‘Paddock Pillows’ are simply made from the plastic garden trellis you can buy from your local hardware/gardeing store.
They are quick and easy to make – just fold a 2m length in half and ‘sew’ the sides together with baling twine or use cable ties. You can also lace the top closed with twine when you have stuffed it full of hay.
They allow the hay seeds to drop on the ground for re-seeding pasture and you can spread them around the paddock or track to keep your horse moving more.
But most importantly, they slow down the hay consumption and stop the horses from treading it into the ground, or soiling it.
Here’s what Victoria in the Bega Valley, NSW says:
“We are making layers of different types of hay to keep our horses happily occupied for hours eating what normally would have been eaten in under an hour.
A great bonus is that when its windy the paddock pillows don’t blow away unlike the hay!”
Here is Beau enjoying his paddock pillow.
More happy horses enjoying their ‘Hay Pillow’ – Tracey’s boys in QLD tuck in together.
For many more great ideas on slow feeders and nets visit here: https://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/Small-Mesh+Hay+Nets
Hoofcare Ultd also has some good advice on slowfeeding here.
Where are these available?
The Hunter Valley, NSW ?
Hi Mark, the paddock pillows were home-made but we do have a good range of slowfeed haynets here: https://www.naturalhorseworldstore.com/slowfeed-hay-nets/
Hope you find something that suits you or let me know if you need help in choosing the right product. Cheers, Cynthia.