Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
The Freedom Feeder is still working well, although Sydney has started to outsmart us a bit. He's learned how to avoid using his remarkable prehensile lips by instead wildly shaking the FF to dispense his hay. Yes, that's right. He grabs the bag and shakes it violently until hay rains down into the feeder. He then nibbles and eats until it's gone. Once he has shaken most of the hay loose, and I have no idea how long that takes, he then proceeds to shimmy and scoot the feed tub around his stall until it too is empty. In an effort to foil his shake and rain routine, we have made some modifications to how the Freedom Feeder hangs. I looped the top edge of the net around the top rail so that it clips back onto itself. This eliminated the gaps. RM also tied the opening to the next rail to make an open slot for sliding in flakes of hay. It also makes the net slightly harder to shake. And finally, the bottom of the net is tied to the fourth rail. Here's a photo. Nikki, a reader who has used the Freedom Feeder, shared this experience with me, "The other mare, who has historically not been a huge food hound, got a good-sized sore on her upper lip from reaching thru and pulling at the hay.... it took a couple of days for it to show up, but was about quarter-size when I noticed it, and obviously quite tender." Hmmm ... something to keep in mind. So far I haven't noticed anything, but I will certainly keep an eye open. Thanks for sharing, Nikki.
martina peterson
3/2/2012 12:55:54 am
so the saga continues. Instead of "days of our lives" it is "days of the feeder drama' Sidney seems like a Houdini!!
Karen
3/2/2012 11:46:56 pm
He just might be that, Mom!
Val
3/2/2012 04:38:44 am
Harley and his buddy used to pick up the ground version of your feeder and toss it so hay would fall out. Problem-solving is not just for the apes!
Karen
3/2/2012 11:47:30 pm
That is the truth, Val! They are very clever animals. :0) Comments are closed.
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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