"Satisfeeding" - Using Several SMHN Slow Feeders

...to satisfy the horse's instinct to move while grazing!
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Fine Tuning Slow Feeders for a Full Day of Hay
I love my slow feeders. But I've been messing with feeding hay twice a day. What was I thinking? So yesterday I put the whole day's ration of hay - 40 pounds -- in seven hay nets of various challenging design. I soaked each net and put them along the Paddock Paradise. I had plenty of places to hang or fasten these: Strings from tree branches, wooden feeder trays, and feeder toy boxes. This is so much easier! And more convenient. And the horses liked it. Isn't that a big part of my slow feeding goals in the first place? How dense am I to not recognize the opportunity to really take advantage of the slow feeding system? Well, there'd been some mold trouble with my hay cubes, so I'd been compensating with 12 pounds of extra hay daily, and wasn't sure that everyone was getting enough to eat through the challenge feeders, so I had been using one or two regular SMHN with 4 cm holes per feeding to allow them easier access. Elderly Ally began losing weight; IR Jewel's belly began ballooning, and buying more hay cubes means a nine-hour drive (the value of which I'm re-thinking), so I bought some senior feed and started adding a pound of that to Ally's supplement meals. Now we're back to normal hay rations for all three, and there are plenty of feeders to choose from. This morning, they had a little hay left in two of the challenge feeders. They would have finished that off in another hour, which meant that their proper ration lasted about 23 hours. Just about perfect!	Stella at the 2'x4' feeder tray. Nine pounds of Bermuda hay in double SMHN from Miller's. Net is fastened with a shackle bolt and clipped to eye bolts at both ends. Photos below of the other six slow hay feeders in today's rotation.

Fine Tuning Slow Feeders for a Full Day of Hay

I love my slow feeders. But I've been messing with feeding hay twice a day. What was I thinking?

So yesterday I put the whole day's ration of hay - 40 pounds -- in seven hay nets of various challenging design. I soaked each net and put them along the Paddock Paradise. I had plenty of places to hang or fasten these: Strings from tree branches, wooden feeder trays, and feeder toy boxes.

This is so much easier! And more convenient. And the horses liked it. Isn't that a big part of my slow feeding goals in the first place? How dense am I to not recognize the opportunity to really take advantage of the slow feeding system?

Well, there'd been some mold trouble with my hay cubes, so I'd been compensating with 12 pounds of extra hay daily, and wasn't sure that everyone was getting enough to eat through the challenge feeders, so I had been using one or two regular SMHN with 4 cm holes per feeding to allow them easier access. Elderly Ally began losing weight; IR Jewel's belly began ballooning, and buying more hay cubes means a nine-hour drive (the value of which I'm re-thinking), so I bought some senior feed and started adding a pound of that to Ally's supplement meals.

Now we're back to normal hay rations for all three, and there are plenty of feeders to choose from. This morning, they had a little hay left in two of the challenge feeders. They would have finished that off in another hour, which meant that their proper ration lasted about 23 hours. Just about perfect!

Stella at the 2'x4' feeder tray. Nine pounds of Bermuda hay in double SMHN from Miller's. Net is fastened with a shackle bolt and clipped to eye bolts at both ends.

Photos below of the other six slow hay feeders in today's rotation.

	Busy Horse Snacker holding three pounds of hay, clipped inside a 4'x4' feeder toy box.
NibbleNet Picnic with lowered rings hanging over stall mat from a tree string. Trees are protected by running the string through a vinyl tube over the branch.	Double SMHN clipped to tree saver strap.
Busy Horse Snacker on a tree branch string.	Brandi's SMHN in a 2'x4' feeder toy box. (4 pounds)

JoAnn Johnson
November 3, 2009

tangledmanes	Latest page update: made by tangledmanes , Jun 29 2010, 2:35 PM EDT (about this update About This Update tree saver link - tangledmanes view changes - complete history)
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partnernaturally

Tree Saver straps

Feb 17 2011, 1:33 PM EST by partnernaturally

Thread started: Feb 17 2011, 1:33 PM EST Watch

Most equine catalogs that has things for trail riding will have Tree Saver Straps. They are used when making a picket line to tie up horses on the trail/camping, etc. You may be able to find something less expensive in a landscape store for staking trees to keep them straight while the roots to grow and hold the weight of the tree. Also, one thing I have done is run my rope/chain through a old water hose. Make sure it is the water hose that touches the tree and for me it has worked and cost nothing. Hope this is helpful
Sharon
Sharon

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ubergigglefritz

tree saver straps

Jul 3 2010, 1:10 PM EDT by Takelababy

Thread started: Jun 29 2010, 7:06 AM EDT Watch

What are these tree saver straps and where do you get them? =) What other options do we have for hanging SMHNs from trees to protect the tree? Thanks!
-Michelle

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Freedom Feeder SMHN	Miller's Hay Net Dimensions	Nose-It!s with timothy cubes in buckets
Blue New Nose-It!	NibbleNet 1.25"	Texas Hay Net
Purely Ponies	www.econets.ca	The Cinch Net
SMHN Feeder Boxes	Tangledmanes Hay Well	round bale feeder box with TX Hay Net

"Satisfeeding" - Using Several SMHN Slow Feeders

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