My previous two trailers have had built in mangers, so I got spoiled.

When I downsized my trailer last August it does nopt have the built in mangers. So I called up and ordered 4 feed bags to put in the trailer. Well it ony took 3-4 trips for the horses to tear the bags off the grommets that attach them to the walls.  I need to repair the bags, The only thing wrong is the corner grommet is tore out.  I suspect that my horses get in after a ride and their heads are sweaty and they rub on the bags. A trailer I had back in the late 90's had feed bags and they lasted 5 years.  So I'm going to blame the manufacture for not building a strong enough bag.

So I'm wondering what to do to fix the existing bags. I am thinking of taking them by a Canvas shop and having them reinforce the corners and install a new grommet.  Any other ideas.

Truckers, awning owners (businesses and homeowners), sailors etc, all have failures of tarps or the sails' corners being ripped out. Some well equipped upholstery shops complete these repairs, as well as sail makers. A good tack shop that completes saddlery repairs, can also effect reinforcements to withstand the stresses. The only questions is will the cost of the repairs exceed the value of the bag?

On the typical thin nylon fabric, an average zig zag sewing machine and some extra material, in the hands of a knowledgeable seamstress, could probably fix your problems. It's fairly easy to reinforce the material around a grommet, or add thickness, backing up a sewn tab.

Gard

http://www.horsetraileraccessorystore.com/trailer_acc.htm#Feed_Bag

To all I appreciate your thoughts and comments.

Terri the solution may be to do without like you do. And definitely if I have to replace or repair them very often the horses can go hungry. But I had them for 5 years in another trailer with out a problem. I've never seen the horses put a leg up. It's usually just been itching the side of the head. Usually after I take the head stall off and they try to rub off the halter. Maybe I need to conduct some behavior modification on the horses.

Retento.  Those are basically the same bags I have other than their size.  I can't afford to replace them every 3-4 trips even at $25.00 a bag. It's hard to tell just how tough a bag is built by looking at the pictures. But I suspect those are pretty lite weight. I would prefer the bags I have, because they are built for the trailer and have the exact diminsions. There is very little space around the edge for feed to fall thru, ( less temptation for the horse to try and get it's head down to the floor to pick up spilt feed and getting it caught under a bag), and I'd hope the tighter fitting bags would help keep the horse parts IN THE BAG vs traping them between straps.

Gard,  We have no sail shops in Utah. But we do have saddle makers and canvas goods manufactures.  And I suspect even a shoe repair shop has a sewing machine than is tough enough to handle these kind of fabrics.  And yes you are absolutely right about the cost. But it might be cheaper to repair this properly one time than to keep buying replacements that don't hold up.

The existing bags a heavy weight cordura and have a 2"  nylon webbing around the top edge. the grommets just pull through.  So I was thinking of having them sew in some Iron Cloth or a piece of leather ( like the corners on panniers).  Either of which are much tougher than my wifes sewing machine will handle.

http://www.nrsworld.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=TLHB2004!CLASS

THis is what I use.  It has 2 straps. I feed the straps through the safety bars on the windows.  It has a top flap to keep them from pulling hay out of the top. Holds 3 BIG flakes of hay.  Plus, I can take it out and hang it on  the outside of the trailer.

They do get in the way when trying to open the dividers all the way, but not impossible either.

Oh, I have black ones. But they come in Bandana, paisley, flowers, colors, camo, and polka dots! woo hoo!!  http://www.nrsworld.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=TLHB2008!CLASS

Thats kinda of what I'm thinking. A leather patch where the grommets are.

I don't hang out at fair grounds.  A lot of my rides, when I show up there may not be much graze,  And I'm not  about to pack hay bales with me 10 miles into the wilderness..

So I like my horses stuffed when they arrive, So we can tack up and head out.  They may not get feed for 5-6 hours after they get out of the trailer. And then only to grab a snatch of grass while I eat lunch.  Often times during hunting season, I feed them good the night prior, but I get up at 3 or4 am and load the horses drive to the trailhead and head up the trail so I'm on the mountain when the sun comes up. The horses often get tied to a tree or highline for several hours while we hunt. We may not get back to the trailer until after dark. And then I'm driving home.  It would be unreasonable to make my horses go 24 hours with out feed if I coudn't feed them in the trailer.

Too often they have to eat in the trailer on the way to or on the way home from a trail ride.

They could find some feed on hillside like this, but I don't have the time to let them forage for it.

And other places in the desert just don't have much graze at all.

don't know if this would work for you, but we use feed bags that hang on the heads of the horses....usually not in the trailer....but don't know why that  would not work

I've always viewed nose bags as something to put a little grain in.  I guess you could put hay cubes or pellets in them. But could you get enough feed in them to fill the horse up?

Thanks for all your thoughts and Ideas.  I think my best course of action is either buy a heavier duty bag or get some leather patches swen on the area of stress.

Any automotive interior repair shop can handle the repair and probably not break the bank in the process.  Most automotive interior shops do convertable tops and seat repairs.  Ive taken a lot of odd-ball stuff to our local auto interior shop and they have always done a really good job and at a very resonable price.  Like my daughter's backpack that they didn't even charge me for the repair!!! If I were you, I'd take the feed bags to an auto interior shop and just show them the problem.  They are the experts and usually come up with something quite different than what I thought I wanted before I walked in............and it's better!

deranger