From general barn layouts, to removable stall walls, hay storage, to horse stall mats,horse stall details seem to be endless. But for this post let’s take a look at horse feeders and automatic water systems.

Horse feeders for use in the horse stalls can range from just a simple bucket hung from a screw eye, to a corner feeder, and also a swing out feeder. Each of course has it advantages. For a small barn, just hanging a bucket is a simple solution. The draw back comes when you are accommodating an animal that thinks it is actually a toy. My one youngest broke his way through eight feed buckets. He literally destroyed them. The other two horses never bothered them, but Sundance thought they were just for him. I remember laying in bed one very cold night. Out of pity for the four horses (who quite frankly served more as lawn mowers and yard ornaments at that time in my life) I had left the group tucked safely into their stalls and went off to bed. Sure enough, 1:00 AM I hear the symphony start. Bang, BANG, BANGG!!! the bucket went. It echoed across the frozen ground and right through my window pain. Sure enough, the bucket was not longer part of the part equipment by morning.

So the next stage we tried a corner feeder. That worked the best. Mounted on 2×4’s screwed to the wall, he had a much harder time doing that one in. He eventually cracked the bottom, so a feed pan on the floor was that horses fate.

Swing out feeders are also nice. More expensive and needing extensive installation, they do give a place for the hay and the grain. Putting hay into them usually rains more down on the barn help that into the feeder, but the horses do seem to like them.

Another option for the hay is a built in corner feeder that sits on the ground. These are nice, but careful attention must be paid that old hay is not left to rot in the bottom. Heaves and wore can develop if this is not regularly cleaned.

Automatic waterers are the dream of everyone who lives where it is cold. Winter months are made much longer when frozen buckets must be dragged to the house and lined up in the basement to thaw. Waterers can be positioned so that one waters two stalls. Most horses drink readily from them, but if a new horse arrives be sure to monitor his water in take. Hanging a bucket in the stall for a few days until you see him drink a few times from the automatic one is a good idea. Colic and dehydration can set in before you realize it. One old mare I had did not want anything to do with the automatic water. It scared her when it would turn on. So be a student of your horse and know if a bucket it the only choice.

Under swing out feeders there can actually be room for a small tack closet. Triangle in shape, the area can accommodate a saddle and some bridle hooks. This is a great option for a commercial stable that needs more tack room. Easy to lock and simple for people to keep their tack straight, customers tend to really like them.

 Whatever your choice, automatic heated water and horse feeder do make life a lot easier when caring for our horse thier horse stalls.

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Paddock Paradise turnout tracks:

http://www.amazon.com/Paddock-Paradise-Guide-Natural-Boarding - The original book by Jaime Jackson

http://pingalley.blogspot.com/ - Springvalley Farm. Track on 160 acres of dryland pasture in southeast Colorado.

http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/paddock-paradise.html - excellent introduction to & example of Paddock Paradise - Canada

http://www.performancebarefoot.co.uk/page64.html - Detailed description and photos about constructing a PP. Lots of tips.

http://brownehorses.blogspot.com/ - This one has it all: Paddock Paradise track setup with slow feeders

http://www.nakedhorsemanship.com/horseboarding.htm - Joe & Kathleen Camp - California

http://www.horsehockey.com/PaddockParadise.htm - Yvonne Johnson in Ohio defines paradise

http://azhoofrehab.com/horse_boarding - Horse Keeping in Arizona

http://paddockparadise.blogspot.com/ - Sjoukje in Ohio

http://wildhooves.blogspot.com/ - Wild Hearts, Willing Spirits - New Mexico

http://wildhooves.wordpress.com/ - Mustang Mountain

http://franceandtheunknown.blogspot.com/search/label/Paddock%20paradise - France

http://www.hooflady.org/paddockparadise.html - Hooflady's PP in Pennsylvania

http://portraitswithhorses.com/blog/2007/08/18/peastone-gravel-and-paddock-paradise-use/ - using pea gravel

http://thenaturalhoof.homestead.com/PaddockParadise.html - the one with the catchy song

http://www.right2remainshoeless.com/html/paddock_paradise.html - progressivehorse.co.uk

http://www.successful-natural-horsecare.com/barefoot-grazing.html - Barefoot Grazing - Sarah Bell - United Kingdom

