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Post by lalalaa on Dec 19, 2014 22:57:20 GMT
It's starting to send me potty how the whole wagon ends up completely covered everytime I use it specially when the ponies are sweaty, to the point I have stopped giving haynets on short journeys. Does anyone use hay bags? Wish I had got one with a full bulkhead now.
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Post by Philippa on Dec 20, 2014 7:47:51 GMT
What type of box is it??? Must admit I can't understand anyone wanting to sit under the Haynes. Ridiculous idea if you ask me. It would drive me bonkers too. Might as well have a trailer at least the car would be clean to sit in!! Anyway, that's just my opinion for what it's worth cos it's something that I find bizarre.
Onto hay bags. Yes I use them in my box but I don't fill them directly I put a small holed net inside so they can't just pull it out. Obviously they still drop it on the floor but it's less messy than just a net.
Mine are the ones with a small hole in the front but I've seen some really fab ones which have hayledge net holes on the fronts. They vary in price too.
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Post by Louise Dixon on Dec 20, 2014 8:28:16 GMT
But, a 3.5 t can be considerably cheaper than getting a trailer, a towing licence and a vehicle suitable for towing with! Trailer not an option for everyone.
Haynet inside haybag sounds like a good plan.
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Post by lalalaa on Dec 20, 2014 11:59:40 GMT
It's a regent one the cab is fine it's just the whole of the back. Thanks sounds like a good idea the haynet in a hag bag thanks
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cliche
Junior Member
Posts: 115
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Post by cliche on Dec 20, 2014 12:25:40 GMT
Im another who uses a small holed haynet inside a haybag. I only travel 1 in mine so I can also put the haynet in the empty side of the van, tied up right next to his head so he can lean over for it.
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Post by dancer on Dec 20, 2014 12:26:15 GMT
If you've got a sewing machine it shouldn't be too difficult to make one from a piece of strong fabric (canvas?) & an old haylage net!
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Post by Philippa on Dec 20, 2014 12:54:49 GMT
If you've got a sewing machine it shouldn't be too difficult to make one from a piece of strong fabric (canvas?) & an old haylage net! Lol far too technical for me. I'm not that way inclined lol
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Post by tillyfloss on Dec 20, 2014 14:34:13 GMT
I use those tiny hay treat blocks..in a tiny haynet think they are called munchies, are about a fiver?? works a treat for me..
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Post by chloesmum on Dec 20, 2014 16:24:50 GMT
We used to have this problem with our old lorry and I tried everything - the hay bags were not really an improvement as they still chucked it everywhere and it would go down the seats etc. So lovely new lorry has the bulkhead and seperate back area from horses so no more messy hay - however swopped one problem for an even bigger one. The new 3.5 tons have much higher bulkheads/head areas and we find Jacob sit's back on the lorry more than ever. I have had it reinforced but he still feels like he is pushing through to us! I think he finds the head height too high for a 'short stuff' like him (129cm) so therefore sits back far more. I ended up travelling in the back with him for the last part (of a very long, stop start) journey yesterday and although he is not stressing his head is very high when on the new bulkhead which must be straining his neck. Any advice for what we can do to stop him doing this appreciated. By the way I got of those mini net things to take to Olympia but haven't used it yet - my tack shop said they are really popular with people for bad travellers etc.
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Post by 2connies on Dec 20, 2014 22:14:32 GMT
Cloesmum! Could you please point me in direction of the 'mini net things' you mention in your post?
I have same problem as lalalaa ....hay absolutely everywhere in our 3.5ton box...I do want to encourage ponies to eat whilst travelling though so currently use a normal holed net.
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Post by catkin on Dec 21, 2014 20:10:11 GMT
chloe's mum. not sure of your layout. Does the pony put its head over a door? If so, have that made lower. I have done this to great effect. If he has to put his head up into a space/bulkhead, could you try travelling him back to front? Also, a bigger stall and then he could be at more of an angle/have his head lower.
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Post by chloesmum on Dec 22, 2014 16:11:49 GMT
Thanks catkin - the old lorry had a lower bar and it was no problem but the new posh one has the bulkhead and they are now much higher so horses don't go over into the living area I believe. The area is quite big anyway on the sides so unless we travelled him diagonally not sure that would help but do think travelling back to front is worth a try. For a 'short stuff' he has big strong bum!! and I can hear the metal creaking as he pushed against us! Going to chill over Christmas and tackle it in the New Year but all advice very welcomed. Thanks all and will look up the name of these small hay bar thingys!
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Post by jayandpodge on Dec 22, 2014 19:54:55 GMT
When I had a 3.5t I travelled two section D's and found the haybags just didn't work for us. So we got a sheet of material made that attached to just under the bar and covered most of the seating area so it caught the hay. At the end of the journey you just took the sheet off and the seating area was still tidy
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Post by gillwales on Dec 22, 2014 21:07:12 GMT
I used hay bags, brilliant! not keen on keeping hoods on ponies in the summer as they tend to overheat with bags you dont get all of the bits in the plaits
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Post by nici on Dec 23, 2014 7:57:43 GMT
Choesmum - I travel little ones back to front in my 3.5 box. They've always travelled fine that way.
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Post by Toaster on Dec 23, 2014 8:33:59 GMT
The blocks and nets are called Vitamunch. You can use the nets with cheaper hay blocks but as they are more solid there is a chance the pony will tear the net. The Vitamunch blocks are more loosely made and would be better but they are pricey!
If you aren't worried about aesthetics a cheap way of making a hay bag is to use a haynet inside a feed bag/sack/pillowcase, tie the top up and cut a hole out the front
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Post by catkin on Dec 23, 2014 12:05:06 GMT
OK, I am clearer now Chloe's mum. I still think it would be worth a try with a wider/double stall and if you are intending to keep the lorry, it would definitely be worth lowering the bulkhead bit, which is in effect what I did. I then had a bar put up in front of each stall so if travelling something big, this could go up too. Until Mum died we were a family of horse transporters so something of an obsession of mine!
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Post by bigmama on Dec 23, 2014 14:54:28 GMT
Regent made us 3.5 tonne and at our request, they fitted a haycatcher similar to what jayandpodge describes above and it did the trick
Since then, we had a 3.5 tonne built by Oakwood to our spec and it is fab .... smaller area at the back behind ponies just to step up and check they are ok and only small area for hay to fall and we have aside door behind the passenger door opening to a changeing area/wardrobe/ladders to luton bed, middle front seat of box folds down to table if needed and it works really well and no messy hay!
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Post by cheryl on Jan 10, 2015 10:34:26 GMT
In our old 3.5t I got a piece of tarpaulin and hooked it from the breast bar to the back so the hay was caught on there. In our new box we just had built ours too has a bulkhead between the horse area and jockey area.
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