[Bravestrom]

Interesting article that I thought was worth bringing on here.

http://www1.extension.umn.edu/agricu...d-bale-feeder/

[Derby Lyn Farms]

I have one roundbale feeder like the Tombstone. I have 8 horses in that field and they clean every last drop of hay up. Almost no waste, very minimal less then 1% I would say. They eat the hay over the feeder, so they are not dropping any outside of it.

The other field has no feeder, and they waste a ton of hay. They pee on it, and they just don't want to clean it up. I paid about $200 for my feeder and it was worth it.

[HorsePlayyy]

Round bale feeders do save a lot of hay from being wasted and therefore saves a lot of money.

However, I will never have a round bale feeder in my paddock. A barn where I used to help teach used round bale feeders in its paddocks for years and years and years. I didn't have much of an opinion of them, then.

One very usual morning, Velvet, who was a favorite amongst the youngsters (fancy horse and a great teacher) for whatever reason tried to stick her head through one of the small holes in the feeder (if you click Bravestrom's link, the barn used the feeders like G and H). Well Velvet panicked and literally drug the whole feeder around the paddock with her, hay and all. In her frenzy, she got around once before she broke her neck and we lost her. And to add salt to the wound, the horses in the paddock with her were so traumatized, they refused to eat their grain for days after the incident and still won't go towards anything resembling a round bale feeder.

It may have been a rare incident, it may have been a freak accident, but Velvet had been eating from the feeders her whole life before that happened. Even if the risk is small, it's not worth it to me.

[saultgirl]

My horse would climb into the tombstone type feeders when the hay was getting really low (which was frequent at one boarding barn). I feed round bales by unwrapping them and carrying hay out in a wheelbarrow. Minimal waste, but a lot more labour.

[ChocoMare]

I combined a Cinch Chix Round Bale Net with a Hay Cradle.

No one's climbed in, except the goats I take up the excess netting, twist it into a bun and wrap the excess cord around it. All horses are barefoot.

I have about 1% - 3% waste only, and usually that's when it's been rained upon.

[D Taylor]

My horse would climb into the tombstone type feeders when the hay was getting really low (which was frequent at one boarding barn). I feed round bales by unwrapping them and carrying hay out in a wheelbarrow. Minimal waste, but a lot more labour.

Yes I have the same issue. He would climb in but for some reason not be able to get out. Flipping up the ring with a horse and some hay present is too often problematic. Dismantling not a ton of fun either.

I have yet to find a big bale feeder I am totally happy with. They either waste too much hay still, get rubs or shoes and sheets caught, manage to destroy the feeder, or manage to get inside. Add in torrential rains (not this year) patterns and hay outisde 24X7 just not the cost nor labor effective choice.

I switched to big square bales. Flake off 3' by 3' flakes and feed. No waste, fewer over weight hogs, and not a ton of time on my part. The hubby modified the big bale spike to add 2 smaller spikes and that was a cheap and easy investment to handle big squares safely.

[Ride4Life]

I bit the bullet this spring and bought a hayhut. Best farm purchase EVER! Saves me a ton of time & money. And it's plastic with no sharp edges so I feel that it is safe.