Getting the best out of the management of feeding with a Hay-Hutch

These tips and comments are drawn from customer feedback and our experience over four years using and developing Hay-Hutches to feed Gilly's thoroughbred mares and foals.

Small and Medium Hay-Hutches in yards and stables

A small Hay-Hutch was packed with 12kgs (26lbs 7oz) of hay. Overnight, one of our thoroughbred yearlings ate approximately 6kgs (13lbs 4oz) leaving 5.88kgs (12lbs 15oz) in the Hay-Hutch.

There was only 4oz (120g) left on the floor which was re-useable and put back in!

Similar results were recorded for a 3 year old in an outdoor yard during the day.

Combining Haynets with Hay-Hutches

This haynet has been suspended on headcollar hooks secured by bungee rope threaded through holes drilled under the rim.

If you need to get the haynet to maintain its shape and position a small block or paving stone should do it. This will add stability to your Hay-Hutch as well.

One of our customers who has Welsh Cobs adapted her Hay-Hutches by suspending a small hole haynet inside. This restricted feed rate.

PLEASE NOTE:
If you think your horse may put its foot through one of the feed apertures, DO NOT use this technique unless the horse is NOT SHOD.

Large Hay-Hutches

This is the field where our Hay-Hutches stood over the winter. The picture was taken at the end of March.

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Please note the circles of hay where the Hay-Hutches have stood.
We keep large groups of up to 10 horses together over the winter with several large Hay-Hutches. This means that we only have to top them up once or twice a week depending on the weather.
Every time we fill them, we move them a few yards to prevent poaching.
The sward in the picture looks great even after five months of 9 horses and six Hay-Hutches. In milder periods, the horses spilled some hay but it was not too much hassle just to pop it back when doing the daily check.

"Naughty Bolts"

Most horse do not try to remove the Hay-Hutch lid. In a customer survey we found that for the vast majority of playful horses, the single naughty bolt supplied does the trick.
In one or two extreme cases, however, a second naughty bolt may need to be fitted.
We tested this by chucking a Hay-Hutch with two naughty bolts on one of our extreme slopes - 45 degrees and 100 feet down! The lid held just fine.

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Hay-Hutch test pilots in action!

Breaking and tearing of Hay-Hutches

We have decided to introduce a super tough version of Hay-Hutches made from motorway crash barrier material - called the "Extreme".

This is for very harsh cold climates or for horses that may give their Hay-Hutch a sound beating! If a horse is bored or just plain playful, they may decided to try to break their Hay-Hutch. The "Extreme" should cope with all situations. The material can take a car hitting it at 50 m.p.h.- they bounce off!

We have, however, sold several hundred in standard high grade plastic with only one or two incidences of breakage. So it's up to you - you know your horses best!