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Large Freedom Feeder I bought one of your large Freedom Feeders at the Sacramento Expo. I absolutely love it. My horse wasted so much hay before switching to the FF. I had a few problems rigging it up in my barn. I solved the problem by putting chains around two posts and using very heavy duty carabiners from OSH to attach the black strings to the chains. My horse was sticking his nose up between the caribiners on the FF and bent 2 of them. I solved that problem by using the 2 light weight carabiners it came with on the sides and 2 very heavy duty carabiners on the front. I thought I had all the issues solved. He's been really happy having feed in front of him all the time and it keeps him busy. Today I discovered he'd chewed a large hole in the front of the feeder. I guess he got a little too busy.
Hi Chris,
Make sure you repair that hole asap so he doesn't get rewarded for chewing a hole in the net. You can turn it over so he's working on the other side also. Remember, if you can make sure to keep low sugar hay, such as bermuda, in the FF he won't be working at making holes trying to find where the hay went.
Melissa, MFG
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Installation Love the feeder. I have a pipe corral at a boarding facility; so it took a few tries to get it installed well enough. I had to tie the bottom of the feeder to the bottom rung and now it has ripped near where I tied it. She is not shod, but I am thinking I will need to put a tub below anyway. Now to figure out how to keep her from flipping it over the fence if there is a tub there....Anyway - even with these little issues I do love the net. She had an impaction recently and I love being able to slow down the feeding to keep her digesting all day!! Some more videos and tips on installation might have saved me some false starts. I hate re-inventing the wheel!!
Hello Ann,
Thank you for your testimonial. The instructions that come with the feeders indicate to not tie the bottom down tightly as it gives the horses something to pull against. That is why your horse pulled a hole in it. Towards the bottom of the net page there is a photo of a loop which can be used to tie the bottom LOOSELY which will prevent the horses from flipping it over. I am available at Info@FreedomFeeder.com if you have any other questions.
Melissa Auman, MFG.
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Freedom Feeder I really love this idea. I bought the FF at the Pomona Equine Affaire in Feburary. My horses have a better attitude and are more relaxed. I have had a couple problems though. The black strings that come with the net broke within a month. The clips started braking within a month as well. And now two out of the three nets I bought have holes (big holes) in the front where the horses do most their eating. Now they have free access. Also where the black string was the net broke as well. Great idea but doesn't last long enough, I don't want to go back but I can't afford to replace them that often.
Mitch,
Thank you for your testimonial. Since I don't have an email address to communicate with you, please contact me at Info@FreedomFeeder.com and send me a photo of your nets. I will work out a replacement program for you. I am very curious about the black strings breaking as I have never had this issue before. During the transition period, if a horse breaks through the net it is very important to close the hole as quickly as possible so they aren't rewarded for bad behavior.
Melissa Auman, MFG
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Feeders I bought two Freedom Feeders at the Sacramento Horse Expo for my two glucose-intolerant horses who can have only limited pasture during the spring/early summer--and they work fabulously. We transitioned the horses from trough feeding to the feeders, and I believe they actually prefer the feeders. I've noticed that it keeps them occupied and relieves the boredom of their stall time. I'm very happy with this product. |
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hay feeders thank you for a great product. I have been using the hay feeders for a few weeks now, and I love knowing they always have something to nibble on. the hay consumption is up a bit, but they have slowed down in the last few days, and I think they will even more. I have ordered more and will put a few more up in different places so they move around. they are easy to fill and hold quite a bit. The waste is minimal. I have noticed also my older horse quidding a lot less when using the freedom feeder. Their manure seems lighter and of a good texture. A boarder's horse, who is insulin resistant, seems to be doing fine so far. |
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RE: Usage Hi Debbie
Your horses may not have been getting enough forage before. Based on the standard of 2% of body weight of forage. If your horses are the typical 1000# animals, they should be getting around 20# per day of forage which is what they are now eating. Reduce other protein feeds (ie alfalfa, sr feeds etc) as you are replacing those with more forage which does have protein also.
How long the horses take to transition depends on the horse's mentality and how hungry they have been. I have seen anywhere from a week to 2 months. It could just be a matter of letting the novelty of eating from the bags run out until they settle in. Remember, they will get hay bellies at first until they are fully satiated then they will start to self-regulate. You may consider getting a second bag to encourage movement and reduce any perceived competition for your piggy mare. However, definitely keep an eye on the thyroid horse and make sure that her feet aren't allowed to get too long as that adds to any potential for laminitis.
Some people with suuuper easy keeper horses just use the bags to slow the horses down with the same portions they were eating before. You may find that putting the feed into the bags allows one meal to last until the next then you can put the day's ration into the bag at one time instead of feeding several meals.
