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General discussion around all things related to this site.
General Discussion
General discussion around all things related to this site.
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| Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post |
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| Pea Gravel | 82 | Apr 27 2012, 1:15 PM EDT by shooflypets |
| Need some track ideas and help! | 27 | Nov 28 2011, 9:03 AM EST by SpottedTApps |
| How to hang or attach SHHN? | 21 | May 3 2011, 9:07 PM EDT by Takelababy |
| Sattelite views of property | 2 | Apr 23 2009, 3:35 PM EDT by CyndiB |
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| dcsobob | Slow Feeder not really slow | 4 | Apr 15 2013, 7:40 AM EDT by lovemycurly | ||||
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Thread started: Jan 23 2013, 10:08 AM EST
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Lets start of by saying I'm not the horsey type person in the family. that would be my wife. I'm general labor, farm hand, and builder of horse stuff (as directed by wife). We have a new farm and 3 big boys and a pony. We did a lot of research on slow feeders and then I built two boxes and used some fencing grate and bunji cords to secure the grates. needless to say, the horses figured out how to defeat the cords and remove the grate. Poor design on my part. THen, we got into winter and I setup 4 seperate outdoor stall areas so that we could give them seperation in feeding, since NO one wants to have anyone eating out of their food. They would share at the boxes, but not in the stalls. We bought some heavy duty slow feeder bags with 1.75x1.75 openings and I can cram 10-12lbs of grass hay in them. The problem is that it does not seem to really slow them down. Some feedings thay will stay on the bags and will empty that bag in about 4 hours. Some feedings ( we feed twice a aday, about 12 hours apart). there will still be hay in a few of the bags. BUT, it was my understanding that these slow feeders we suppose to allow these horses to nibble all day, and that a bag of hay should last for alot longer than what I am seeing. They rip at these bags and pull out large chunks of hay and not sjust a ffew strands. I've tried fluffing out the flakes as well as just shoving compacted flakes in. Nothing seems to change. Am I missing something? Is this normal behavior on these bags? We have been using these bags for almost 3 months now. Good bags. Tough webbing, no twine or rope. Horses have nto been able to chew or damage them. Only downside is when they get wet and freeze, they are tough to work with.
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| PattyandJoe | Using Gridwall for the grate, what is the best? | 2 | Apr 9 2013, 8:36 AM EDT by PattyandJoe | ||||
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Thread started: Mar 7 2013, 8:27 AM EST
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been searching for the right gridwall or a grate. Was wondering about them being painted? Is this safe? Looking for stainless steel gridwall or grate. Any suggestions?
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| hobnob1 | Dead Ends | 2 | Apr 8 2013, 3:28 PM EDT by hobnob1 | ||||
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Thread started: Feb 17 2013, 2:33 PM EST
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Hi. Just wondering about this paddock paradise thing - how essential is it that the track is purely circuitous? Is it possible that part of it could branch off to a dead end that the horses would then have to backtrack out of? One really handy place to leave food for them would be at the end of a track that comes from a field round behind our house, where it terminates at a gate, but it means them going down a slight dead end & backtracking out again to the rest of the circuit. Is there any reason why this shouldn't work, or is somehow against the rules of paddock paradise? Thanks
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| FlorayG | Controlling the grass intake even on track system | 1 | Apr 8 2013, 1:08 PM EDT by SpottedTApps | ||||
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Thread started: Mar 24 2013, 3:50 PM EDT
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Hi I'm new here, set up my track system this weekend, turned my two horses out on it today. They are a bit confused I think..:-) by the sudden lack of infinite grass. I'm wondering though how to still limit their grass intake as one is recently laminitic. The field is 4 acres so still quite a bit of grass even on an 8ft wide track and it isn't my land so there is no way I can do anything to actually kill the grass - in fact, I'm a bit worried the owners won't even like the amount of damage the horses will do on the track. At the moment it's ok as there isn't much grass yet but it will be growing soon. They are not fat now...yet...
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| SpottedTApps | Article I wrote about "track living" | 0 | Apr 8 2013, 1:07 PM EDT by SpottedTApps | ||||
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Thread started: Apr 8 2013, 1:07 PM EDT
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This was just published by Yahoo voices. http://voices.yahoo.com/the-realistic-benefits-setting-paddock-paradise-12074422.html?cat=53
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| logriffy | metal grid slow feeder barrel | 1 | Mar 13 2013, 12:36 PM EDT by PattyandJoe | ||||
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Thread started: Nov 18 2012, 12:33 AM EST
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today we made two new slow feeders using a plastic barrel on a slope with a section of 3 inch by 3 inch metal grid at the feeding end. We mounted it to a rail fenceline using 2x6 and 2x/4 scrap boards.. The hay enters thru the hinged lid and slides down the slope coming to rest against the metal grid where the horses easily pull it thru the holes.As they pull the hay out of the grid holes the hay above is gently pulled down the slope. This eliminates entering the paddock to distribute hay, it eliminates nets and replacing nets when they get holes chewed in them, eliminates frozen nets during winter from snow and cold. There is a lip over the mesh that prevents snow from falling onto the grid keeping it dry.
