Are these feeders considered “safe” for horses?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-heavy-duty-slant-bar-hay-feeder-for-cattle-2-piece
No, that is a very unsafe hay feeder for horses. There are so many ways for the horse to get caught in it.
Round bale hay feeders made out of poly/hard rubber materials would be better. Many of my friends use the Hay Hut with success.
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I have never used one but if you google “round bale feeders for horses” you come up with a completely different item. I think using a cattle feeder you have many more ways to get a foot/ leg caught and rub the manes out in the process of eating.
I am sure they are used all the time with no issues but if you are just feeding horses, I would keep looking if you can for one made specifically for horses.
My horse got cast in a round bale feeder often referred to as a tombstone. It’s circular with a bottom half of solid steel. The “tombstones” are an upside down U shape and a brace that runs from the top of the U to the base. I’ve seen them in horse magazine shots many many times. I read a research report on feeders from a university that said they didn’t have any problems reported with the tombstone style.
I was really lucky. It was a sunny Sunday morning years ago, quiet as usual. Someone happened to go out to the field and found my gelding lying on his side with one hoof stuck through the tombstone. The hoof was through with his leg caught at his pastern. Fortunately he didn’t thrash around, and hadn’t been down very long. We think he was probably napping by the feeder and rolled. BO kept his neck on the ground while DH sledge-hammered it apart and released the hoof. He was sore but otherwise uninjured. That’s as much as I knew for years. The topic of getting cast came up last year when a few people where chatting about the lack of bale feeders and hay waste… BO included details she hadn’t told me before. I’m glad she didn’t. We were really lucky.
There was a good laugh, however. BO’s daughter (family friends) was about 8 or 9 years old. My phone rang, no caller ID. Voice says “Mom told me to call you and tell you your horse is okay.” “What???” “Mom told me to call you and tell you your horse is okay.” “What’s the joke Susie?” “It’s not a joke. Mom told me to call you and tell you your horse is okay and you should come over right away.” “Come on!! What’s the joke? It’s April Fool’s Day!” "I know but he got caught in the round bale feeder and Mom to… " “I’m on my way.”
Several feeders were trashed and she hasn’t replaced them.
I would consider this to be a cattle feeder. They have to put their head down and in to make this work. If nothing else they are likely to rub their mane off in a spot. I suppose if you have a quiet herd of shorter heese this would work OK.
Since horses get up every day trying to think of new and creative ways to hurt themselves you kind of have to look at your herd to decide what level of risks you are willing to have with your hay feeder.
The tombstone style feeder is what most people consider safer for horses. Now, as you read above, some horses will find a way to hurt themselves with those too.
I have a wood feeder with a roof that I use a small hole hay net in. I can add photos tomorrow.
Lots of people here like the hay huts, with or without a small hole hay net.
Thanks everyone. There was a similiar used feeder for sale locally but I wasn’t sure if this particular type was ok for horses.
I’ve used one of those for better than ten years without a problem. I’ve heard the ones with the solid bottoms can have problems, but the one shown has only hurt me (slipped tipping it up, it fell on my leg breaking it).
I’ve used this style w/ no problems, both w/ and w/out a large bale net.
This is basically what I’m using (only it’s the Tarter brand)
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-galvanized-horse-bale-feeder
