a suitable height for them, the rope was just far too short. Buttons had this net for no longer than a couple of hours and he ripped a huge hole in the bottom of it. He is quite hard on his nets but this is a fragile little net and more for decoration than daily use. Alas, marks for cuteness in name and appearance are severely let down in terms of practical use and I would not recommend it.

  Size comparison between the mini miser and the teenie weenie net

In summary, if you require to soak hay and extend feeding time, then the Miser net is about the best value for money.  It's the Steady Eddie of haynets and is long lasting against the elements and determined teeth. As for the trickle net, well I'm still trying to get my head around the price tag! It is a sturdy robust net and with the 25mm holes it really does extend the time spent eating. It may be beneficial for someone with a horse on box rest who can't get back during the day to add a lunch net. The nets made from North Sea netting and the trawler technology definitely withstand endless soaking. I'm thinking I will try and source my own netting and have a go at making my own nets. I used to make nets out of baling twine when I was younger. I'll let you know how I get on. 

     

Remember when you are restricting forage to feed a good balancer and, as always, teeth should be checked regularly.