The Slow Bale Buddy is the safest, best-quality small mesh hay feeder on the market today. The only one with a one-year warranty, it is the perfect solution for feeding horses round and square bales of all sizes. Waste is completely eliminated, and aggressive and anxious animals are calmed by having to graze and forage for their hay. Overweight animals will walk away from the hay without overeating, helping to normalize weight. Because grazing is always on the surface of the bale, it is excellent for feeding horses with breathing problems. Slow feeding benefits most animals and is the most natural way to feed hay.

Slow Bale Buddy's can be used to feed any hornless animal (horns can become caught in the netting).

While not for use with shod horses unless used with a solid-sided feeder, the Slow Bale Buddy is entirely safe for all horses (even minis) as the holes are too small to get caught in. When given a choice between freely-fed hay and the Slow Bale Buddy in field tests, most horses preferred to eat from the Slow Feeder.

Like the Big Bale Buddy, this feeder is durable and lightweight and will pay for itself many times over in saved hay.

Construction:

The Slow Bale Buddy is a Patented Small Mesh Hay Net (SMHN) made of 100% nylon woven netting. Nylon is the softest and strongest of the netting materials and will not cause wear or abrasion to the animals' teeth and muzzle like poly and poly blend nets. Nylon is extremely strong, abrasion-resistant, resistant to UV rays, and naturally white (not bleached). Because of nylon's natural stain resistance, the Slow Bale Buddy will wash up bright and clean at the end of the hay feeding season. Our Slow Feeders are designed to be soft on your animal's muzzle while strong enough to survive constant assault by teeth and hooves. The bottom center and the top opening are marked for visual ease when putting the Slow Bale Buddy on the hay. All seams and openings are double serged, and then nylon tape is double sewn over all seams to ensure that the seams and bindings hold up for long life and durability. The safety fastener, which eliminates the unsafe straps and drawstrings of other designs, has rounded edges and is made from tough HPE plastic that will resist 5000 pounds of pressure.

How to Use:

When using your Slow Bale Buddy for the first time, it is a good idea to pull hay through the netting in a few spots around the bale to help your horses understand that the hay must be pulled through the net to be eaten. They will learn quickly and be pros by the time the first bale is gone. The horse owner will be very pleased because all the hay purchased or harvested will be consumed, saving money, effort, and time. The horses are happy because they have a constant source of hay they can nibble and graze on in the way nature intended. Their minds are occupied, and their stomachs are soothed by the continuous slow supply of food that their digestive system needs to function optimally.

Warranty Info: 

Nets are replaced under warranty if 16 or more strands of netting break within the first year. Occasionally, small holes may appear. As small holes are easily repaired and do not affect the function of the feeder, this is not a warranty issue. To repair small holes, place both sides of the opening together and tie a double knot with strong twine at each junction of the netting until the hole is closed.

Why Choose Bale Buddy?

Unlike cheaper small mesh net feeders that are made out of poly or a poly blend that can cause wear on the teeth and muzzle (and tear easily), the patented Slow Bale Buddy slow feeders for hay are made out of 100% knotless nylon netting. Nylon is the strongest and softest of the netting materials and will ensure you get many years out of your feeder while not compromising your animal's health and well-being.

Our unique safety fastener assures that your feeder remains securely closed while eliminating the unsafe drawstring closures of our imitators.

The netting has 1 1/2 inch openings, The best opening size for ensuring your animals get enough to eat while not overeating or wasting hay. All seams are double-serged and reinforced with a double-stitched nylon binding. The net fastens with a special patented safety fastener that eliminates the dangerous drawstring closures of other small mesh slow feeders. Once fastened, it completely encloses the bale so the animals can pull the hay through the holes in the netting to eat. 

Sizes:

• Mini: The Mini Slow Bale Buddy is a small mesh hay feeder and will hold one small square bale. The knotless netting is made from 100% soft woven nylon with 1 and 1/2-inch openings. Nylon is incredibly strong and abrasion-resistant and has natural protection from UV rays. The knotless nylon netting is soft on the horse's lips while still strong enough to hold up under the continuous onslaught of their teeth. The safety fastener has smooth, rounded edges and is strong enough to withstand being walked on. Each box contains one Mini net bag and one safety fastener.
• Small: The Small Slow Bale Buddy will hold a round hay bale up to 4 feet 5 inches in diameter and 4 feet high. The best quality net slow feeder on the market, it comes with a patented safety fastener, is made of 100% knotless nylon with double-bound seams, and has 1 and 1/2-inch openings; it has a warranty. If used with shod horses, the Slow feeder must be used behind a solid barrier so the shoe does not get caught in the netting. This slow feeder for hay is safe for use with all hornless livestock.
• Medium: The Medium Slow Bale Buddy will hold a round bale up to 5 feet 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet high or a 5x5 round bale. The best quality net slow feeder on the market, it comes with a patented safety fastener and is made of 100% knotless nylon with double-bound seams and 1 and 1/2-inch openings. One-year warranty. If used with shod horses, the Slow feeder must be used behind a solid barrier so the shoe does not get caught in the netting. This slow feeder for hay is safe for use with all hornless livestock
• Large: The Large Slow Bale Buddy is a small mesh hay feeder designed to fit round bales up to 6 feet in diameter and 5 feet high. This size will also hold an entire large square bale up to 3X4X8 feet. The knotless netting is made from 100% soft woven nylon with 1 and 1/2-inch openings. Nylon is incredibly strong and abrasion resistant as well as having natural protection from UV rays. The nylon is soft on the horses' lips while being strong enough to hold up under the continuous onslaught of their teeth. The safety fastener has smooth rounded edges and is strong enough to withstand being walked on. Each box contains one large net bag and one safety fastener.
• The Double Mini (Weekender): The Double Mini (Weekender) will hold two small square bales or 1 three string square bale (Texas square). All seams are double reinforced, and the netting is 100% knotless nylon with 1 and 1/2-inch openings. Comes with our patented safety fastener that eliminates unsafe drawstring closures.
• Large Square: The Large Square Slow Bale Buddy will hold large square bales up to 4x4x8 in size. The netting is 100% nylon knotless netting with 1 and 1 1/2 inch openings. Nylon does not cause wear on the teeth like poly and poly blend nets and is the strongest and softest of netting materials. All seams are double-bound for strength and durability. Comes with our patented safety closure that eliminates the need for unsafe drawstrings.

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