We have had NibbleNets in continuous use on our farm since 2012. After over 8 years of DAILY use by horses and goats, some of them are starting to wear out. Don’t be fooled by imitations! The original NibbleNet is not a cheap product, but it definitely is worth the investment!
We will be placing an order for NibbleNets in early January. If you would like to purchase one for yourself, please email me by Jan 10 with what you want and we will add it to the order. The full list of choices is here. Our favorite and most versatile net is the 12″ DoubleNibble with 1.5″ openings on both sides.
In return for your patronage, you will receive a 10% discount on all MSRP prices for the items you advance order. You will not have to pay shipping, but CT Sales Tax does apply. If you have any questions, please email or give me a call.
In case you missed it: NibbleNets are a hay slow feeder designed to make it take your horse longer to consume their hay. This has a lot of benefits, including relieving boredom, improving digestion, and reducing waste. They work well whether you stall your horse at night or leave them turned out all the time. AND they are great as feeders for the side of your trailer. Don’t be deterred by the price – they are worth every penny.
Feel free to share this offer with your friends. We are also dealers for Uckele and can usually beat any online prices for supplements you may be feeding. Let me know if you want to compare prices. Thanks, Rob and Anna Sawyer 860-884-0110
We have used NibbleNet brand hay feeders since the Fall of 2012. Over the years, we have hung them in stalls, hung them on trees, and used them on the ground. When the horses were barefoot, it was fine to fill a NibbleNet and put it on the ground for the horses to eat out of, however, if your horse is shod, it’s a really bad idea; the shoes can get the webbing under the heel and cause an injury or at least a pulled shoe. I want to emphasize that I think NibbleNets are the best slow-feed hay net out there. We have nets that have been in continuous, use for 7.5 years and are not worn out. Our favorite is the Double Nibble 12″ with 1.5″ openings on both sides, as it holds a lot of hay and is versatile in usage options. There are other options available that hold even more hay.
Why do we like the slow feeders? First, they actually make the horses take longer to eat the hay. Second, (and more importantly) the horses waste MUCH less hay when eating out of the slow feeders. The one problem we have had with feeding from the NibbleNets is topline. The topline on the horses has been deteriorating and I am convinced it has a lot to do with the horses eating hay from a mid-height hanging position. There is a chance it is also related to the fact that I don’t like to do dressage work in the arena. If you watch a horse standing in the pasture eating grass, you will clearly see the back muscles (i.e. topline) raise up and level out as the horse lowers his head to eat. When the horse eats from a mid-height, such as in a hanging hay bag, the back doesn’t stretch in the same manner. Over time, this results in a hollow back and less topline muscling. Additionally, the motion of a horse pulling hay out of a slow feeding net is generally a sideways motion that results in building up the underside of the neck muscles, which further contributes to the hollow back. If you look at this picture of Mojo’s back, you can see the muscles in his back are slightly atrophied inside the yellow outline.
So, to combat the deteriorating topline, we decided to take all the hay nets out of the stalls and off the trees. The horses went back to eating all hay off the ground. It didn’t take very long of raking up wasted hay to realize we wanted to find a new solution. So, after a little consideration, Anna decided we would make hay feeders that used the NibbleNets at ground level. We posted on Facebook looking for damaged water troughs, as they would be the base for the hay feeder. We already had 1 damaged 100 gallon Rubbermaid trough and in very short order, we had 4 more to add to the collection and it was time to build the feeders.
Step 1: drainage holes. Drill a lot of 1/2″ drain holes in the bottom of the trough to prevent rain water from collecting in the trough.
Step 2: install D-rings. These surface mount d-rings are available as a 4 pack from Lowe’s for about $6. We have installed these d-rings in the tack room of the horse trailer to add ratchet and tie down points for holding bins in place. In this case, 1 package per hay feeder was just right. I elected to install them with 3/16″, 1/2″ long rivets. 1 d-ring was put in each of the “corners” of the trough, about 8″ off the bottom (you can see all 4 installed in the previous picture).
It’s important if you use rivets to attach the D-rings that you make sure the rivet shafts are snapping off clean and smooth. Part way through the assembly, I opened a new package of rivets (from a different manufacturer) and the rivets started leaving a pointy “thorn” sticking out. That’s a recipe for a cut horse nose and a vet bill, so I used a file to smooth down all the rivets that didn’t break off smooth.
Step 3: add NibbleNet. When you purchase a NibbleNet, you have the option of buying it with straps or with double snaps. I always buy them with straps because you can buy a 6-pack of double snaps at Tractor Supply for $13. Simply use the double snaps to close the hay feeder and attack all 4 corners of the bag to the 4 d-rings.
Within minutes of finishing the project, Amira was completely comfortable with the new arrangement. There is almost no wasted hay and the horses are eating in a more natural position with their heads down low.
Everyone knows I get very passionate about farming in general, but horses in particular. As my trimming business has been increasing, I find myself constantly talking about the products we like best on our own farm. So, after some discussion, Anna and I have decided to start selling some equine products. The good news is, some of these double as great Caprine (goat) products too! We are now dealers for Easy Care Inc horse hoof boots, Zephyr’s Garden topical horse and dog products, and NibbleNet hay slow feeders. All of these products are items we use on our own farm and can attest to the quality and value. We absolutely love the Zephyr’s Garden products because they are non-toxic, so they are safe for the horses, kids, and goats! Check out our Equine Products page for details!
