What to consider when buying horse feeders
When you first set out to buy a horse feeder, it may seem like a simple, quick task. You will quickly realize that the market is full of many different types of horse feeders, each with different designs or materials. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of horse feeders available and what to consider when buying them.
Your horses and environment
The first area to consider when buying horse feeders is your environment and individual horses. Ask yourself several questions to narrow down the type of horse feeders that would best suit you.
● Do your horses live or spend most of their time outside?
● Are they stabled?
● Do you need to feed grain to several horses within the same paddock?
● Do you have a horse that requires a restricted diet?
● Do you have a messy horse that causes food wastage?
● What safety requirement do you want in a feeder?
● Do you have a horse that tends to destroy things?
● What purpose do you need the feeder to provide? Water? Grain? Hay?
Types of horse feeders
Horse feeders come in many shapes and sizes with different purposes. There are feeders for hay, grain, and water delivery.
Hay feeders come in a variety of types. Haynets and hay racks for use in a stable. These are a good choice for messy horses that drag hay through their bedding, creating waste. They are also a good solution for horses that require a restricted diet, so you can still offer 24-hour access to food.
Haynets, in particular, can help slow down how quickly your horses eat. If you need to slow down eating, look for haynets with small holes. Small holes make your horse work harder to get the hay. They also prevent the horse from dragging hay around its stall. Haynets can be finicky to fill. If you want an easier option, look at hay bags. Like haynets, hay bags hang in the stable. Unlike haynets, they have a wide opening in the top that makes them easy to open and fill.
Hayracks and hay bars are fixed to the wall of the stable. These types of feeders help prevent hay from being dragged around the stable, minimizing waste. If safety is one of your top priorities, a hay bar is safer as it doesn’t contain bars that a leg could get stuck in.
When providing hay outside, it is common to place large round bales in the field. There are several feeders to consider. Traditional round bale feeders are made from steel. The bottom section is solid, while the upper parts of the sides consist of bars, and the top is open. These feeders help keep the hay in one place but aren’t the safest or best at minimizing waste.
Nets made for large outdoor feeders are a great way to slow down eating and prevent horses from pulling too much hay out. They come in different sizes. Some cover the top of a traditional feeder, while others will cover an entire round bale. If cost is important, a simple net that covers the bale is the most economical choice.
None of the options covered so far protect the hay from the weather. To protect your hay from wet weather a heavy-duty plastic hut is the best option. These huts cover the bale and have openings on the side. They are very strong and heavy, making them hard to damage or move.
If you want to provide hay outside, but don’t need to put an entire round bale out, consider a slow feeder. These feeders come in a box or trash can shape. They have slots where your horse can access the hay. These feeders are easy to fill and move.
What to consider when choosing a hay feeder
Safety should be your priority when choosing a hay feeder. Haynets are excellent for reducing waste and slowing eating, but they pose a risk. A horse could get caught or tangling in one, injuring itself. When choosing a large bale feeder or hay bar, look for something that has round, smooth edges and gaps that are big or small enough to prevent legs from getting stuck. Another quality to consider is how easy the feeder is to clean. It is essential to clean your feeder to prevent mold. Finally, large bale feeders should be sturdy, so they hold up to rough horses and are difficult for them to move.
When considering what hay feeders to buy, remember that horses are grazing animals. Eating from ground level is the most natural way for a horse to eat. It reduces irritants entering the airways, encourages more thorough chewing, and lowers the risk of colic and choke. Taking this on board means that feeders that enable natural grazing are the preferred options.
Grain feeders
Grain can be fed in buckets or troughs. Many stables will have a small feed trough fixed to the wall. These are usually made from heavy-duty plastic and are very durable. When buying this type of horse feeder, look for one with a plug hole in the bottom so you can clean it properly. Another type of heavy-duty plastic feed trough has hooks on one side. If you feed your horse outside, these are a good option as they easily hook onto a fence. They are also portable and easy to clean.
Another option to consider is a bucket. Buckets have pros and cons to consider. If you want to feed your horse in its stable but want to allow the horse to eat close to the floor, buckets are a good option. It is also easy to feed a horse outside using a bucket.
However, buckets are not as durable as other options. Plastic buckets, in particular, are easy for a horse to break. Rubber buckets are more robust and will last longer. Thin flexible buckets are easy to handle but can be quickly damaged by a horse. The most durable type of bucket is made from heavy rubber. These are usually black. Keep in mind your individual horse when choosing a bucket. Some horses can be rough and even break a heavy rubber bucket over time. When using any bucket, it is best to remove the bucket from the horse after he’s eaten to prolong the life of it. Finally, some horses tend to flip buckets over, spilling their feed on the ground. This can mean your horse isn’t getting its entire feed ration and leads to waste.
Conclusion
Whatever type of horse feeder you decide to buy, consider your budget, each individual horse’s behavior, and the type of area you will be using it. This will help you narrow down options and make the process less overwhelming.