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Its like foraging for horses...

Birdlover

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I have been researching slow feeders for our horses, so they have access to hay all day without getting obese. I came across the porta-grazer and it seemed like the best solution out there. They eat with their head down, no risk of entanglement (like hay nets), and its easy to use! I also like the fact it simulates grazing more while feeding hay. They have to use the front teeth to bite/rip, followed by chewing unlike just hoovering mouthfuls like they were before. I bought 7 of them yesterday and have been introducing them to it gradual (its not the only food source but its kept full). Indy is the most proficient at it by far (no surprise as he is a ridiculously smart horse). So far we are very happy with it! This morning's feed has lasted 5 hours already and should get them all the way till their lunch feeding.

Indy showing his skillz :cool:
[video=youtube_share;VMlX4OQeRiM]http://youtu.be/VMlX4OQeRiM[/video]


Porta-Grazer

 
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Birdlover

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anything that involves food is readily accepted by a horse, that is for sure :lol: My older guy, Duncan, was totally suspicious of the new green monster in his stall but boy drop some hay in there and his fears are history. LOL.
 

GG.

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I would love to find this in a version for pot bellied pigs - Sassie is a vacuum cleaner on hooves :eek: I have gotten very creative in feeding the others to keep her from eating all of their food too.

she would love this - she could beat it up and push it around the pen when she is in a "mood" :p
"
 

merlinsmom13

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Funny, I was just thinking that keeping birds entertained was similar to keeping stall/paddock kept horse entertained. A neat idea, keep us posted on how it turns out. :)
 

Bokkapooh

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Wow, I really love that!

I don't have a horse but I'd like to know where you got that? Do alittle read on it? I love foraging toys:)
 

GG.

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Wow, I really love that!

I don't have a horse but I'd like to know where you got that? Do alittle read on it? I love foraging toys:)
click on the link in between the two videos - takes you right to it :)
 

Birdlover

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I would love to find this in a version for pot bellied pigs - Sassie is a vacuum cleaner on hooves :eek: I have gotten very creative in feeding the others to keep her from eating all of their food too.

she would love this - she could beat it up and push it around the pen when she is in a "mood" :p
"
I would love to see that!! :D

Indy looks like a really nice horse :)
He is the best :) He is like a person in a horse body. And loyal like a Golden Retriever!

That is a really cool idea to use with hay. I love that horse with the hairy feet. :heart:
You may like this one... she lives here and is so freaking gorgeous. Not mine but totally love this horse (her name is Nellie Belle)
Nellie.jpg

Wow, I really love that!

I don't have a horse but I'd like to know where you got that? Do alittle read on it? I love foraging toys:)
I got it from porta-grazer. Here's the website:
Porta-Grazer - Slow Feeder, Slow Hay Feeder, Horse Hay Feeder, Restrictive Feeder, Natural Hay Feeder

Lucky for me I was able to pick it up fairly local as they are now manufactred in Long Beach so I saved a ton on shipping :)
 

Birdlover

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Funny, I was just thinking that keeping birds entertained was similar to keeping stall/paddock kept horse entertained. A neat idea, keep us posted on how it turns out. :)
Its almost worse with a horse because there are so few "toys" and the ones they do offer tend to be things they lick and loaded with sugar, which is of course not good (especially for a horse with metabolic concerns). Will update on how they turn out :) It is a chore to keep them occupied As a grazing animal, the slow feeder is a reasonable option for a horse that cant be on pasture (which, in So CA there is practically none). Its also much better for their digestive system to eat all day as thats what they are meant to do.
 

Birdlover

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She is a clydesdale cross. Her color is so awesome. She looks like a "silver bay" which is a bay horse with a silver dapple gene (which dilutes black, making the white mane & tail and lightened points bay horses typically have). I dont know if that is truly what her color is (it would be if she were a Rocky Mountain horse and looked like that), but I dont know anything about her parentage so its just a guess. Regardless she is one amazing girl!! Super sweet too. :heart:
 

blackivory

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Can you please share photos of your horses?????
 

Birdlover

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Oh gee, twist my arm :)

Indiana (Rocky Mountain gelding)

He's my first gaited horse and my best bud

indy-005.jpg

Spencer (Rocky Mountain gelding)

Indy's full brother, supposed to be DH's horse but I stole him too ;)

spencer-003.jpg

Penny (Rocky Mountain mare)

My first mare ever. She's unbelievable to ride and a really sweet horse!!

pennycert.jpg

Duncan (Paint Horse gelding, and yeah he has no spots, lol)

He's semi-retired now, has a big cyst in his stifle so can only do light trail but he's doing really good.

Duncan-001.jpg

Conan (Swedish Warmblood gelding)

He was mine but now he basically belongs to the ranch (so, still mine sorta) and he is a shooling horse. He absolutely loves his job and we get along much better now too, lol

conan-002.jpg

Saccente (Thoroughbred gelding)

He was bought for the ranch but figured I'd show him off too. He's such a easy going dude. We bought him as a 5 year old. He was raced (and won) but you'd never know it. He is totally Mr. Poke and an awesome horse for beginners.

saccente.jpg
 

blackivory

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Just beautiful.

There is a breeding of Rocky Mountain Horses in Australia and it is my dream to buy a gelding and have him transported across.
 

SallyQZ

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That is very interesting! My gelding is an easy keeper, air fern type of guy. It would be great to make him work a bit longer for his meal. How easy is it to lift that top tray from the feeder? Panama is extremely agile with his teeth - unscrews sprinkler heads, open gates, can even unbuckle his rein from his bit if I don't catch him innocently chewing his reins while I talk. I'm afraid he'd figure it out immediately. :rolleyes:
 

Yoshi

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Gorgeous horses! I would love to get something like that for my crew, but I suspect my husband's draft cross would be forever suspicious of it.
 

Birdlover

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That is very interesting! My gelding is an easy keeper, air fern type of guy. It would be great to make him work a bit longer for his meal. How easy is it to lift that top tray from the feeder? Panama is extremely agile with his teeth - unscrews sprinkler heads, open gates, can even unbuckle his rein from his bit if I don't catch him innocently chewing his reins while I talk. I'm afraid he'd figure it out immediately. :rolleyes:
It fits in there fairly snug. You have to have it very level when pulling it up and out. Its easy to do for us but not for a horse since if they pull on it its not squared up. As long as the insert is 3" or so down from the top when its full they cant get it out :)

Gorgeous horses! I would love to get something like that for my crew, but I suspect my husband's draft cross would be forever suspicious of it.
Some can certainly be suspicious! Fortunately for most food is a powerful motivator :rofl: I was concerned about one of mine at first but he took to it pretty quickly and is now one of the ones that has it down how to use it. He was blowing and snorting at it when first introduced and I wondered if he'd even eat from it the first day. They do suggest having it as a secondary food source when introducing it not only for this reason but also because some are so used to wolfing thier feed down they get too impatient. There is a noticeable change in behavior already; they seem much more relaxed about eating from it and seem to be a lot less anxious as new food is coming :)

Of 7 horses that have one, 4 have it mastered (though it still takes 4-5 hours to eat their feeding which used to be gone in 30-60 minutes). 3 are still on a bit of a learning curve but doing pretty well. About to go feed and see if they've all cleaned up since the last bit I put in.
 
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