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I need to vent, cry and then need ideas, round bale feeding

11K views 61 replies 32 participants last post by  vthorse 
#1 ·
I hope that you guys will get this, because the cattle farmers I live with just don't

Look at this



See the bald bit? Well yes it is BALD, Ben has that much of his mane rubbed out,
Aghhhh

My lovely DH, is cattle man through and through, and really struggles to see why horses are different. So I have been using our old cattle ring feeders for the horses. For most of them it doesn't cause much if an issue, but as you can see this year Ben has done a great job.

This is the sort of feeder we have



Now said cattle farmer says that he hates and detests tombstone style feeders because cows jump in them and get stuck. Has anyone ever had a horse get stuck in any sort if hay feeder?

He thought he was scaring me by saying that we would get rid of the big baler and put up nothing but smalls next year, and couldn't understand why I was so happy at the thought.

SO:

How do I grow that mane back in before show season, yeah right that isn't going to happen.

How do a braid a mane that has 2 halves :twisted:

If the round baler stays, what is a better way of feeding?

Thanks for reading.
 
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#2 ·
I'd put a sleazy or a rug with a neck piece to stop the rest of his mane rubbing out. I'm afraid to say that it's a waiting game with the mane growing back in.

I have a friend who uses great big tires for her round bales, just plunks them in there and the horses don't have to put their head through anything to feed.

Or you could do it the hard way and start raking and forking hay off the round bale and feed it to them like that and not use the feeder at all.

As for braiding, I'd let the mane grow in as much as possible before you have to braid it, then I'd pull it all the same length then braid, that way they will look even.

Sorry that's all I've got!
 
#6 ·
As for braiding, I'd let the mane grow in as much as possible before you have to braid it, then I'd pull it all the same length then braid, that way they will look even.

Sorry that's all I've got!
*Stamps foot*




Have to pull his mane, I want long flowing locks, and a french braid *pouts*
 
#3 ·
I have a friend who had a horse get stuck in a "tombstone" edged feeder. The hay was in easy reach, so guessing why he got himself into that predicament is only conjecture. The horse did so much damage he had to be put down.

There are risks with everything, though.

I guess since you show, perhaps some extensions may be needed?

I fork off what the horses need like Muppetgirl suggested.
 
#4 ·
We have one section of a round bale feeder. The hay is pulled off the bale and placed by the feeder. The hay is deep in this building and the feeder is level with the fence line. This way the horses have shelter and also hay. The feeder is opened at the top. We have currently 9 horses, 8 of which have never even thought of going over it. The 9th is special and walks over the feeder. He then goes over another feeder into the other pastures, where the horses hate him and chase him around. He is either brilliant or an idiot. One of the good eight has also woven stall mats into the barriers of the feeder. Horses are horses, if you put it out there they will find a way to injure themselves with it.
 
#5 ·
I have a preferit(sp?) round bale feeder that it simply a round base with no rungs or bars over the top. I would not say its tough enough for cattle, though. They also have the round bale feeders with "loops" for long horn cattle and horses (so that horns don't get stuck and manes don't get rubbed)
 
#15 ·
Get rid of the feeder and get a slowfeeder roundbale net......works. WAY less waste, no rubbed off manes.
Slow Feeding Horses on Paddock Paradise Tracks - Paddock Paradise Wiki
click in "roundbale nets" on the menu on the left;-)
For some reason nets scare me, I'm sure they are safe, and it wouldn't hurt to slow down the amount this lot eat.

I had a friend that built a box that had a door that opened so they could roll the feeder in and then shut it, it had a top on it and looked like a giant wishing well... It was really kind of cute...
I've seen pics of one like that I wonder if we could build one.

...

or... *gasp* You could... Roach it


Wait! Let me run out of the room before you read that last sentence!


English ponies shouldn't have long manes anyway!
Says who??

♫♬♫He's my pony and he can have a long mane If I want to♫♬♫

That same thing happened to me. I did cry. Then I bought two of these:

Powder River Horse Round Bale Feeder | LivestockShed.com

The ones at my feed store were not nearly that expensive, so shop around.
I like those but WOOWZERZ on the price
 
#10 ·
I had a friend that ended up losing a horse to a broken neck because of one of those feeders... Me no likey.

I keep my round bales in the barn and peel them for twice a day feedings so they last longer so I won't be much help. I had a friend that built a box that had a door that opened so they could roll the feeder in and then shut it, it had a top on it and looked like a giant wishing well... It was really kind of cute...
 
#16 ·
huh? Which English ponies shouldn't?



Goldenhorse - You've got time, start MTG right away and keep a sleezy on him!
 
