Freedom Feeder Small Mesh Hay Extended Day Net

This is the net I use in the stall attached to the panels envelope style for easy push through with hay. Sometimes, when stickers such as blackberry stems are in the hay, they will cause a hole when pulled through, but my horses with normal hay, do not make holes. They do really hold a day's worth of hay for those of us who like efficiency. I believe they are soft on my horses lips. I use the 1 1/2 inch hole. I've probably bought 6-8 of these by now.

This is a great help in slowing down our horses when they are eating hay. Being knotless is a plus. Our horses are determined eaters and will destroy a net in about a year so they don't last forever but they help gobblers slow down.

I'm mostly happy with this product. I bought the 1.0" for a MFT and Shetland to share. Both are fat and probably borderline IR. Here's the good:It fits an entire grass hay bale (50- 60 lbs) at a time.It slows the horses down and I fill it (and another feeder) every 3rd day.Although it got ripped right away, I repaired it with parachute cord and it's hasn't ripped since then. It's easy to make repairs.I replaced the string (used to close the opening) with cheap carabiners so it's much faster to fill.There is some mess, but not nearly as much as I thought. We live in the Pacific NW, so any hay that hits the ground ends up muddy and wet.I am satisfied and will purchase again.Here's the bad:I first filled the bag with a whole 50+ lb bale and put it in an empty Rubbermaid trough to keep it off the ground. My MFT mare pickup up the entire bale by the net and threw it onto the ground.I tried leaving the bag loose on the ground in the shelter (too much rain to leave it outside), but it was soon muddy and had been drug into manure and urine. I had to soak the net in vinegar water to clear off the smell.I then tried anchoring it to the wall, but it still got too dirty from them walking on it with muddy feet. (Did I mention it rains a lot here??)I eventually ended up hooking it to the shelter walls much like the photo in the description. That seems to be working.My MFT tore a basket-ball sized hole in the net in the first week. (After repairing that, it has held up well.)Overall:Not perfect, but it's working and I would recommend it and will be purchasing again. The price is right! Also, my horses are much less cranky, which I attribute to their increased comfort level due to having food in their stomachs at all times (since they produce stomach acid 24/7). This means I can work them at any time without worrying about it being "feeding time". They are losing their pot-bellied look and are just much happier and less stressed now that I'm not feeding them 2xday (with no food in between).(I also purchased a smaller net in the 1.5" size and my other MFT mare is doing very well with it. She is not as aggressive with her food. Other than replacing the crummy carabiners it comes with, I've had no issues.)EDITED 4/16I've since switched to Shire nets. They are plastic (which I don't like) but they last much longer! I love haynets, but my IR horse needs a small hole size and this net in the small size isn't durable enough. Freedom nets are the easiest to load in my experience, but they just aren't strong enough for some horses. The Shires are strong and cheaper, though harder to fill. I do use these nets for the "barn sitter" so it's easier for her to fill. Otherwise, the Shires get my vote.

So far, this bag is holding up to persistent teeth, and it is doing its job really well! There’s less mess and waste, and the horses are occupied with the bag for hours. Easy to fill and hang. I highly recommend!

These are my favorite thing ever! I bought one 3 months ago and then bought another one. It has held up well over the last few months. The only thing that has broken has been the clips. I had to replace most of them which is fine. I use one to feed 2 horses and only fill it up once a day with grass. It makes my life easier. Highly recommended.