I would tend to give it at least 3 weeks to see if they slow down before worrying too much. |
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Usage I just got a large net at the Horse Expo and have been using for 5 days. I have one horse who has adjusted well, the other one doesn't ever leave the net (and I mean never, stands in poop and only leaves to get water). I don't think she's seen much daylight since I put it in. My hay consumption has almost doubled from 32#'s for two horses to 40-50# daily. Has anyone else had this problem? Do they ever slow down? I'm going to give it a week, then go back to their regular feeding twice a day, but still using the net. I do like the way it slows them down. My piggy mare has a thyroid deficiency, so I was really hoping it would work for her, she has a tendency for mild laminitis so I need to be careful. They are both Morgans and easy keepers and I'm afraid they're going to explode! Any suggestions? I'd really like to be able to free feed and so far the net hasn't been empty. Thank you. |
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Freedom Feeders I am using the Freedom Feeder hay nets for almost three months now. The change in my horses attitudes is awsome, no more "dinner" anxiety, no more racing to the fence, no more waste. I have been very successful with the transition from regular hay nets to the freedom feeders, now the hay consumption is back to normal, but the horses are happier and healthier. |
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Longer Lasting Meal Time This small mesh hay net is awesome! Horse likes the idea of more hay while I don't have to worry about his scarfing the whole thing down in 12 minutes from a feed tub. With a tub underneath, he can periodically clean up the scraps from the bag. |
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Sonny's a happy camper My horse Sonny is so much happier just nibbling away from his Freedom Feeder. He's still Sonny but in a much better mood. He's healthier and I'm not worried about colic. |
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Small Nets worked for Mini Mr. Piggy Donkey I ordered the small ones for my miniature donkeys. They are renown for getting fat very fast (as a breed). One of my mine is mr. piggy. He takes huge bites and snarfs his orchard grass so he gets more. I was very reluctant about leaving hay available 24/7 but so far so good. I keep the bags full and it took about 3 days for him to leave the bags or at least go out of sight. Now,2 weeks later, they both stroll all over there their paddock and visit the bags off and on. So far can't see a weight gain. So for your prospective mini donkey people I would give a thumbs up. |
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Better than Busy Buffet and Nibbler! I ordered two of these nets and LOVE them! I've used both the Busy Buffet and the Nibbler for the last several years and I like these bags even better. You can really load them up and it takes the horses forever to eat the hay.
Highly recommended. |
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Re: Surviving the Wild Mustang Hi Amanda, Thanks for your post. You can use some 3/16" nylon rope from Home Depot to weave the hole closed. You might want to hang the net that your mustang has access to where the top is higher than his reach. Another trick is to put a large feed tub under the bag so he can still graze with his head at a natural level but can't get busy feet near the bags. |
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Surviving the Wild Mustang!! I absolutely love the feeders. I bought 2 of them. One for my 8 yr old Arabian and 1 for my 18 month old BLM mustang. I feed them Orchard grass out of it and it definitely saves you the time of getting up at the crack of dawn to feed them.
However, today the Mustang decided to use the net as a stand even though I have it off the ground at the top of the piped fence as the pictures show on the website. When she did her circus act she put her foot right though it.
What can I use to fix the hole that would be the same quality material as what it was built out of? I don't want to use somet weak such as twine that will just break through the hole as I know she'll test it again. |
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I use my feeder at a boarding stable and love it! Just wanted to say I totally love my Freedom Feeder. I think it's fabulous, because I've always wanted to keep my easy keeper Haflinger gelding eating for longer periods of time. The problem I'd always run into was because I am keeping him at a boarding stable, I needed something that was easy for the people who feed AM and PM to put the hay into. I'm glad I found the Freedom Feeder because it works out great. My pony is able to eat for a longer period of time, and I'll often get to the barn in the afternoon, and he's still eating from breakfast. It's helped his personality so much, he doesn't dive for grass very often anymore so it makes handwalking him more fun. And he's doing great health-wise (his poop is so much better because he's got more fiber and roughage going through his system constantly.) He looks much slimmer (less bloated) than before, and I hope to see him lose some weight this spring and summer once I can consistently ride him again (Southern California's gotten loads of rain!) We've started a trend, because the pony mare next to him has a Freedom Feeder now too because of us, and the horse next to her has a regular haynet (but if it works out, that owner said she'd probably get a Freedom Feeder too.) |
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Love my FF Thank you soooooooooo much for an affordable, tough and perfectly sized hay net. I’ve had mine a week now and it’s doing its job perfectly! My mare (AKA The Equine Vacuum….LOL) now has her hay last all night and all day, with a bit of leftover. Usually a bale would be inhaled in about 4 hours and then she’d be starving. |
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Using FF on the ground I've been using my Freedom Feeder as a giant hay pillow for the last 6 weeks with great success. The only problem will be mud season but I hope to set up rubber mats under the FF then. I changed the closure to a single shackle bolt. It's not very husband-friendly as it takes some time and careful attention to thread the bolt through enough of the netting to make it safe (I usually thread every fourth square - my horses are also barefoot) but it really works and I like the ability to fill the net with a whole bale. |
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Freedom Feeders put a smile on my horses I have only been using these feeders for 3 days, but already my horses are eating less and are happier. They work great. I give my horses each a slice of hay to chew on while I refill their bags, so when they move to the bags, they are not too frustrated over the slow feeding. I have put each of my bags in a ground feeder that has a bottom in it, so the hay stays pretty clean. I have had to figure out how to keep the bags in the feeder, because they want to throw them around their pen. I finally settled on a great big carabiner attached to twine tied thru the drain holes in the bottom of the feeder. That seems to work. |
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THEY ARE GREAT! Just wanted to let you know that the nets are a hit with us and the horses. They prefer the nets over ground fed hay. And no waste! Product of the year for us! |
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