#14 ·
Oh GH. I know. My girls did that at the old barn. They were fed by a cattle trough, and they rubbed the same bit out of their mane. I just roached Ricci, but I was very distraught about Gracie's. I roached it as well, but she didn't look as good. She went to her new home with a floppy mohawk but at least it was all even. =]
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#17 ·
If you have barefoot horses there's nothing to worry about, the holes are too small ti get a hoof stuck.
If shod, you can build a box, sort of, set the netted bale inside, so they can't get hung in the net.
I'm so convinced of the slowfeeders, it saves me almost 40% hay, and I have happy happy horses:)
 
#19 ·
No shoes here, so we should be OK, I guess if I just sell one of the damn cow rings I can buy a net.

Do I need a stretch sleezy or neck cover to protect him for best? LOL, it will have to match his springtime waterproof turnout...if it ever gets here that is!

 
#21 · (Edited)
Oh gee....no wonder he lost his mane, he didn't rub it off, he pulled his hair out at the thought of the snazzy pink blanket!! :lol: a lined neck cover (smooth nylon liner) would work just as we'll as a sleezy....I saw a sleezy without the face cover a while back, wish I'd bought it!!!!
 
#20 ·
So um, I hate to ask but has anyone ever tried to um....give their horse extensions? Like...people hair extensions?

I had my husband learn to do the micro ring extensions on my hair once or twice. It's really not that hard! Pull the hair through a big loop that comes with it, put the little metal band with the hair attached, then tighten the band with a set of pliers. I mean technically you could use glue in hair...but I think that a product made specifically for people TO LOOK NATURAL...could be a possibility? I mean if you're good with the **** you can buy your own rings and loop tool and use HIS hair.

Using HIS hair if you have any lying around would really look just fine enough to braid, if you're careful to blend it all in...just a thought anyways.
 
#25 ·
Its a section that looks similar to this. The sections are a bit narrower but not crazy narrow. The bales are a few feet from the section of feeder we just peel off sections and place them in the feeder area. We have done it for about 10 years and never had a problem until the current chowder head who can't be pastured with those. :lol:
 

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#27 ·
Those metal roundbale feeders are dangerous for horses! Several friends of mine had their horses jump in and injured themselves seriously getting out, one very expensive reining horse had to be put down. If I am going on holidays, I will put a round bale out, just so my son doesn't have to feed twice a day, however if I am here, I store the rounds in the hay shed and pitch fork it off. Lasts twice as long and my horses aren't two ton Tonys! Ben is your dressage horse, correct? He should have a short pulled mane anyways, guess he made that decision for you!
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#33 ·
All of my friend's horses have manes that are rubbed out because of cow feeders much like that one. I am training her youngest gelding and I just hacked his whole mane off a few months ago and it has just started getting long enough to flop over. Said gelding is by my place now, so no worries with mane rubbing until he gets back home. But if you want a permanent solution, the cow feeder isn't going to be a part of it. My smallest mare, who is 14.1ish and very narrow, usually steps one leg into the feeder if the hay is almost gone and there is a little in the middle. I could see if a horse really wanted to, they could easily get stuck, but so far I haven't had an issue.

Now I know I will walk out there tomorrow and find my friend's big dork of a gelding stuck in the middle of the feeder. I would knock on wood, but I think most of it around me is synthetic material!
 
#41 ·
I hope that you guys will get this, because the cattle farmers I live with just don't

Look at this



See the bald bit? Well yes it is BALD, Ben has that much of his mane rubbed out,
Aghhhh

My lovely DH, is cattle man through and through, and really struggles to see why horses are different. So I have been using our old cattle ring feeders for the horses. For most of them it doesn't cause much if an issue, but as you can see this year Ben has done a great job.

This is the sort of feeder we have



Now said cattle farmer says that he hates and detests tombstone style feeders because cows jump in them and get stuck. Has anyone ever had a horse get stuck in any sort if hay feeder?

He thought he was scaring me by saying that we would get rid of the big baler and put up nothing but smalls next year, and couldn't understand why I was so happy at the thought.

SO:

How do I grow that mane back in before show season, yeah right that isn't going to happen.

How do a braid a mane that has 2 halves :twisted:

If the round baler stays, what is a better way of feeding?

Thanks for reading.
Yes we have a tombstone large round bale feeder.....yes two years ago we had a 3yr. old gelding get in it.....tried to jump back out and degloved his hind leg! We still use the feeder but my hubby put another 12" of legs on it so it stands higher and there is no way the horses can climb in it now......I would rather a rubbed mane over a degloved leg......
 
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