katmerlin Report post Posted January 15, 2016 Hi everyone I have 3 horses who live in a run in situation. 2 oldies and a younger guy. Thing is the older guys eat on the slower side. One old guy (ghost) and young (apache) eat about the same amount of grain. They are both pretty easy to maintian weight wise. Well the other day i noticed that apache is pushing boundries with ghost and has won now with grain time. So hes getting double dippings. They have hay 24/7. This is mainly make sure they get all there nutrients. So question is, would a pelleted hay, like the standlee brand, add weight to apache when he doesnt need it? Is there something i can feed him that will keep him busy that has no real fat in it? Ive tried the anti bolt options for feeding but he just kicks ghost out eats his food then works on his food later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
equicrzy Report post Posted January 15, 2016 Can't you separate them at feeding time? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katmerlin Report post Posted January 15, 2016 When I feed I can, which only on the weekends. I board, so owner doesn't want to deal with trying to separate them. Unless I can think of a quick system... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozland Report post Posted January 15, 2016 Gates for the run-in? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
equicrzy Report post Posted January 15, 2016 I see. So, even if you were to find a solution, food wise, the slower eater would still have food taken away by the other horses. That's a tough one, especially when you can't always supervise. Hope you find a solution, good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jubal Report post Posted January 15, 2016 (edited) Are they being worked? Is there a reason they are getting grain? Free choice good grass hay is all most horses need, unless they are in heavy work. If there is a hard keeper in the mix, it could be fed beet pulp. In fact, all of them could. If you're worried about minerals, get them free choice minerals. Edited January 15, 2016 by jubal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShamlessDQ Report post Posted January 16, 2016 ...who the heck doesn't separate for feeding grain? That's, uh... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozland Report post Posted January 16, 2016 Me. Before I sold them I fed a pasture of 5 loose, just standing there til they were done. You CAN train them to behave with some supervision. Sort of like small children. They will be good when mommy watches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShamlessDQ Report post Posted January 16, 2016 I've always separated for grain feeding and so has everyone I've known. That's why I was a little surprised. But in this case they clearly aren't being supervised. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuff N Awesome Report post Posted January 16, 2016 If they have to eat inside, attach some trailer ties to the run in (with baling or something to they will break loose if pulled back). Hook em up, feed and then turn loose. If you've got one that's stealing grain he's darn sure gonna steal anything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NaughtyNeigh2 Report post Posted January 16, 2016 Bulk the younger ones out with more fibre bulking feed so he eats longer...and give the older one a smaller amount of higher conditioning feed instead if he needs it more? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NaughtyNeigh2 Report post Posted January 16, 2016 Or if its just daily bits and mins you're feeding for, just get them a field lick block, or a measure of balancer each instead of grain? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katmerlin Report post Posted January 18, 2016 Was watching the 2 more and it seems like they just swap places most times. But i did change the feed a little. Cut down on the grain and added the standlee hay pellets. It really is nothing but hay in pellet form. So he thinks hes still getting something. The other old guy gets the most food but he also fights to the death if anyone goes near him so i know he gets all his food Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozland Report post Posted January 20, 2016 If they have to eat inside, attach some trailer ties to the run in (with baling or something to they will break loose if pulled back). Hook em up, feed and then turn loose. If you've got one that's stealing grain he's darn sure gonna steal anything else. What about halters? Wouldn't you need one to hook to? I don't know too many who turn horses out with halters on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuff N Awesome Report post Posted January 20, 2016 What about halters? Wouldn't you need one to hook to? I don't know too many who turn horses out with halters on. Sounds like they aren't terribly hard to catch. Slip one on and take it off when they are turned loose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozland Report post Posted January 20, 2016 Sounds to me, though, like she boards and someone else feeds most days and won't. Read her second post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jazzystar66 Report post Posted January 20, 2016 Sounds to me, though, like she boards and someone else feeds most days and won't. Read her second post. Yep it sure does,some barn owners don't want to hassle with separating horses,or tieing horses up to feed. I separate my two for grain feeding my gelding gets locked up in a corral,so my mare can eat her 5lbs of feed in peace. Not hard to do takes 2 minutes to lock him up. Longest part is waiting for my mare to finish her feed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuff N Awesome Report post Posted January 26, 2016 I've never been to a barn where the barn owners didn't have the horses best interest in mind, although I imagine there are more than a few. If it came down to this issue being detrimental to one or more of the horses health and the barn owner still wouldn't take a couple of minutes to tie them up..I'd be trying my darndest to move. Unless they are hard to catch it should literally only take a minute to halter and hook them, and a minute to unhalter and let them go. Heck, when I used to have to tie some to feed, I'd go feed the rest and unhook them last. Never hurt them and I never felt I wasted any time doing it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katmerlin Report post Posted January 26, 2016 Update. I moved my new guy to my parents place and the two who've been stealing all the food are just fed further apart now. Seemed to have worked. Not real worried as they have hay 24/7 anyway. Thanks for all the suggestions! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
