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 Expert
Posts: 1482
  
Location: on my horse | http://porta-grazer.com
I stumbled across this in the depths of the internet and a curious, has anybody tried one of these before? I have a feeling one of my horses would be able to figure out how to remove the insert thing if she tried hard enough but I like the concept especially for a slow feeder type deal as I have a mare who's hay I have to soak. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | I haven't but interested to know as well.... |
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 Expert
Posts: 2604
Location: Texas | I had three of them and used them for a couple of years. I really liked them at the time. It is next to impossible for a horse to get the insert out. It has to be lined up perfectly with the notches and lifted straight out for it to come out. They are easy to fill and the horses enjoy spinning the insert and pulling at the hay. Although if you put a lot of hay in it the top fits down pretty tight and doesn't spin until they eat some out. I really don't think it slows the consumption down as much as a slow feed hay net as they can still pull pretty big mouthfuls out at a time. It does keep them from wasting hay though. All of the dust, dirt and fines end up at the bottom so you have to dump/clean them every couple of days. And they do get snot and slobber all over the inserts so they need to be scrubbed every once in a while. I had to get rid of mine because my one horse would get his head down in it and breath in all the dust and dirt. He also would pull out hay, leave it on top of the insert and then try to push it out of the bucket with his head and he ended up with hay and an actual sticker up under his eye lid. So I sold them and went to hanging, small hole, nets. |
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | This is one of my most favorite recent purchases. I have a horse that is a hog! He eats his daily allowance of hay in less than 3 hours while using another slow feeder.
I dont like the nets because my horses are shod and sometimes buck and play in the pen. Also because I prefer my horse to eat as natural as possible which is head down like grazing.
Anyhow- I watched my horse for two days- testing each hour or so how much hay he had left. The Porta-Grazer made his hay last at least 8 hours!! This is great for the digestion process. It is very durable and keeps the dust and fines trapped at the bottom. I am saving to buy 4 more.  |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | For $300....I'll make my own porta-grazer. YIKES |
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Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | hoofs_in_motion - 2015-09-18 10:23 AM
For $300....I'll make my own porta-grazer. YIKES
That's my plan lol |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| My horses would have those so torn up. I think I could give them about a week. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | If you look on Pinterest, you can easily make something that provides the same function for a fraction of the cost. |
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Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | I have one of these I am testing and like it a lot. Fines, dirt and dust migrate to the bottom, and I am happy to have to clean that out. A horse would have to be a lot tougher than mine to damage one. Triple the time to eat. All good so far for me.
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | I do not have the Porta-Grazer but did buy a slow feeder net and it has made HUGE difference with my gelding who inhales his hay normally in about 20-30 minutes. He had a horrible hay belly even when fit. In about 2 weeks with the slow feeder net he lost the hay belly and looks better than he has since he was 3 years old and his hay lasts him about an hour or more. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 600
Location: Oklahoma & Texas | I like em...i bought 3 from TBone :) ...and I see her pt on them if your hay has dust it willsettle at bottom and they will need dumped every so often...i feed hay free choice and so iI've been testing it with 3 and I like that it keeps em from wasting hay...they definitely don't waste near as much at all...and it slows em down too...and yea i don't think a horse could get the lid off either the notches have to be perfectly lined up to get the lid out and they are not the same all the way around so it only comes out a certain way...it'd be good too if you have to soak hay cause it gas a drain plug at bottom...i like the handles because I tether it to the stall so it doesn't get dumped over..i only have 1 horse who tries to knock it over but try he does lol it is pretty sturdy on its own.. doesn't rock or tip...but the handles make it easy to move and take with you...is it worth 300 a piece not really but if can find em used even better...or if you have ulcer prone horses or hay wasters then yes it probably is...i have hay wasters sooo it's gonna save me money in the long run.
edited to add..if you live in a Sandy environment and sand colic is a thing for you they'd be good too...keeps em from dropping hay on ground and eating off the ground
Edited by BBrewster 2015-09-19 11:30 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 103
| I have one and I love it.
As the previous people said, you have to dump them out every couple of days because the dust, dirt, etc. in the hay goes to the bottom. I think that's a good thing because it keeps it away from my horse for the most part.
They are actually made very durable with very good quality parts. The horse I have it for tears EVERYTHING apart, and so far this has held up well.
I think they are worth the investment. Of course you can make cheaper ones, but they aren't going to last.
I personally don't like the slow feed hay nets or bags for daily use. They are okay for here and there, but I think when they are used all the time it is hard on a horses head and neck as they don't have the horse in a natural "head down" position when they eat. JMO........ |
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