Feeding in the field!

[flump]

At the moment it's not practical to bring the horses down to the stables for feeding. I do usually do this and only ever feed two horses together in the field. Depending on size etc.

This is so stressful for me they are awfull feeding 4/5 in the field at the same time! Any ideas what I can do? I have been bringing the naughty ones out and feeding separate but this is taking a long time and I dont have that at the moment. Do you think I should just feed and walk away and let them get on with it.?

 

[Landcruiser]

Can you tape off a small area (or 2)? Get them split up into it/them, BEFORE they see the feed buckets. The only thing you'll accomplish by just leaving them to it is the dominant ones will get the grub, and you'll probably end up being kicked or trampled putting it out.

 

[Polos Mum]

Some of the nasties injuries to people have been caused by feeding in the field, I feel for you it isn't nice.
Quickest is best so have all feeds (identical) in buckets and run them in as quickly as you can (not easy in this mud) and run out, some horses will get more than others so not ideal.
With youngsters I've had tyre buckets in the field, carried in one water bucket full of feed and a big stick, emptied some in each bucket (more buckets than horses - same as with hay piles ) and waved the stick at anything that came remotely near me. - still hated doing it tho.
I've only 2 and I tried holding one while the other one finished - not something I'd repeat!
Hopefully spring will be here soon and you won't need to do it so often.

 

[flump]

I usually put buckets over the fence as it's quite dry and can avoid getting squashed. I think I might try the tape or I think I just may have to bring them in. One of my horses is a very fussy eater and likes to eat a bit and come back to it but the piggy one is just eating his and then getting fussys! I think when I design my new paddocks I'm going to try get fenced in feeding areas so this won't happen anymore!

 

[rainer]

I had to feed 4/5 in the field once or twice on my own,not a pleasant experience! Used to have to tie 2/3 up and then feed the loose ones and then feed the tied up ones and then let go the tied ones when the loose ones had finished! Phew!lol other than that my boss advised putting out more piles of feed than horses so that they all had some.

 

[Copperpot]

I feed 5 in the field. I either tie some up depending on how fast they eat and where there are in pecking order or I've made a little fenced off bit I can put 2 or 3 in. Luckily the most dominant horse who would steal others food takes ages to eat and the lowest member of the herd always finishes first, so it's not too bad!

 

[putasocinit]

Give the naughty ones their food first and put hay and chaff in so it takes longer for them to eat the bucket of feed, whilst they are eating quickly feed the good ones at a distance.

 

[weebarney]

yeah its not great, i could just manage with 4 but then got another and it was 1 too many. I used to add a good extra load of chaff and beet into the the fast eating naughty ones buckets but the one at the bottom of the pecking order was too nervous to hang around so he'd have a couple of mouthfulls then run off. Now i have them split 3 and 2 and its much better.

 

[Archiepoo]

i trained all 9 of mine to stand in the same place every day and put their headcollars on and tied them to tie up rings on the fence a safe distance apart. i never had any probs! they all waited until the last one finished and them let them off in order (least dominant first-herd leader last) very civillized lol

 

[D66]

Contrary to PC instructions I found putting the buckets too far apart increased problems. They can't seem to find the second one if it's a long way from the first. However we only have two horses in the field, and they will share one bucket if that's all they can find.

 

[JillA]

Why bother? If they are getting decent quality forage (or grass) and don't need supplements that is all they need. If one needs special treatment/diet (which it doesn't sound like it if you are happy for them to play musical chairs) you could bring him or her out on their own and leave the rest with their hay etc.

 

[midnight mayhem]

I only feed 2 in the field. They Both respect me enough to allow me to walk at my own leisure with feeds through their field. They do dance and prance around me but they know better then to touch me or try to make a grab for the buckets. I then feed the least dominant and slowest eater first then lead the other a fair distance away and she gets her bucket when she stands still. If she goes for the other ones feed then I chase her off and stand between them whilst the other one eats and she then has to wait for her own. She learnt not to do this very quickly. This works for us and I find it easiest to feed in field as they are respectful of me.

 

[tabithakat64]

All depends on the horses and what they are used too, getting them in a routine of feeding in a certain order helps as does segregating any particularly greedy or slow eaters if possible.
I've happily fed a group of 12 and had trouble with a group of 3.

 

[rowan666]

Feed in order of dominance over the fence and as suggested by someone else add hayledge to the fast eaters buckets to ow them down

 

[mandwhy]

It can be a nightmare, I think if it is mostly your safety you're worried about then popping them under the fence is a good idea, it can be a massive pain but if you can get them into a routine I.e. same order of buckets in a line and try to give the right one to the right horse to start with at least that may help.

I only have two but the big one is very bossy towards the little one so I have created a fence at the other end from where they are normally fed (as big one was there first and therefore knew where to wait and chase little one away from), I either separate them first while passing through or put big one's bucket in and little one will follow me to the other side with other bucket, they know what is happening now and are starting to wait in the right places!

Previously if my big mare stole little ones dinner I would take it away from her and make her have the right one which was frankly a trampling accident waiting to happen!

 

[EPRider]

We have a section by the gate fenced off for us. There are tyres beside the posts on the horses side. We go into our section with all the feed buckets stacked up. Boss horse fed first and wait until eating second or third mouthful before number two is fed, then buckets put down along the line. We have been feeding 8 like this all winter. Some of the lower pecking order horses get sugar beet and balancer whilst the two top horses get chop and balancer. If they eat up too fast we put a bit more chop into their feed the next time.

It is the routine which makes this system work.

 

[Spring Feather]

I feed along every fenceline of my fields. I generally don't have more than 6 horses per field so it's not really a problem as every horse in each field gets fed the same feed. I always put an extra feed bucket at the end so if there is any pushing along then it's covered. Have to say though in most of my fields the horses do tend to just stick to their own bucket. They're also not particularly food orientated as they have adlib hay all the time so I don't get the bickering that I sometimes see going on elsewhere.

 

[windand rain]

I can walk through the field with the feeds they all stay away from me while I have the buckets they all have the same the bossy one is luckily a slow eater so even if they keep swapping they all get something. The working one that eats slowly and has three times as much as they others is in her own field
I dont feed hay as it gives them the runs they have chaff and forage in buckets

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

At the moment it's not practical to bring the horses down to the stables for feeding. I do usually do this and only ever feed two horses together in the field. Depending on size etc.

This is so stressful for me they are awfull feeding 4/5 in the field at the same time! Any ideas what I can do? I have been bringing the naughty ones out and feeding separate but this is taking a long time and I dont have that at the moment. Do you think I should just feed and walk away and let them get on with it.?

no do not leave them to get on with there will be kicks - injuries- and bulies eating all.

I would put baling twince on post along the fence and tie horses up with their own buckets. Then they cannot kick on pinch other feeds.

I made a silly mistake of standing with mine while he had eady grass. And shooeing others away. One mare came near he charged her and she kicked out. Results bad injury stiches etc you will find the injury on the * my boy got kicked thread*

Stupid thing it was lazyness not to get him out.

Its not worth the risk few minutes leading them out to feed or tying others up is cheaper than a vet bill and weeks off work, or loss of horse. IMO