Cob putting foot in hay feeder

[Leanne]

My OH made me a wooden hay feeder which is roughly 2ft square, . Ive been using this happily for at last 6 months for my 23 year old 14.2 cob.

A few days ago though my Dad saw him pawing at it. A few minutes later my cob had one of his legs in it. He was happily just standing there and didn't want to move it. He only moved it when my Dad tipped it towards him to get his hoof out. lol

He does have a habit of pawing at feed and hay if he's looking for the better parts of the food. We had started putting the hay he had left over the previous day on top, he wasn't happy with this. So I think was pawing to get at the fresher hay and telling us he wasn't happy.lol

So now I've started going back to putting the new hay on top, he's incredibly fussy with hay and will refuse to eat it if it drops on the floor, even though its very good quality meadow hay.

I am now concerned though as I'm worred he will put his leg in again and one time he may startle and bolt. His leg length is roughly 2ft 9, so the feeder is about 9 inches below his leg.

The hay feeder isn't light, its sturdy so won't break easily. But the bottom may under his weight, at the time it was full of hay.

There is no grid on the top, it is simply open topped as I was worried he may catch his foot. The only thing I can think of is making it higher so he couldn't put his leg in.

Maybe the same height as his legs 2ft 9 or maybe 3ft?

I was wondering if anyone else had come across this?

[ladyndibs]

My OH made a wooden feeder frame but we have a builders bag tied inside, we put mainly straw in it but similar to yours but ours is probably nearer 3' high on opposite sides and the other two sides are nearer 4'6" so that if two horses are using it Dibbles (my bully) has to actually step back and round to try and see off the other one so they get a bit of warning. You could either make the legs longer so he couldn't get his leg in it or make the sides higher.
Luckily you know your boy and now you have reverted to fresh on top it may never happen again but I'd be tempted to alter it just to be on the safe side.
Have you got a picture?

[specialized]

I would try to get it above leg height, it is always potentially dangerous if they can get a leg into something solid.