How to Make Hay Feed for A Toy Horse

Two examples of horse feeding bags. Left is for slow feeding on the ground and the larger hanging 
version may be placed on any hook inside of the toy horse's stall.

Hanging feed bags shaped from plastic trellis net.

Hanging Feed Bag:

Supply List:

• plastic trellis netting (black or green)
• straw looking grass
• small plastic bag
• a single chenille stem or wire
• scrap cardboard
• acrylic paint to match the woven plastic
• masking tape

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the trellis netting any size you think your doll's horse would feed comfortably from. 
2. Roll it into a barrel shape and use narrow cuts of masking tape to hold several woven openings together. The photo on the right demonstrates what this looks like.
3. Bend a chenille stem together and weave this around the top of the netting to shape a large handle that will fit over a hook inside of the horse stable. Wrap more masking tape around the wire to make it sturdy.
4. Wrap masking tape around the open edge underneath as well, to insure that the opening at the bottom can be glued shut with a round cardboard bottom cut from scrap cardboard.
5. Then paint all of the masking tape holding the trellis in this shape with acrylic black paint. If your trellis netting is green, match the green color instead. 
6. Not fill a clean, clear plastic bag with pretend hay and twist tie is firmly shut.
7. Stuff this plastic bag up into the 'feeding bag' and shut the opening at the bottom with a cardboard circular bottom. 
8. Use tape and white glue to hold it firmly in place. Let dry and paint the bottom using the same matching paint color as before.

Slow Feed Bag:

Supply List:

• thick rough grey or tan felt
• red woven garlic bag
• tan embroidery floss and embroidery needle
• faux natural colored grass

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut two squares approximately 4"x4" from rustic looking felt or fabric. Cut a 2 1/2" diameter hole from the center of one square.
2. Using a needle and matching thread tack on netting to the backside of the square with hole in the center.
3. With right sides together, sew around the outside edge of both squares approximately 1/4" from the outside edge.
4. Leave a 2" opening at one end and turn the bag back with right sides facing out. 
5. Stuff the bag with hay looking Easter grass of some sort. 
6. Close of the opening with a whip stitch.
7. See the fake grass poking through the plastic mesh. See photos above.

Cardboard Hay Bales:

Supply List:

• corrugated cardboard

  

  Use a brush to apply glue and then press
  the cardboard hay bales into the sawdust.

• white school glue
• masking tape
• sawdust

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut multiple rectangles all the same size from the corrugated cardboard.
2. Glue them all together into a thick stack.
3. Pull off the outside layers of paper to reveal the textured inside layer on both the top and bottom sides facing outward. 
4. You may need to wrap a single layer of masking tape around your cardboard hay bale while it is drying. 
5. Then remove the tape once the stack has dried.
6. Use a large brush to layer on white school glue on each side of the hay bales so that these may be pressed into sawdust to add texture.
7. Use twine to wrap 'pretend rope' around each bale.
8. Stack the crafted hay bales in a corner of your doll horses stall or up against a toy fence where their horse normally grazes.

Left see sizes of my cardboard hale bales in comparison to the 18 inch doll horse.
Center, the stacks of corrugated cardboard need to be glued together.
Right, the masking tape holds everything in place while drying.

More Links to Feeding A Horse:

• How to steal a quick snack!
• This horse loves carrots
• Miniature horse eats from slow feeding bag...
• Eat the hay slower.