http://www.wholehorsetrim.com/Horsekeeping.htm - Eddie Drabek - Texas

http://picasaweb.google.com/dakota.charm/TrackSystem# - photos & layout sketches

http://www.paddockparadise.com/ - Jaime Jackson's official Paddock Paradise book site

http://www.aebm.org.au/documents/founder_track.pdf -- Paddock Paradise in Australia

http://naturalhorseresource.blogspot.com/2008/11/natural-boarding.html - more links to Natural Boarding Resources (Europe)
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Track Fencing:

http://www.premier1supplies.com/fencing.php?mode=detail&fence_id=58 - JoAnn uses their Intellirope 6.0

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html - Parmak solar charger
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Paddock Paradise Boarding:

http://abidingacresinc.web.officelive.com/default.aspx - Abiding Acres in Oregon

Blue Heron Farm (south of Nashville, TN). I keep open 1 spot for hoof rehab cases only.

http://www.naturalhorsemanagement.com/1.html -- A British "yard" that is offering Paddock Paradise boarding

http://www.equiloha.com/naturalboarding.html -- Paddock Paradise natural boarding on Kauai, Hawaii

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Slow Feeder blog sites:

http://www.swedishhoofschool.com/feeders.htm - ideas for building restricted free-choice hay feeders

http://www.loewers-heu.net - A must-read about using small-mesh hay nets.

http://www.successful-natural-horsecare.com/feeding-horses-hay.html - feeding hay in paddocks and fields

http://www.foodforfounder.blogspot.com/ by Dangerous Penguin. Search there for "feeder."

http://www.akalranch.com/2008/12/prototype-hay-feeder/ blog with barrel-based hay feeder

http://forums.horsecity.com/index.php?showtopic=47025800 - Horse City Forum discussion on building slow feeders


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Hay Feeders & Accessories:

http://stallskins.com/grazer.html - spring-loaded hay slow feeder

http://www.hay-hutch.co.uk/ - possible use as a case for a small-mesh hay net or Busy Horse feeder

http://www.slowdownhayfeeder.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/ - Slow Down Hay Feeder / Soaker

http://www.quickfeed.com/products/category/automatic-hay-feeder.aspx - timed release hay feeder

http://www.stablegrazer.com/ - timed release feeder for hay and grain

http://www.slo-feed.com/default.html - galvanized steel product designed to fasten on the outside of your horse's pen and slow down eating as well as reduce waste

http://www.klenepipe.com/store.asp?pid=18331 hay saver with fold down grill that can be used with large round bales or small square bales

http://1stchoicehorseshoeing.com/HorseFeeder.htm spring loaded floor pushes the hay up to a grate

http://www.flatumbrella.com/users/hayoptimizer/features.html - HayOptimizer - steel container with wheels and a grill on top to slow hay consumption and reduce waste

http://www.polyjumps.com/acatalog/Mobile_Bale_Soaker.html - mobile bale soaker

http://www.saddlery.biz/pp/Stable_Equipment/Horse_Feeding_Equipment/Munch_Station.html - "Munch Station" - feeder with closely spaced vertial bars to increase feeding time

http://www.hit-horseconsult.de/e/products/etxtfencefeeder.html - hay feeder with vertical bars to slow down hay consumption

- - - - - Round Bales - - - -

http://www.littlethunderstables.com/TXHayMain.htm - Texas Hay Net

www.hayhuts.com - round bale feeder

http://www.duplessishorsefeeder.com/HomeUSA.html - round bale feeding station - or put it over a net-covered bale!

http://www.agr.state.nc.us/ncproducts/ - Helton Hay Tunnel

http://www.bigbalebuddy.com/ - Big Bale Buddy (round bale slipcover)

http://www.blazingstarstables1.com/page_597765.html - Big Bale Buddy distributor
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Grazing Muzzles:

http://www.bestfriendequine.com/horse-grazing-muzzles.htm - Best Friend grazing muzzles

http://www.bestfriendequine.com/horse-muzzle-accessories.htm - cushions, plugs, buckles etc. for Best Friend grazing muzzles

http://www.horse.com/Grazing-Muzzle-BRK61HORSE.html - value-priced, slightly lighter alternative to Best Friend brand grazing muzzle

http://www.horse.com/Plastic-Anti-Graze-Muzzle-BRK10.html - plastic anti-grazing muzzle

http://greenrivertack.com/catalog/ - brightly colored grazing muzzles
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Hay Cube Feeders and Pellet Dispensers:

http://www.nose-it.com - horse treat ball with 1.5" opening (used by JoAnn for ODTB cubes)

http://www.horseplayproducts.com/index.htm - big rolling treat-dispensing toys & a 6"x8" wall-mounted stall toy

