Feed bowls

[chunky monkey]

I've got a couple of those rubber feed bowls but when ever I put it down to feed them the first thing Billy does is put his foot in it and over the floor it goes. Anyone elses horse do this.
Do you think it's because they don't like eating out the bowl, some kind of frustration or is it just a horses way. I sometimes think I would be better just to tip it straight on the floor in the first place. He didn't use to do this and will lick the bowl clean after eating the food off the floor.
Just wondering if it was lifted up off the floor would this get him out the habit. Thinking of standing say three tyres on top of one another. I've got one of those bowls you can mount in the tyre. Maybe I will try this. He used to mouth a water bucket if you left it stood lose in the field over went the water. I put it in a tyre and he stopped that habit. Maybe it will work with him pouring the bowl.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Mattie uses the big wide rubber bowls too and he always, always, always uses his nose to push it over. I've tried putting it inside a tyre, he still does it.

Ziggy uses a tubtrug, which is taller and narrower. He never knocks it over, but Mattie prefers his flat bowl and spilling it. It drives me bonkers!

 

[Flipo's Mum]

Flipos fieldmate does this. Her feed can be quite stuck together by the time I go to feed at night as it’s been sitting since her owner made it up in the morning. I thought it had compacted down and so give it a good shake to dislodge but the horse still ends up with feed all over her face and the bucket tipped on the ground. I wondered if she had teeth issues or could just be plain greedy and can’t get it in fast enough?! Apparently not teeth, so maybe it’s type of feed. Can’t see her doing this with the type of more sludgy feed I give my horse (fast fibre and sugar beet with some chaff mixed through). Maybe it’s because it’s drier? (Thinking out loud sorry!)

 

[mystiquemalaika]

Some horses just seem to like to do this, 2 of the 4 at work put it all over the floor out of buckets, mine dont except sometimes Rhan when she is digging for a carrot. I have tyres out in the field with tyre feed bowls in and they have never knocked them over. I have the same for the horses at work and 1 out of the 4 still knocks that over so i think some just prefer to have it all over

 

[newforest]

It is natural for horses to paw maybe he just likes his food and is pawing?
Mine has a rubber tyre bowl. Without fail she picks up the edge and holds it, then licks round the handle.
Just does.

 

[Jessey]

Hank used to do this a lot, with our sandy soil it can be a major problem (sand colic is a very real risk and he had 1 bout about 6 months after I got him) so I have had to discourage it and he rarely does it now

 

[Trewsers]

That sounds like a good idea placing it in a tyre. Zi doesn't knock his over but he does enjoy every last scrap and will carefully lick and nibble his way around the entire bowl once empty and then either hand it back to me, or hurl it over the fence at Storm (don't really think he is aiming at her, he just likes chucking it about)

 

[Lissie]

I think I must be mean, mine doesn't even have a feed bowl, she gets no feed! Hay and grass only.

I have seen horses do this though, maybe it's something to do with their nature?

 

[newforest]

I think I must be mean, mine doesn't even have a feed bowl, she gets no feed! Hay and grass only.

I have seen horses do this though, maybe it's something to do with their nature?

If they don't need it, don't feed it.
Mine isn't actually fed either, it's a banana that her DC goes with. No hard feed.

 

[newforest]

Here you are, on cue.
Handle nibbler.