Picture of hay that is too compacted
You can see that the hay is compacted to the point that the horse is no longer able to access the hay.
Teeth marks are on the grate from the horse attempting to forage.
This issue can be solved by taking out 2 or 3 flakes of hay and making sure that the rest of the hay is loose.

       My horse is not able to eat hay from the feeder

• Chances are the hay bale is a little too large for the feeder and the hay is compacted, thus not allowing the horse to forage between the grate openings.
• Take 2 to 3 flakes of hay out of the feeder, so the hay is loose and so hay can be pulled up from between the grate openings.
• Check the hay for contaminants such as burs, thistle, debri or mold.
• Check your hay bale. Do the flakes come apart freely or do they rope together? This is a result of the bailing process; cutting the hay in one direction, raking in another and then bailing in the opposite direction. This will result in a braided, twisted bale that is difficult to utilize (but not impossible) with The Natural Feeder®

      My horse is eating the hay too quickly!

• This is ok during the first few days of acclimation. As most horses new to a slow feeding program will want to eat all they are able.
• After acclimation to the largest grate size, try utilizing the medium (2 1/2) grate size.  Be careful to monitor your horse's reaction to more restrictive foraging.
• Fill the feeder 3/4 full and the remaining 1/4 bale on the top of the feeder and pull a little hay out from the grate openings.
• Do this for a few days to ensure that the horse feels comfortable with the slow feeding process.

My horse keeps eating, and eating, and eating!
I don't think he will ever self-regulate!
Advise from Juliet Getty,PhD, Equine Nutritionist  and author of the book, Feed Your Horse Like a Horse.
If the horse runs out of hay, even for 10 minutes, he will never get the signal that there is an unlimited supply. His instincts will not kick in, and he will not self-regulate.  So, the purpose of slow feeding will not be accomplished. Only when there is an unlimited supply of hay will a horse start to self-regulate. 

 Horses will self-regulate -- I have never seen one that didn't when the owner was patient enough to let it happen. The problem is that many owners are impatient and since some horses take longer than others, the horse owner gives up. And they often do it incorrectly, giving more hay after the horse finishes what he has. The key is not more hay, the key is an unlimited supply where it never runs out. 

 Gut health is the reason for free choice feeding, as well as hormonal regulation. The stress of running out of forage is stressful, causing a cortisol response, which leads to insulin resistance. When insulin is high, fat is stored and the horse stays fat. From a digestive perspective, forage is necessary for intestinal motility, colic prevention, and ulcer prevention. 

 Horse owners  - read my book & subscribe to my newsletter (Forage for Thought), be patient, and hang in there!

My horse is leaving teeth marks on the grate! 
 To a certain degree, this is normal. The material that the grate is made out of (low density polyethylene) is soft enough to not damage the teeth or enamel.  

• Ensure that the horse is able to access the hay and that it is not compacted too tightly in the feeder.
• Also check to make sure the grate can float across the hay freely. 

My horse is pawing at the feeder and seems frustrated

Your horse has not completely acclimated to slow or restricted foraging. Allow your horse the time that he needs to adjust to  restricted, yet continueous foraging.

• Place more free choice hay on top of, or next to the feeder.
  Use the largest grate and make sure that the hay is very loose in the feeder.

 

 Please feel free to call us or email us
with questions or concerns
Julie: 515-290-9223
Mark: 515-290-1136
TheNaturalFeeder@gmail.com