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=16270 - Amazing Graze rolling treat dispenser toy (2" hole) with large screw-off opening for filling

http://www.shanestack.com/shop/ - Snak-A-Ball pellet dispenser toy - holds 2 cups of feed no larger than 3/4" - http://www.taliskerbay.com/ manufacturer's page

http://www.profeeder.com/ - timed release feeder
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Small-Mesh Hay Nets:

http://www.tonystack.com - Roma hay net with 2" x 2" holes: $6.59 for medium size; $9.95 large (40") + free shipping to US addresses for orders over $50. Current color choices: dark purple, burgundy, light blue, red

http://www.smithbrothers.com/product.asp - $9.95 + $7.95 shipping & handling (or $9.95 s&h for 2-5 nets) - small mesh hay net

http://millerharness.com/product.asp?pn=6- $9.99 + $7.95 shipping & handling (or $9.95 s&h for 2-5 nets) - small mesh hay net

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp - $16.90 + $8.95 shipping & handling - small mesh hay net

http://www.shiresequestrian.com - small-mesh hay net $7.95 + $9.95 shipping & handling

http://www.sstack.com - Schneider Saddlery medium-mesh (3.5" holes) cotton hay net $9.95 + $6.95 shipping

http://www.croftequestrian.co.uk - Shires hay bag (UK)

http://www.robinsons-uk.com - haynet filler (UK)

http://www.robinsons-uk.com - small-mesh hay net (UK)

http://www.loewers-heu.net/Heunetz/Grossraumnetz2.html - high-capacity hay nets - Germany

http://www.arizonasportsequipment.com/ - U.S. source for hockey nets and netting by the foot.

http://reviews.canadiantire.ca - Canadian Tire hockey goal. They don't sell replacement nets online, just in the store.

http://www.geocities.com/stormieqh/index.html - SMHN by Brandi (a challenging slow hay feeder)

http://www.freedomfeeder.com/ -- Freedom Feeder LARGE SMHNs

- - - - - - - Small-Mesh Webbing Hay Bag Suppliers - - - - - - - - - -

http://www.thinaircanvas.com - The Original Nibble Net

NibbleNet Picnic - has 1.5" holes & holds 4 to 5 pounds of hay

http://www.busyhorse.com/index.html - poly webbing hay bags for sale at Busyhorse.com
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General Information:

http://www.horse-sense.org/ - Jessica Jahiel answers all manner of horse-related questions. Look in the archives there.

http://www.animalbehaviour.net/HorseBehaviourManagement.htm - how stabling affects horse behavior

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ECPhotos/ - email discussion group from which hockey hay nets emerged

http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com/ - environmentally sensitive horsekeeping tips - sign up for their e-newsletter 'The Green Horse.'
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Insulin Resistance:

http://www.freil.com/~mlf/IR/ir.html - Insulin Resistance Calculator (see EquineCushings group for more details)

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/ - email discussion group with the latest info on Cushings, laminitis and IR (insulin resistance) in horses

http://www.safergrass.org/index.html - managing grass to prevent laminitis and obesity

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http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/good-hoof-photos.html - how to take good hoof photos

http://thehorseshoof.com/ - barefoot site and magazine with a comprehensive links page including natural boarding info

http://www.naturalhorsetrim.com/ - treating founder without horseshoes

http://www.healthyhoof.com/articles/natural_hoof.htm

http://naturalequinehoof.com/index_files/aboutnaturalhoofcare.htm - natural hoof care

http://nexuscenter.blogspot.com/2008/10/trimming-from-top.html - trimming from the top

http://nexuscenter.blogspot.com/ - Nexus Center blog

http://www.blue-heron-farm.com/hoofmaiden.html - Hoofmaiden Performance Barefoot (Tennessee)