Soaking Hay- suggestions wanted to make life easier please

[ikklecob]

How about a water barel that has a tap on the bottom this would let you drain away. You could cut the top of the barrel off and use a broom handle to support the net whilst soaking.

[dalesnfellfan]

Well, Amy bought a hay cube on Ebay for £49 and it arrived on Thursday, I used it to soak 2 nets that afternoon as I am doing the ponies while Amy is away for the weekend.

I agree with everything WDF says about them, I squeezed 2 nets in, each with 2 sections of small bale hay (less than half a bale)and filled the cube, so far so good. However I had to move the cube outside to drain, it was blooming heavy and very awkward to move (wheels only on back and I found it difficult to keep tipped towards me and pull). Drained it and left nets in situ to drain, very difficult to remove nets as it has quite a deep/wide lip which the net gets trapped under (probably better with loose hay). Eventually got the top net out, to find that the bottom net had not drained properly as the position of the bung does not allow the bottom inch of water to drain so the net was sitting in water and was still very heavy coupled with the fact that the net got stuck under the rim it took me ages to get it out and really hurt my shoulder in the process.

I have not used it since and have gone back to the tubs which are much easier, not too bad at the moment with only a small amount to soak for the field.
The ponies have eaten their paddocks almost bare, I keep looking at their winter field, it's very tempting to move them over and dispense with the hay, but then there'll be nothing left for the winter if I move them this early.

Edited to say this may work better if the hay was put in a large net inside the cube and the cube put on it's bracket in the stable, so no removing nets, but enthusiastic ponies may pull it off the bracket as Doc did.

I certainly won't be buying one.