For most horses, a 1.75-inch hole is the right choice. About 95 percent of horses do well with this size. It gives good intake control without slowing horses down so much that they become frustrated or lose condition.

• 1.5-1.75-inch — average horses, easy keepers, and horses managing metabolic conditions
• 2.5-inch — aggressive eaters, draft breeds, and horses new to nets who need a gentler transition
• 3-inch — cattle, senior horses with dental or vision issues, and thick or stemmy hay that does not pull through smaller holes easily
• 1-inch — minis and small animals

For a full breakdown by animal and situation, see ourChoosing a Hay Net guide.

There are four main differences that separate us from other brands:

• Seamless construction. Our nets are formed as a single continuous piece of netting with no cuts or joins. A seamless net pulls over a bale more easily because there is no seam to snag in the hay. Seamed nets can catch and bunch, making positioning harder.
• Fits bales up to 7 feet. Our round bale nets cover larger bales than competing brands that top out at 6 feet.
• Made in the USA, backed by a 30-day guarantee. If it is not right, we make it right.
• Repairable. A hole in the net does not mean the net is done. We sell a Net Repair Kit and a repaired net still saves hay and does its job.
• Real customer service. When you call, you are talking to someone who has hands on net experience and help you choose the best hay net for your setup.

We also run a net recycling program that accepts any brand of net. Nylon takes 30 to 40 years to break down in a landfill. Send us your old net and we will send you a coupon toward a new one.

For a full side-by-side on construction, hole sizes, and bale fit, see Texas Haynet vs Hay Chix.

Yes. A hay net pays for itself by eliminating waste and extending consumption time. Here's what studies show:

Round bales:

• No feeder: ~60% waste
• Hay ring: ~20% waste
• Slow feed hay net: ~6% waste

Square bales:

• No feeder: ~13% waste
• Hay rack: ~5% waste
• Slow feed hay net: ~1% waste

Small nets (measured by consumption rate):

• No feeder: 3.3 lbs/hr
• Large hole net: 2.9 lbs/hr
• Small hole net: 1.9 lbs/hr

That difference shows up directly in how many bales you buy each season and how long each feeding lasts.

To run the numbers for your own situation, use our Hay Savings Calculator.

Longer than without one — often significantly longer. Here is what customers consistently report:

• Round bales and large square bales last 3 to 7 days longer per bale
• A 2-string square bale (50 to 60 lbs) typically lasts about 48 hours with 2 horses
• Small hay nets at least double eating time compared to unnetted feeding

The actual difference depends on how many animals are using the net, their size, and how much hay they need. Use our Hay Savings Calculator to estimate your own bale life and savings.

It depends on the type of net, how many animals are using it, and how many days per year you feed hay:

• Round bale nets — typically 2 to 4 years, sometimes longer
• Square bale nets — typically 3 or more years
• Small nets — often 5 or more years

Seasonal use (3 to 4 months per year) extends net life compared to year-round use. More animals means more wear through teeth abrasion — this is the primary cause of holes in round bale nets.

A hole does not mean the net is finished. Our nets are easy to repair and a repaired net still does its job. We sell a Net Repair Kit for exactly this situation.

Yes. Hay nets are safe for horses and livestock when used properly. They are routinely recommended by vets and nutritionists.

A two-year study found hay nets did not harm dental health, and horses fed from nets held steadier body weights and body condition scores. See Are hay nets bad for horses' teeth? for the full findings.

Another study found that hanging nets at the correct height plays a crucial role in good neck and back posture. See Do hay nets hurt horses' necks? for more details.

One caution for shod horses: use a feeder that puts a solid barrier between the shoe and the net, or elevate small nets, so a shoe cannot catch in the netting.

Use caution with horned animals and those with ear tags, as they can get tangled.

No. Studies have shown that hay nets do not damage horses' teeth. A two-year study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science found that hay nets did not increase dental wear or cause dental problems over the full two years. The study compared horses fed from round bales with and without hay nets. The nets used 1.75-inch openings, the same hole size we recommend for most horses.

The researchers measured incisor length, checked for abnormal tooth wear, and damage to gums and lips. They found no difference between the horses that used nets and those that did not.

The same body of research points to a second finding: horses fed from nets kept healthier body weights and body condition scores, and hay usage dropped by about 20 percent.

Not when you hang them low enough. Research shows that nets hung at cannon bone height promote more natural back and neck positions. A net hung too high causes the horse to crane its neck like a giraffe and leads to bad neck and back posture.

A 2021 study published in the journal Animals compared horses feeding from the ground, from a low net, and from a high net. The high net changed neck, back, and jaw posture the most. The low net kept the back closest to a natural position.

