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Re: RC: help! feed everywhere



Katherine, from your post I can't tell what your feeding environmnet
actually is.  Wall hay rack in a run-in shed? Hay rack in a stall?
Outside hay rack?

I feed a choice of 3 kinds of hay and I do my best to maximize the loss.
My two horses have free access to their stalls and pasture 24/7.

Outside, I use a freestanding hay rack about 5 feet long that has a
v-shaped hay rack top and a tub-like plastic trough underneath it.  I
keep it full of bermuda hay, which is fairly fine. When they pull hay
from the rack above, the loose stuff drops into the trough below, where
they get a second chance to eat it. This also salvages the seed pods and
fine stuff which they like. I toss out any sand, dirt, old hay, etc., in
the trough every day when I fill the hay rack above. It has holes in the
bottom so water drains out. I can also move this thing around the
pasture so they don't make a mud hole in that one spot and they are more
likely to eat what falls on the ground when it's on grass.. I have
experienced very little waste with this feeder.

In the stalls, I feed timothy in a regular stall corner hay feeder. My
stalls have rubber mats over concrete under the shavings.  I just sweep
the shavings away from that corner so it's bare rubber.  They can eat
what falls on the mat without it being mixed with the shavings. I can
also just pick it up and toss it back in the rack.

In another corner I have metal hayrack/feeder with a feed trough in the
bottom. I feed alfafa in the top and sometimes timothy/alfafa "fodder"
in the bottom.  tThe majority of the small alfafa leaves and tasty ends
fall into the bottom, mix with the fodder and they clean it up....just
no waste.  Again, I clean out the bottom of the feeder daily.

There is really no way to prevent them from tossing it around.  That's
just what horses do.  You just have to provide an environment that
maximizes the loss. If you are not feeding in a stall, you might want to
consider one of the outside feeders in your situation.  They can eat
from both sides and for me, it paid for itself the first year.

Another tip.....if you do buy one, it comes with just a tube
base...about 1 1/4 inch pipe.  I ordered two "gate wheels" and bolted
them to one end, then put two pressure treated blocks the same height on
the other end.  It now rolls easily when I pick up  the end with the
blocks...don't have to drag it. You can even put a little hitch on it
and tow it around with your lawnmower from pasture to pasture.

Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic


Katherine Whitby wrote:
> 
> does anyone have problems with horses grabbing at the feed and tossing it
> out on the ground? it is driving me nuts!  they will push it around with
> their nose grab a bunch and throw it out and do it again until almost all
> the hay is on the ground. then of course half of that is smashed into the
> mud and all I see is dollar bills disentigrating  into the mud......yes it
> is winter and the boogers haven't been handled as much, and they only get
> fed twice a day, and a diet of oat hay in the morning and alfalfa at night.
>  any great suggestions?
> 
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-- 
Richard T. "Jim" Holland
Three Creeks Farm
175 Hells Hollow Drive
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
(706) 258-2830
FAX (706) 632-1271



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