6 amazing tips for using hay bags

Hay bags are a great way to slow down your horse’s eating and also keep those messy eaters’ stalls clean.  But hay bags can also be a pain.  Here are 6 tips to help make feeding time easy and safe.

1 Use a clean muck bucket to drape the hay bag in for easy filing. Filling bags can be frustrating.  We have 2 – 3 clean muck buckets in the hay shed for quick filling of multiple bags.

2 Use hay bags to weigh your hay.  Hanging digital scales are easy to find online.  Fill the bags and quickly weigh them for accurate feeding.  

3 Have at least two bags for each horse.  Being able to pre-fill bags is a great way to ensure anyone helping you feed will give your horses the right amount of food.  

4 Having trouble with your horses knocking the hay bags down?  Use self-locking carabiners for hanging bags.  There is always that horse that somehow unhooks its hay bag.  We use climbing carabiners that self lock.  They are easy to unlock and open with one hand and the hay bags stay safe and secure.

5 Keep your horses safe.  Bags can get caught on blankets and horseshoes.  Bangs should be hung chest level or higher.  Use a loop of baling twine to hang the bag from.  If the horse does get caught the twine will break. This also works when traveling to shows.  Bring a few precut sections of twine to use in the rented stalls or on the trailer to hang your bangs.  

6 Want your horse to eat slower?  Hang the bag so it hangs away from structures like walls.  For turnout, we hang our bags from strong tree limbs.  

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