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Keyword tags:
barrel
metal grid
slope
slow-feeder
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| Jess-n-Willow | New slow feeder | 1 | Mar 7 2013, 11:04 AM EST by PattyandJoe | ||||
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Thread started: Feb 18 2013, 8:49 PM EST
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I just recently put a wood box slow feeder in my pen. My older gelding has parked himself at it and hasn't moved away for very long for the past two days now. I'm not worried about foundering just yet but am wondering if he will get used to the idea of having food at all times and eventually walk away when he's full. He was recently fed twice a day before the feeder. Any thoughts and ideas would be greatly appreciated!
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| twin_pintos | Ice on track...help! | 0 | Feb 1 2013, 9:50 AM EST by twin_pintos | ||||
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Thread started: Feb 1 2013, 9:50 AM EST
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I am waiting until the ground thaws to put in my fencing. Right now, I spread haynets throughout the perimeter of my 8 acre pasture. I have noticed that much of the pasture has turned into an ice skating rink about 3 inches thick:(. Here in SD, i should have expected that. I am concerned that once I install my fencing around the perimeter, the same will happen. Does anyone have advice to keep ice at bay? Snowblowing the whole track? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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| Twiliath | Hay Consumption Down | 0 | Jan 25 2013, 1:36 PM EST by Twiliath | ||||
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Thread started: Jan 25 2013, 1:36 PM EST
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I didn't find quite what I was looking for on search, so I apologize if there's an already existing page for this question:
My horses are now eating noticeably less hay during very cold weather than they did when it was warmer or last winter. I'm using a 4x4 hay box with a metal grid. I don't remember that their hay consumption dropped off last winter. And I can't figure out why they would eat less now when it's cold. The hay is excellent (orchard grass/alfalfa mix) and very good quality - no dead animals or wet or moldy, etc. There's nothing off about the hay. They'll eat it if the grid is removed. I also use two SMHNs and consumption is down for those also. |
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| recipefordisaster | Natural Feeder report-customer service nonexistent | 11 | Dec 13 2012, 3:41 PM EST by SpottedTApps | ||||
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Thread started: Nov 26 2012, 9:14 PM EST
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I learned about the Natural Feeder here and after MUCH research and comparison, bought 2 from a local distributor this past summer. They seem to be a safe and effective solution overall... I needed large capacity as the 2 horses using it should eat about 3/4 bale per day per a nutritionist. The horses caught on very quickly and like the feeders(although even with the small grates, they need to be filled 2-3 times daily each which is disappointing... they are eating about 2 bales daily)BUT, they have undergone several redesigns lately, and worse, a change in ownership, and the new owner is extremely unethical. There was a divorce so of course there is animosity that shouldn't affect me. My particular feeders came with thinner, weaker, brittle grates which started breaking almost immediately. The previous owner promised they would be replaced just before the change and the new owner gave me false promises and strung me along for MONTHS. He does not answer my contacts now; I warned him that if there was no resolution that I would spread this warning far and wide. He was verbally abusive to someone who advocated for me and some distributors are no longer dealing with him. Plus, instead of 3 grates, you get only 2 now for the same price. The older style of grates were much different(I saw in person)and the really bad ones were only sold for a short time-he acknowledges that there were failures in the redesign, and these issues were fixed. Feel free to contact me for more-after spending almost $900 I expected better. I have 6 grates that aren't long for the world, and the small ones are unusable with breaks almost every place possible(I can show photos). The horses are very gentle with the feeders, never frustrated. It's a shame that this person did not care about customer service, or I'd have a much better report-they are really a great idea, and the outer part seems durable, anyway. An ethical company would have recalled these grates.
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| PhoebeOudshoorn | New to PP - Questions! | 2 | Dec 12 2012, 9:17 AM EST by SpottedTApps | ||||
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Thread started: Nov 15 2012, 12:03 PM EST
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Hello everyone!
