hay soak/feeder

[happy hacker]

has anyone used a haywise hay soak/feeder or anything similar.
for any one not familiar its like a large tub that you soak the hay in, then let the water out of it and the horse eats the hay through a grill over the top of the tub.
i was thinking of getting one they are quiet pricy so would be interested if any one has any experience with them. Also they look just a bit too big for a stable.
the reason i ask is that i like the idea of feeding hay from the "off the ground" position for various personal reasons but feel that just putting hay on the floor is gonna be not only messy but hard to manage as shavings are gonna get mixed up etc (colic)

any views/ comments apreciated.

was gonna make a home made version and save the 350.00 plus vat that it would cost. any ideas. do any of you anything other than haynets?

[Mehitabel]

we use dustbins instead of haynets for some of our ponies.

[happy hacker]

yeah, i was gonna use a big tub of some sort, but the only prob i can forsee is that they can "woof" it down alot faster than in a haynet, so i wanted something (netting/grill) over the top to slow the feeding down. the haywise one has a grill over the top of the tub to slow the feeding down and the grill is set on springs so it keeps the supply of hay at the top.

looks like i am gonna have to get other half to get his genius head on and get inventing...

[Alison+Rio]

for a hay soaker we use wheelie bins! there a great shape for putting the hay in! we either have a tap drilled into the bottom to let the water out or holes cut all around it. u should b able to find a grill that will fit over the bucket im sure. it may be worth ** while looking at grills that get hung up in the horses stable. i like the corner feeders as they take up less room!

[intouch]

Could you attach a small hole haynet in the tub to slow doyn consumption? We use half barrels to soak, just the right size.

[ThePrancingPony]

Heylo, your little sis here, how be you?

[KTSmini]

I was just thinking- a water but might be good for the soaked hay as they usually have a drainage tap in the bottom. Obviously you'd still have to use a hay net and hang the thing up.

[cvb]

you can buy a grill that sits in a big bucket on top of the hay and slows them down... can't remember which catalogue its in tho'

We feed ours on the floor but have used various things for soaking - e.g. get a water tank (for house) and add a tap so you can drain it...

[eeyore]

for when my horse is out, we soak the hay in its haynet and just sit it on a big tub trug or water bucket!
just gets it off the ground so it's not sitting in the water.

[REBBECAQWERTY]

I was looking into the hay troughs with a grill accross the top, but agree they are very pricy and I cant really afford it as I have two horses. I use a large bucket but there is alot of waste. I dont use haynets as I dont think they are good for horses as its not a natural feeding position for them, my vet also advised me not to use them as they arent good.

[eeyore]

I would love not to use haynets too.
But my gelding LOVES his food. I mean he INHAAALES it!
he could demolish 2 haynets within an hour, so we've got one in a haylage net to keep him occupied, and half a hay net (tipped out of course ) on the floor.
strangely he goes for the net first!

[REBBECAQWERTY]

my only problem with not using haynets is that my two year old plays with the hay on the floor and usually poos on most of it (what a waste of money)