What happens to a hay net when it’s used with a hay ring as the round bale is eaten down? This is a common question we hear from customers. While the way the net settles can vary slightly depending on your setup, the overall behaviour is very consistent.
It’s normal to wonder: Will the net bunch up inside the ring? Do I need to adjust it as the bale gets smaller? Will it stay contained as the hay is eaten? These are all valid questions, especially if you’re using a hay ring and hay net setup for the first time.
A hay net behaves slightly differently when used inside a hay ring compared to a free-standing bale. As horses eat, the bale reduces in height, and the net naturally settles and reshapes within the ring while continuing to contain loose hay and reduce wastage.
Fortunately, an Australian customer has shared real-life photos showing each stage of a round bale being eaten down inside a hay ring. These images clearly demonstrate how the hay net behaves over time, what’s normal to expect as the bale reduces in size, and how this setup continues to work safely and effectively right through to the last of the hay.
This is a Knotless 6x4 Round Bale Hay Net - 40mm / 1 3/4"
While we don’t have exact timeframes for how quickly this bale was eaten down, these photos still give a very clear picture of what happens as a round bale is consumed inside a hay ring. The images show how the hay net changes shape over time and what the setup typically starts to look like as the bale reduces in size.
Horse Shoes: The important thing to do is to make a point, preferably on either side of the hay ring, where the hay net is attached, even loosely, so that when the hay net is nearly empty, the horses cannot pick up the net with their teeth and toss it out of the ground. This will avoid them having any contact with their shoes and the net.
In the first stage of the process, the top of the bale has been eaten. As this happens, the hay netting begins to loosen at the top and naturally drops down into itself, settling around the remaining hay inside the ring.
As the hay is eaten and the bale reduces in size, the hay net gradually drops down into the hay ring along with it. The shape of the bale begins to change, and horses naturally move from eating the top of the bale with their heads in a higher position to feeding with their heads lower as they work their way into the middle of the bale.
This transition is a normal part of the process and shows how the hay net and ring continue to work together as the bale is eaten down.
As you can see around the base of the hay ring, there is very little wasted hay. This is a big contrast to how a round bale would typically look without a hay net in place. Reducing waste is one of the key benefits of using a hay net, not only does it help save hay, but it also helps save money by preventing horses from pulling hay out, trampling it, or spreading it around without actually eating it.
In the final images, the round bale is almost finished. By this stage, the hay net has simply followed along with the hay as it reduces in size, gradually collapsing in on itself until only a small amount of hay remains inside a loose pile of netting.
Even though the hay net is now looser and the amount of hay left is minimal, this doesn’t mean horses will have more difficulty accessing the remaining hay. The hay net continues to work in the same way, containing the hay and allowing horses to finish the bale safely and effectively.
Using a hay net inside a hay ring allows the net to naturally follow the bale as it’s eaten down, continuing to contain the hay and reduce waste right through to the end. While the net will loosen and collapse as the bale gets smaller, this is normal and doesn’t affect how well horses can access the remaining hay.
👉 If you’d like to see how a hay net behaves when a round bale is eaten down without a hay ring, you can read our related article here:
What happens to a hay net as a round bale is eaten down?
This helps compare both setups and understand what to expect in different feeding situations.
If you have any questions about using hay nets with hay rings or want help choosing the right net for your setup, our team is always happy to help.
