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Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition

   Welcome to my forum. 

Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information. 

Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you. 

Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought

I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.

And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.  

 

All the best,

 Dr. Getty 

 



Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

Hi Judy,

Excellent suggestion and it is delightful to read how well your horses are doing.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

judy
Hi Alice,

I would also recommend a slow feeder such as the freedom feeder,i have been using them for about 8 months now and love them,i have three horses and they didnt do good with the free feeding with out the nets,i can now load up the nets and they have learned that they can come and go as they please and the hay is always there,i put in a normal days amount and it takes them 24 hrs to finish and some times they still have hay left over.They also prefer the hay in the nets instead of the hay on the ground.Hope you will try one, you and your horses will love them
I ordered mine from www.forevernaturalequine.com

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

Judy I wanted to thank you as I got a "Freedom Net" for Libby and it is working great. The nice thing about is that it holds enough for a full 24-30 hours. It really cuts down on trips to the barn. As this mare is such an aggressive eater I am glad I went through 3 other nets with progressivly smaller holes. Had I went with the Freedom Net at first....I think she would have had fits! I'm going to get one for my other two but they should be easy to transition over as they are not the pigs that Libby is Thanks again!

Where are you from? Nevada

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

ALICE

You are welcome! I have loved my Freedom Feeders so much i have become a distributor.

Thank you Dr Getty for helping people understand how inportant it is to free feed horses.

Where are you from? calif

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

Hi Alice,

As with any slow feeding system, it is important to gradually allow the horse to become adjusted to it. If introduced all at once, it can cause frustration, which can defeat the purpose (leads to cortisol release, which leads to fat storage). So you are to be commended for taking your time with this.

Best regards,

Dr. Getty


Alice
Judy I wanted to thank you as I got a "Freedom Net" for Libby and it is working great. The nice thing about is that it holds enough for a full 24-30 hours. It really cuts down on trips to the barn. As this mare is such an aggressive eater I am glad I went through 3 other nets with progressivly smaller holes. Had I went with the Freedom Net at first....I think she would have had fits! I'm going to get one for my other two but they should be easy to transition over as they are not the pigs that Libby is Thanks again!

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

Hi Judy,

Fabulous! I have heard many good things about your product.

Dr. Getty

judy
ALICE

You are welcome! I have loved my Freedom Feeders so much i have become a distributor.

Thank you Dr Getty for helping people understand how inportant it is to free feed horses.

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

I use three very large hay nets made of cargo netting (each can hold a bale) with holes about 1.5 inches big. My three LOVE them. I am also going to get some smaller ones to use around the track, just to keep them from camping at the larger nets. I LOVE my hay nets and thoroughly recommend them. However, Dr. Getty is right - they should never be empty. Occasionally one of mine will have hay in it they like better and that net will be eaten all up, but the other two will still have hay in them. I have done 24/7 hay since I have owned horses (3 yrs now) and they are so calm and relaxed (except when they choose to play). I waste less hay (doesn't blow away or get stepped all over) Also, I find that the horses maintain their weight, or in the case of my really old guy, actually keep weight ON a little better. I believe when Summit (the old fellow) has to work at eating and s l o w s down, he gets better nutrition and better digestion (same thing). I would never feed my horses any other way now. :o)

Where are you from? New York

How did you locate this forum? Dr. Getty told me.

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

YES!!!I know what you mean about them being calmer. I feel guilty I had not thought of this before....especially since we do not have big pastures here (like when I was growing up in the Midwest)and the horses are kept in a dry corral. For the good of the horses, I hope this method really catches on.

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

My guys also live on a Paddock Paradise (track) system. I have found that this really improves how much they move around. It can be built on very small or really large areas and either way helps the horses to move a whole lot more. Check this web site out for more info...http://successful-natural-horsecare.com/natural-living/paddock-paradise-grazing/

Where are you from? New York

How did you locate this forum? Dr. Getty told me.

Re: Feeding free choice and self regulating

Hi Jane and Alice,

It is so wonderful to have you both discuss the benefits of allowing horses to simply be horses -- they are innately designed to graze all of the time. Everyone has a different set up so it takes some creativity and the Paddock Paradise is an excellent choice. It allows for movement in a relatively small space.

Thank you and keep spreading the concept to others. It is really not at all new -- it's the way horses have lived for millions of years.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Jane Ames
My guys also live on a Paddock Paradise (track) system. I have found that this really improves how much they move around. It can be built on very small or really large areas and either way helps the horses to move a whole lot more. Check this web site out for more info...http://successful-natural-horsecare.com/natural-living/paddock-paradise-grazing/

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO