Care and use instructions to help maintain your HayPlay Bag.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you hang the XL HayPlay Bag in a stall, we recommend occasionally rotating the direction in which the bag is hung so that your horse&apos;s favorite hole locations are used more uniformly.<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeping bags relatively full can help decrease stress on the bag from pawing, biting, etc. The bags tend to last a little longer if they are hung up off the ground or at least anchored to a fence/wall where they can be slumped somewhat upright to keep horses from standing directly on them. <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If ground feeding, place the HayPlay XL bag on a soft surface free of sharp rocks and gravel. If you are hanging it using the grommets, make sure to position the mounting points so that the material has some slack and billows out. This will help keep the horse from scraping their teeth across the material when the hay level gets low. See&#xA0;<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(140, 187, 60); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://gg-equine.gorgias.help/en-US/whats-the-best-way-to-tie-up-the-xl-bag-420616" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this article</a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&#xA0;for more information.<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clean your hay bag fairly regularly by rinsing with water or washing with a mild soap. Avoid using abrasive cleaners, as this can damage the outer coating.<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are confident that the bags will maintain their usability for a long time, If not, reach out to our support team with photos of the damage and a brief description of what happened, as you may qualify for a replacement.

How can I prolong the life of my HayPlay Bag?

Here are our top tips to keep your HayPlay Bag zipper in the best working order.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are our top tips to keep your HayPlay Bag zipper in the best working order: <ul><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keep the zipper clean by closing the velcro closures over it.</li><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brush dirt or mud off with an old hard brush or toothbrush before trying to zip or unzip.&#xA0;<ul style="font-family: initial;"><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A rinse with a hose or wipe with a wet rag can be helpful if the zipper gets very muddy.</li></ul></li><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can lubricate the zipper with graphite by running pencil lead over the clean zipper teeth, or a little WD-40 or other zipper lubricating products (these can be toxic so make sure you&apos;re just getting it on the zipper area and wiping up excess).&#xA0;</li><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try not to zip up hay when you&apos;re closing the zipper.</li><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remove hay from the slider before trying to move it, as this can cause warping of the slider.<ul style="font-family: initial;"><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try using tweezers, or a paperclip to work out any stuck material from the slider.</li></ul></li><li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&#xA0;Putting a loop of twine or other cord through the zipper slider can make zipping easier, especially in the winter when wearing gloves.&#xA0;</li><li style="font-family: Inter;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A zipper that breaks or fails within a year of purchase could be eligible for a warranty replacement.&#xA0;</li></ul><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having a problem? Please send a photo of the issue along with your order number to&#xA0;<a href="mailto:support@gg-equine.com" style="text-decoration:none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(140, 187, 60); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">support@gg-equine.com</a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&#xA0;and we can check it out for you.

How to clean and care for the zipper so it is easier to use.

Click here to read about our personal observations.

<span id="isPasted" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can&apos;t make any claims that the hay bags would prevent heaves. However, the nice thing about these bags is that when they&apos;re eating, their nostrils are blocked from the hay by the hay bag material, so they&apos;re not breathing in the dust while they&apos;re eating. It&apos;s also really easy to soak hay in the drawstring bags. We&#x2019;ve met &#xA0;a lot of horses with heaves that are doing better with this option. The bags also seem to reduce a lot of hay dust and additional particles flying around the stall when in use or moving them around. We can tell a big difference in dust levels between these and regular hay nets/loose hay.

HayPlay Bags & Heaves

Tips and tricks for filling any size bag.

<span id="isPasted" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the Drawstring bags, an easy option is to take a flake of hay and put it in &#x201C;upright&#x201D;- then push it all the way to the bottom, pushing it flat. This helps the bag hold itself open and not tip over as you fill the rest. For the XL bags, we have found the easiest way is to hold the bag open with one hand with your bale of hay on the ground and scoop the flakes into the bag. if you have someone to help you, it can be easier to have someone hold the bag open while the other adds the flakes in. Packing the hay in will generally slow your horse&#x2019;s intake while fluffing up the hay a little more will make it easier for them to eat through the hay. You can choose the option that is preferable for your horse and situation.

How do you fill the bag?

Read on for our advice regarding hanging heights and why we recommend varying the height.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There has been a little research done regarding the optimal hanging level, but not a ton. So far, most researchers seem to agree that ground feeding is best. However, if you opt to hang it up, then hanging it a bit higher than their withers (as opposed to wither height) reduces the amount of force the horse uses. The jury is still out about how this might affect them long term. For respiration/lung health, ground feeding is typically better as the airway is more open in that position.&#xA0; <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our bag is designed to prevent back and neck issues that have been seen in more traditional hay nets because the horse isn&#x2019;t grabbing the entire net with their teeth and pulling on the full weight of the hay bag. They are simply pulling hay out of each individual hole. Because the holes are at different heights, it encourages them to eat at different levels which can prevent overuse-type issues. That being said, the bags can be tied at any level, and varying the height regularly can further prevent issues that come from repetitive movements. Depending on the situation, most of our bags are safe for ground feeding as well. Horses are designed to graze at multiple levels, it is the variety that prevents injury not necessarily a specific height. <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you would like further information, please refer to the following publications:<ul style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-inline-start:48px;"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Effect of Hay Net Design on Rate of Forage Consumption When Feeding</li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adult Horses&#x2019; Posture and Pull Pressure by Horses When Eating Hay or Haylage from a Hay Net Hung at Various Positions</li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(29, 28, 29); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Effect of Pony Morphology and Hay Feeding Methods on Back and Neck Postures</li></ul>

Where is the optimal level to hang?

Read on for our tips on the best way to secure the XL HayPlay Bags.

<span id="isPasted" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(27, 28, 29); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many ways to use the XL bag including ground feeding or tying it all the way up on a wall or fence. For durability and safety, and to keep it from getting rained or pooped/stomped directly onto, the photo below shows one of our favorite ways to tie the bag up. The clip makes it easy to detach one corner for easy filling while the other side remains anchored to kind of help you hold it up. The baling twine is pretty strong but the zip ties would break a little more easily if a horse were to get hung up in it somehow. This is unlikely but if you know horses, you know... We&apos;ve been feeding this way with a herd of 14 and so far it&apos;s gone great both safety and durability-wise for the bags.<img src="https://attachments.gorgias.help/rkene/hc/g6w6/securing%20the%20xl%20bag-91346bba-1162-44ed-bf1c-c9a5551bde4b.png" style="width: 460px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Safely securing the XL Bag to a fence

What's the best way to tie up the XL Bag?

Tips and tricks to introduce the timid horse.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you feel your horse might be a little skeptical about the hay bag, we recommend putting it somewhere close enough to them where they will see it but not so close that it will make them very anxious. Once they are comfortable with that initial distance, gradually move it closer to where you plan to use it.&#xA0; <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Introducing your horse gradually is especially important if you plan to use it in a stall. Having something they&apos;re afraid of in such tight quarters can be overwhelming. You may want to leave it out in a pasture or larger area full of hay (possibly even some extra treats tucked inside) where they can explore it in their own time. Most of them quickly realize that it is food and nothing to fear! <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Inter; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most horses do just fine figuring out how to eat from the bag on their own. If you find they are having trouble, pull out tufts of hay through each hole to give them an idea of what to do. It&apos;s a little easier for them to get hay out of the bag if the flakes are fluffed and pulled apart before being loaded into the bag rather than packed in tight. Once they get the hang of it, most horses have no issue eating hay that is tightly packed. You can also stuff treats or other more tempting things in each hole for extra motivation.

Help! My horse is afraid of the bag.

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