How to hang a hay net properly:

• Top of the net: about chest height
• Bottom of the net: about the midpoint of the cannon bone — halfway down the lower front leg, between the knee and the fetlock

Hung in this range, your horse eats with its head at or just below the withers. That keeps their posture in a natural downward position. A word of caution. Shoes can get hooked in low hanging nets. Never hang a net low without using a feeder that creates a barrier between the shoe and the net.

Yes, slower, steadier feeding helps reduce the risk of both. Horses are built to graze almost constantly. Their stomachs produce acid around the clock, whether or not they are eating. Forage and the saliva it generates buffer that acid. When a horse goes hours with an empty stomach, acid builds up against an unprotected stomach lining, a leading cause of gastric ulcers.

A slow feed hay net keeps forage in front of the horse longer. Smaller holes mean smaller bites and more time spent chewing. More chewing means more saliva, and steadier forage intake keeps the stomach buffered through the day.

This steadier pattern supports gut health in two ways. It reduces the long empty gaps tied to ulcers. It also keeps the digestive tract moving consistently, which lowers the risk of colic linked to irregular feeding.

For more on the health case for slow feeding, see our Why Use a Hay Net page.

Yes. A hay net helps keep insulin and stress levels steady by allowing horses to spend more time eating. Easy keepers, insulin-resistant horses, and horses with Cushing's or PPID all benefit from controlled, steady hay access.

Research by the University of Minnesota showed that horses eating from a net had lower insulin and cortisol levels than horses eating off the floor. The floor-fed horses ate faster, which caused both their insulin and stress hormone levels to spike. Increasing consumption time plays an important role regulating horses experiencing these issues.

For more on the health benefits of slow feeding, see our Why Use a Hay Net page.

Yes. Cattle do well with hay nets. Because cattle have no top front teeth, they use their tongue to pull hay from the net rather than their lips and teeth. A larger hole makes that easy.

Use a 3-inch hole for cattle. Our Livestock Hay Net is built for this. The 3-inch opening lets cattle feed comfortably while still cutting waste.

The savings add up fast. Without a net, cows waste 40 to 50 percent of a bale. A hay net keeps the hay contained and stretches every bale much further.

For full details on feeding cattle and other livestock, see our Livestock Feeder page. Use caution with horned cattle or animals with ear tags, as both can tangle in the netting.

Yes, with the right setup. Goats are clever, determined eaters that pull hay out, scatter it, and waste it fast. A hay net keeps the hay contained and cuts that waste. The key with goats is how you mount the net.

We recommend mounting it in a feeder or elevating it rather than leaving it loose on the ground. Our Goat Feeder Net Kit turns a standard V-rack feeder into a slow feeder and keeps the netting secure.

For full setup guidance, see our Hay Nets for Goats page.

Do not use nets with horned goats, as horns tangle easily in the netting.

Yes. Hay nets work well for sheep. Sheep like to burrow into a bale in search of the best bits. A net keeps the bale contained so the flock eats it instead of wasting it.

Many of our sheep customers use our square bale nets inside a feeder. Others use our round bale nets for smaller round bales.

For most horses, the Round Bale Hay Net with 1.75-inch holes is the right starting point. It controls intake, reduces waste, and works for a wide range of horse types — from average-weight horses to easy keepers and metabolic horses.

If your horses chew on the netting or are rough on equipment, the Heavy Gauge Round Bale Net uses 4mm knotted nylon instead of the standard 2mm. It is built specifically for horses that chew.

For cattle and livestock, the Livestock Hay Net is the right choice. It comes in a 3-inch hole to accommodate aggressive eaters and works with round bales.

All three nets fit bales up to 7 feet and work with or without a hay ring.

For a full side-by-side comparison of the horse nets, see our Round Bale Hay Net Buying Guide.

As the bale goes down, the net goes with it and begins to flatten out. By the last day or two, it looks more like a pancake than a dome. That is normal and the net does not need to stay taut to keep working.

You can cinch the net up as the bale decreases, but it is not necessary. The net is still heavy until the last bit of hay is left, which makes it difficult to tighten anyway.

Watch what this looks like on YouTube →

It can, if you have frequent snow and ice. When the net flattens and contacts wet or frozen ground, the nylon can temporarily freeze in place.

The easiest fix is a feeder that keeps the net off the ground. A hay cradle or elevated hay feeder works well for this. Search for round bale cradles, cones and other feeders to find a style that fits your setup.

Pull the net over the bale from the top down, working it down the sides until the opening reaches the bottom. The drawstring cinches the opening closed around the base. You do not need heavy equipment. One person can net a standard round bale.

For a step-by-step walkthrough with visuals, see our blog post: How to Put a Hay Net on a Round Bale. We also have a full video playlist on YouTube covering installation for different net types.