I've known about the Paddock Paradise concept for a few years now, but just recently started to use it with my horses. (Last week recently) I have a few questions, although I must admit, I have not read Jamie Jackson's book, and all I know regarding PPs is from this website and other websites like it. The pasture I have my horses in is sort of like a PP, but not really. There is a clear cut track through dense trees in a sort of square around the perimeter. The horses can go through the trees if they want, but they usually don't, as they're very close together and hard to maneuver through. I'm wondering if I should fence off the interior to stop them completely from going off the track, or do you think they're okay as is it? I guess I should mention I have two horses (well ponies technically, a 14hh QH mare and a 14.2 hh appaloosa/grade mare). This brings me to my next question. I have experimented with slow feeders on and off for the past year, alternating with just putting round bales into the pasture (to save time, but not necessarily good for the horses, I know) I have 8 SMHN (Dovers, I think) and I've been feeding 40 pounds of hay a day in them, distributed along the clearcut track in the pasture. The thing is, the horses are eating 40 pounds (2% of their bodyweight in about 15 hours. I know that them having a continuous supply of hay is important, but currently I can't feed more than once a day (every 24 hours) due to work and school, and I can't feed much more than 40 pounds of hay, as we are having hay shortages and we just have enough to last the year. In the past I've tried to feed them continuously by filling the hay nets, and checking back in a few hours, and refilling the empty ones, so on, so forth. Not only did this take a lot of time out of my day, the horses were also eating 80 + pounds of hay a day!
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| lbertram1 | net size | 0 | Dec 3 2012, 3:14 PM EST by lbertram1 | ||||
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Thread started: Dec 3 2012, 3:14 PM EST
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i'm looking at the nets and was woundering what size you actually used. i have 5x5 bales and i'm just trying to see if it will be cheaper to do it this way or get the cinch nets. Im trying to stay cheap. did you use th 20' or 40' or the 10'x20'? thank you for your help.
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| Hubbardshorses | Is it possible to make a paradise on only an acre of land?? | 11 | Nov 27 2012, 9:20 AM EST by ElizabethPA | ||||
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Thread started: Apr 30 2010, 12:58 PM EDT
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HI I just found this site last week and I find it very fascinating! I have two horses and only have 1 acre that is my property. My next door neighbor allows me to let my boys graze on her acre. I only can make fencing alterations to my acre. Do you think it is possible to still make a lap from the barn and back around.And use slow hay feeders in tree areas to keep them moving? I'm starting to have wheels turn in my head after looking at everyone's Paddock Paradise. I made my own slow feeding hay nets last weekend and my boys already have adjusted. They aren't crying out to me as soon as I get home for the feeding like they used too. They are also eating 2 flakes of hay for several hours now than 1 1/2 - 2 hours. I'm really impressed!! And to think I put in a google search for hay nets and I found this site. I had no clue this was out here. :) Thank you for any tips.. I live in East Texas with pine trees and sandy soil. Dry hooves are a problem in my existing paddock.
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Keyword tags:
Cinderella Slow Hay Feeder
Videos
youtube
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| ubergigglefritz | Boarding for the Winter - SMHN Ideas | 13 | Oct 31 2012, 12:42 PM EDT by logriffy | ||||
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Thread started: Sep 14 2012, 1:28 PM EDT
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So at my place I use SMHNs, and have hay trees around my whole track. I use the hay trees a lot in the winter, since the ground is more wet, and if it snows, you can't lose the hay nets in the snow =) I need to board my horse for the winter, and am hoping to still use my SMHNs, but am trying to figure out if there is any good temporary way to hang them other than if there were trees around. I am going to go visit the facility today. The only thing I've come up with so far was if they have board fencing, putting up the bigger nets up onto the fence so the guy putting out hay for her can just shove the hay into the opening every AM and PM (but assuming he'd let me install the nets onto the fence, not sure if that'd be ok or not :-/ ). Are there any other ideas? If nothing else, I guess I will attach orange surveyor tape to the nets, pre-fill them all for the week, and hope that I can find them all when I go to gather them all up to re-fill, ha ha. Thanks for any ideas!
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| ubergigglefritz | Adding a Second Horse - Help / Advice Needed | 2 | Oct 30 2012, 9:41 PM EDT by waymire | ||||
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Thread started: Sep 23 2012, 12:00 PM EDT
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Wow, the paddock paradise track is SO easy to do for one horse, but is a completely different ballgame when you add a second horse. So many questions, concerns, and potential problems...
1. How do you make sure both horses get enough hay, but not too much, if each horse has a different difficulty level need. My new horse just isn't seeming to get the slow feeder net. I have pulled some out, and he will eat that, but can't seem to figure out how to get more of his own. My current horse needs the hay nets doubled in the summer to slow her down enough, and I give it to her single in the winter. 2. I have my track about 12 feet wide all the way around, but wider in the main hay areas. It's not wide enough for him to get by her if she doesn't want him to, but I thought this was the ideal width for the track? I guess he is just supposed to go all the way around the track in the other direction if he wants to get by? Do I need to make another water area to make it easier for him to get to the water? Or should he just have to go all the way around? Thanks!
