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  Discussion on Hay dispensing machine.
Author Message
Member:
campr2

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 - 12:10 pm:

Hi all, I have a horse that is a very easy keeper so I can't free feed him but feed twice a day. The problem is he eats his hay in about 2 hours then is all day without. Im looking into getting a machine called The Grazer to help slow down his eating. Its supposed to simulate grazing as you put the hay in it and it is spring loaded then as the horse eats off the top the spring keeps the hay pushed up. It will hold two flakes at a time. Anyone had any experience or know if these work? They aren't cheap selling for about $350.00. Thanks for any input, Thanks loads..Donna
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 - 4:02 pm:

Hi Donna, I have come up with 2 options for my fattys....either a hay net or if you can find some course stemmy hay helps alot. I feed mine the coarse stuff along with one flake of good grass hay.

They don't like it very well so it slows them down quite a bit and gives them something to munch. They eat it eventually and they hold their weight with it just fine....but don't gain.

Hay nets are another option, just won't work for mine because there are 3 of them together.

I have seen the grazer advertised...but no experience with it.
Member:
campr2

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 - 4:13 pm:

Diane,
Thats a good idea with the net. I have a hanging feed bag to that would slow him down. I used to feed Oat/wheat barely hay but had a friend that was feeding it and her horse impacted and had to have surgery. That was all she fed though, I also feed Timothy and orchard and have just added a bit of alfalfa. Maybe adding a bit of the o/w/b back would be okay..Thanks for the help, Donna
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 - 5:07 pm:

The Stable Grazer gets rave reviews as the best one made for many reasons, in the book THE PERFECT HORSEKEEPER by Karen E.N. Hayes, DVM, MS.
Member:
campr2

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 - 7:03 pm:

Thanks Vicki, Ill locate that review. The folks that sell the Grazer are at our Equine Affair in Jan and they always offer a good discount. Might be something to pick up if it helps my boy manage better. Wish I could feed him all day as much as he could eat though. Im just afraid he would blow up..he loves to eat. Do horses adjust if they have as much as they can eat and slow down? Hmmm.. Thanks again..Donna
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 - 10:16 am:

Hello Mason
As to, "do horses adjust depending on quantity available?", the answer is yes at least down to 6 hours. A horse can consume a whole days forage in as little as 6 hours as opposed to the more desired 16 hours when offered free choice. The problem is that for some very easy keepers a wholes days forage (or free access down to 6 hours) is too much time with our modern rich feeds. Even your stemmy cultivated hays represent much better than average naturally occurring forages. I think your concerns about impaction are misplaced, while stemmy hays may predispose it is not as big a health risk as obesity represents. Better to manage the known health problem vs the conjectured problems. We have had many good discussions about ways of reducing hay consumption including mechanical feeders. I had just completed a rewrite of the article on obesity and included the best of these discussions I can find. Hope it helps.
DrO
Member:
campr2

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 - 1:12 pm:

Dr.O, The article is GREAT! And sooo much information. If I cant get my horse into shape with that sort of knowledge at my fingertips, then I need to just give up.
Thanks so much for sharing your expertise..Donna
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