NibbleNet - Extra-Slow Feeder Prototype with 1.25-Inch Openings

Stella cleverly puts a leg forward to give herself something to push against while eating from her NibbleNet slow feeder. Many thanks to Deb at NibbleNet for allowing us to test this prototype, which sports a few modifications from the standard NibbleNet Picnic. First, the holes are extra-small. At 1.25" they are one-quarter-inch smaller than the other soft mesh slow feeders. Although 1.5" is generally the most effective slow feeder hole size, some horses (like my easy keepers) need a smaller opening to make their serving of hay last until the next feeding time. Next, the top rings are arranged differently. There are three sets of top rings rather than two. This was done in order for us to hang this prototype from a tree branch on a single string attached to a centered set of rings, rather than the more common placement against a wall, which uses a strap between two sets of rings. Because we feed at a lower position than these were originally designed for, the extra closure is also a safety measure. And my favorite modification -- a stroke of genius, even ;-) -- is that the top rings are lowered. Once the rings are snapped closed with a clip, the horses are prevented from snarfing hay off the top! The loading edge becomes no wider than the intended feeding openings along the sides. You'll still see my horses trying to eat from the top because they have become accustomed to other mesh hay bags having 'easy pickings' at the top. I am very excited about having the top rings flush with the top of the Picnic as a way to effectively close it off. Of course, the observant engineers amongst us will note that lowered rings also somewhat reduce the capacity of the hay bag. And they might point out that the Picnic was designed to hold no more than a single good-sized flake of hay in the first place... right? Ah, but that's how the taller sides of the XL Picnic compensate. In the background, Jewel is eating from a 1.5" Picnic XL -- with standard slow feeder hole size but having lowered rings and taller sides. This makes it as easy to load as the regular Picnic with protruding rings. After slipping in the flake of hay, the XL (with taller sides) clips shut as easily as the regular Picnic clips across four inches of exposed hay, but closes to cover all the hay. These modifications are not (yet) available as standard options, but are possible as special orders. Not everyone who slow feeds will want the taller sides, lowered rings, or extra-small openings. But for my application -- hanging these from tree branches for my expert slow feeding horses who are still eating too quickly -- they are PERFECT! JoAnn Johnson October 28, 2009

Hay, Challenge Me!
Stella eats hay from two Miller's small-mesh hay nets which are hanging from a tree branch in her Paddock Paradise. Each net has 4-cm holes, and two doubled together like this make the hay last all day. See more "challenge feeders" here.

The only reason it's hanging so high in this video is because its tree string broke, and when I re-tied it, there wasn't enough left to make the feeder reach the ground. That string will be replaced!

Ally (in the background) is playing with a "Nose-It!" feeder toy which had been filled with Ontario Dehy Timothy Balance hay cubes. The wooden box lets the hay cubes dispense over a sand-free ground-level surface.


Meanwhile, Jewel tries out her brand new NibbleNet Picnic SMHB. It was much easier to load than our Busy Horse Snackers.

I do wish it were about two inches deeper, so the top of the hay flake wouldn't stick out so much. Also, I don't like the long strap because I would rather hang the bag low to the ground, and that strap makes a triangular hoof trap. It's also more difficult to hang on my tree strings because one end of the strap has to be unclipped from the rings on the bag to thread it through the small hanging loop at the end.

I will probably replace the strap with two clips (although the strap does make it wonderfully easy to carry, like a hay handbag!) and also figure out another way to hang it from the middle of the top opening to eliminate that strap loop. It would be fine for hanging over a fence post of course.

JoAnn Johnson
October 6, 2009

Update, Oct 13: Deb at NibbleNet is making a couple of modifications to better customize my Picnics to hang from tree branches. NibbleNet seems very willing to make modifications and produce special orders, so don't hesitate to contact her before ordering. Details and videos of the NibbleNets with my modifications will be posted here!