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| Reese60 | IR Gelding & Slow Feeder Rations | 1 | Oct 30 2012, 9:09 PM EDT by waymire | ||||
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Thread started: Oct 20 2012, 7:46 AM EDT
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Hi, I have a IR curly gelding that is RAVENOUS about his meals. I've been using slow feeder nets for a year now and find he still gets fat if I offer free choice in the hay net slow feeders. I started rationing his hay - giving him 3 meals in his hockey net per day, equaling 2% of his body weight. 6:00 a.m. 1:00 pm. and 7:00 pm. At meal time it is easy to see he is hungry and frustrated with the net. Almost like a starving child! I'll put some loose hay down too (maybe 1/4 flake) to get something in his gut so he isn't frustrated but I can still see his anxiousness. I worry about ulcers. Am I being silly? I honestly don't know what else to do to limit and slow down his intake. The nets are free swinging. I also recently put him on chia seed, smart control IR pellets. He really looks GOOD! His pot belly is diminishing and his sunken in back is filling in. I just want to make sure it's ok to feed his hay this way and that it won't cause other problems.
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Keyword tags:
help
insulin resistance
IR
IR suppliments
slow feeder rations
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| ubergigglefritz | Miller's Hay Net Dimensions | 8 | Oct 25 2012, 12:52 AM EDT by logriffy | ||||
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Thread started: Aug 5 2010, 2:22 PM EDT
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I have my hay nets, but don't have hay yet, ha ha (my horse has not moved to my place yet). I want to put together a rack for holding the hay nets open for me to load them. Was going to make something, but thought maybe I could just get one of those laundry bag holders and change it up to be able to hold a hay net instead. However, since I don't have hay yet to fill the bag up with, I have no idea what the dimensions of the bag will be when filled, and thus whether this idea would work or not. Anyone available to give me an idea as to what the dimensions should be (length, width, height)? Thanks!
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| tangledmanes | Pasture Pal cylinders on Ebay | 1 | Oct 10 2012, 1:16 PM EDT by myeake01 | ||||
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Thread started: Sep 7 2009, 12:18 AM EDT
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If anyone is looking for a Pasture Pal cylinder, there are currently two listed on Ebay. Auctions end September 11, 2009. The seller does not have the plastic tray bases; only the cylinders. Just passing along the info... If interested, go to ebay.com and search for "Pasture Pal."
If you're new to feeder toys, be sure to compare this with the Nose-It!, which retails for the same price as the starting bid on the Pasture Pal cylinders: http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/Nose-It! But if you have an old Pasture Pal base needing a dispensing cylinder, this ebay auction could be for you! JoAnn
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Keyword tags:
Hay Cubes
Hay Wafers
Michigan
Mini Hay Cubes
Pasture Pal
slow hay cube feeder
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| besthayfeederman | All Weather enclosed hay feeders - Hayhuts | 7 | Oct 7 2012, 4:45 PM EDT by equinets | ||||
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Thread started: Jan 2 2010, 4:21 PM EST
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I guess it was around the beginning of last year that tangled manes invited me to discuss these types of hay feeders.
Well I have been pretty busy since then with the production and distribution of these units and now have a number of dealers in place around the country. Soon to be advertised on RFD -TV and featured in Farm Show magazine, I expect that I will be even busier but thought I would take this brief holiday lull in my activity to discuss the product with fellow members. This is a brief video clip of it in operation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBtdiP5vQ7g . We have 18 horses at our 20 acre breeding farm and so pasture is at a premium. Despite this 'stocking ratio' we still have the greenest ,luscius pastures of all around us by the use of our Hayhuts. They have allowed us to reduce our round roll consumption from 150 to 110 rolls per year which amounts to a saving of almost $3000 in hay costs alone and, of course, an equally significant amount of savings in labor costs. I will be very happy to answer any questions members might have and will look to publish some photos. - Yeah! I think I just succeeded in posting an album ( albeit with out of sequence photos so members will have to use their imagination or go to the website -www.hayhuts.com.
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blog
link
paddock paradise
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| justsoakit | The Soaker...slow feeder to go with it | 1 | Oct 7 2012, 4:19 PM EDT by equinets | ||||
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Thread started: Aug 4 2012, 11:49 PM EDT
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I invented The Soaker ( http://www.justsoakit.com )
I am looking to add a slow feeding net that will work for "most" situations. This site is great for info on the slow feeding nets. I really like the hay pillows. With soaking hay, there is the added weight to consider, and I want all the debris to be easily washed off. Any ideas, contacts, etc would be great. Tell me what you do now. All info helps. Thanks.
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