Ok, yes, he’s a thoroughbred and his birthday is officially January first, but he was born on April 19th so we celebrated Nay Nay’s 9th birthday yesterday. It’s quarantine-time and what else do I have to do with my life? I mean, I “go” to work, meaning my kitchen table, I pick up orders at the feed store dock (Oxford Feed & Lumber, you people are amazing!), and I watch too much NCIS and Rizzoli and Isles. Oh and I bake banana bread. It’s pretty pathetic. Honestly, I could really do all of this for a long time if I could figure out the riding part. I don’t actually miss anything. I mean, going into the feed store would be nice and running into the grocery store would be nice, but other than that? No. I love working from home (though I’m nervous about budget cuts considering universities have lost 40-125+ million this semester and summer and fall aren’t looking good. Impacts will be huge). On that note, I’m celebrating horse birthdays because, why not?
Face is always looking right at the camera! Birthday pictures are no exception.
Nay Nay celebrated his birthday with carrots, apples, and peppermints for breakfast and peppermints for morning snack. There was a brief incident in the afternoon where a neighbor’s visitor’s dog got stopped by and started chasing the horses around and almost got kicked in the head, but thankfully when I started yelling woah out the window, the horses calmed somewhat down (until the dog started chasing) and the owned arrived as I ran outside — this always happens when I was trying to shower (had to throw clothes back on) — and grabbed his dog apologizing. No one was hurt. Kids got some extra treats and they calmed down.
Nay is BACK ON GRAIN! And eating out of the hay feeder again though still not as enthusiastically as I’d like. Obviously his ulcers aren’t healed yet (still thinking it’s hind gut crap), but he’s licking his bucket clean. He’s showed his preference for hay on the ground vs in a net, but is a pig and pull only what he wants out and stomps the rest to death when I feed from his muck tub.
I’m debating a hay feeder for his stall. I can’t buy 2 to see which I like better so I need opinions.
First up, High Country Plastics Slow Feeder Saver Jr. Price: $195 shipped
Pros: the size is good for the stall, nylon grate vs metal, holds 1/2 bale, etc. Easy access to hay (until the portagrazer, he doesn’t have to stick his head in something. It’s flat).
Cons: Nay is just not great with slow feeder crap. Is this just another one of those things? Also, would I need to mount this thing? Some reviews indicate that it’s light so could he knock it over? But, it’s also used in pasture situations and surely no one is mounting out there…
Next: CF-32: CORNER FEEDER, 32″ Price: ~$220 plus shipping
Pros: I’m not actually considering this one because I don’t need the 3 compartments, but I I like the design. I’m mostly linking this for the pictures that are included on High Country Plastics’ website so that you can see the feeder next to a horse.
Cons: I don’t have need for separate compartments. Nay is a sloppy eater, he doesn’t always finish his feed. He tosses his grain and then eats wherever. At some point, he may go back to soaked cubes/pulp. Plus, my feed is not stored at the barn so I cart the buckets and it’s just easier to hang their buckets vs dump. I don’t need to have the extra compartments.
Final option (for now), CF-24 Corner Feeder $77 plus shipping
Pros: It APPEARS to be very similar to the above feeder but without the fancy multiple compartments. If that’s the case, the height looks good and it could be a viable option for Nay. I can put a few flakes in the bottoms and let him eat.
Cons: Will he just pull all the hay out and toss on the ground?
I may reach out to the company and ask questions. Any and all advice is appreciated!
Three Chestnuts 
Happy birthday Nay Nay (and hahaha on him and Remus sharing a bday)!
I like my portagrazer a lot. It was 250 bucks and you can actually use it without the pan if you want. It is sitting in my barn unused right now. I wish we were closer!
Good luck. have you tried a haybag?? Not even a slow feeder one just one with a hole in the top or side??
I have a bag with a big whole in the side coming from Chick’s. Subi has one for his alfalfa and loves it. When Nay gets that bag (no clue how), he has no issues.
Wish you were closer so I could try it out.
No clue Remus and Nay shared a bday!
Happy Birthday Nay Nay! You are so handsome in your hat.
Irish does really well with a hay rack in Irish’s stall. It does cut down on the rest. I like the stall feeder but I suspect that he would poop in it.
A hay rack would be the cheapest experiment, that’s for sure. That said, I get the feeling he doesn’t like reaching for hay which is why he tries and empties the hay feeder outside and then eats of the ground (Subi won’t eat off the ground unless I put outside hay there to start… it’s a struggle).
If I put hay in his muck bucket, he doesn’t poop in it so he does OK with that. So, I think he’s be OK.
Slow feeders, I just get that he doesn’t like to be challenged with food. So, slow feeders? if they challenge him he’d rather not eat than work for it. This is the problem with feeding nets. And my hesitations with porta grazer/slow feeder junior type feeder. A corner feeder isn’t as much of a issue unless he can still toss the entire contents around the stall…
I think you saw my post on the Stall Grazer we got for our stalls. They do have 3 separate compartments that you don’t need and we did screw them into the wall of the stall to prevent tipping. I will say that I adore mine. The horses do pull some out of the hay part and sling around, but very little compared to feeding on the ground without it. They horses seem to eat better out of it than on the ground too. Less waste, more eating. I like that the grain is right there and we added a small mineral block in the 3rd compartment. Now all the food is in one spot. Easy to fill and easy to keep an eye on the hay level. I also like that since the hay isn’t being walked on or thrown about that I can easily tell who is eating hay and how much. really, I can’t say enough positives about it.
I meant to link to your post and then I go sidetracked and started reading your post today about Eeyore and forgot. LOL! While I don’t think I’d get the 3 compartment one, the one compartment one might be an option. I’m waiting to hear from the company to hear how different the 3 vs 1 compartment ones are (basically, are the the same just different amount of compartments?) or are they very different? Also, I asked questions about their slow feeder junior.
How tall is the feeder you have? I see they have a 34″ and a 40″… Or a 32″. They have so many. How much hay do you put in? I know your guys are in for that long so that may prevent so much hay spreading too…
I agree with Michelle and love my Porta Grazer.
As for the corner feeders, or any tub type feeder, my experience has ALWAYS been that horses end up pushing/throwing half the hay out of it and it ends p on the ground anyway. I’ve never found them to be a way to keep horses from eating off the ground….or not making a mess.
I looked into the one with the grate that you listed, and I think it’s a good option as a slow feeder. Some people mentioned they make hay nets that go over an entire bale of hay.. which could be an option as well?
That’s the thing. I worry about him emptying and tossing. But, at the same time, is it better to waste hay and eat some or not eat any? This is what I’m struggling with…
I’m thinking I’m happier with the Slow Feeder Junior vs the Porta Grazer just due to the shape. I like that Nay doesn’t need to stick his head in the feeder for hay. So I’m leaning to that (they grates for the junior are nylon whereas the large one metal (granted the large one has an option for nylon grates).
Anyway, hopefully the company will get back to me with answers to my questions. It’s hard because Nay is NOT hay motivated and the ulcers aren’t helping. I have the junior grazer in my cart from Stateline. The corner feeder is a little harder to get though Valley Vet has it with crazy shipping. Locally a place in Delaware is a supplier and likely could order, but we have all these stupid state border restrictions and I don’t want to get ticketed for crossing state lines!!!
I have no experience with feeders, so no advice. Just wanted to say Happy Birthday to Nay Nay!
❤️❤️❤️
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Our horses all have the porta grazers. We started with just one, got 2 more, then got annoyed and caved and bought the forth. If I could afford it, I’d buy 4 more and have them in their turnouts as well. So much less waste.