| Archive for It's About The Horse The Free Forum for those Doing Parelli - and a whole lot More! "Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful." Xenophon (430-355 B.C.), |
| Horsemama |
Slow Feed Hay System may solve many dietary issuesCheck this out! Slow Feed Hay System - if you don't have great turnout pastures Or you stall your horses part of the time. These bags are fantastic!I started using these hay bags last September and just Love Them!  We are having a terrible draught here and I can't put my horses out on the pastures or they'll just tear up the little grass we have. These bags have 2" x 2" holes that slow the horses ability to take big bites of hay, so it takes them several hours to eat a serving of hay.
Horses confined in stalls or paddocks will benefit as the hay takes much longer to pass thru the digestive track, keeps stomach acids lower for a longer time. You'll feel less guilty giving a horse thats too fat less hay because they will still have something to munch on. The horse is not bored in the stall and it Reduces Anxiety! I save on hay and the horses are busy and less stressed. It's wonderful! My Husband and I designed and have a Patend Pending on the "Stall Bag Buddy" and the "Bag Buddy". We use them in our barn and they take only seconds to fill, and I use the Bag Buddy to fill bags that I hang out in the trees in my paddocks. If you hang the bags where they swing freely, it makes it even more challenging like a big hay toy. I started just with the bags in the pasture, and now use the whole system. It is so good for the horses, and I use the bags in my trailer when I travel too. Try one to start, and you'll quickly see the benefits of Healthier Happier Horses! I sincerely hope you may find this information of use to solve some problems mentioned below. Good for soaking hay for IR horses and Horses that have issues with dust in the hay. If you vist my website I'd love feed back on what you think of it. Thanks[/img] |
||
| ElaineW |
I made my own bag,, big enough to cover my round bales..
made it for fraction of the cost to buy one.. gonna make small ones soon cut the waist down for sure and did away with the hug hay bellies.. love it! |
||
| thebundychick |
Wow! I'm interested!!
Sante's & Rebels paddock isn't that flash at the moment - I could hang these in the stall and would definately feel less guilty!! |
||
| ElaineW |
here's some photo's of the bag i made.. I will say I didn't pput the bale in the ring keeper cause my guys are barefoot and didn't get hung up init.
if you use shoes you should use a keeper, or they willget a shoe hung in it.. 
I made this myself.. should mention I commercial fish,, so netting is something I am VERY VERy fimilar with and have tons of experiance using.. |
||
| bit |
I have heard of some ugly accidents with these, especially the small ones. I love the idea. I waste so much dang hay, I could feed twice the horses on the stuff that's wasted. | ||
| Clarissa |
Especially for the Aussies
I posted links to 2 companies that sell just this type of bag in the LINKS section months ago…actually the first one I posted last year! http://itsaboutthehorse.myfastfor...Riding_Halters_etc_about5851.html |
||
| appellativo |
dont forget to check out how to make your own slow feeders at swedishhoofschool.com! | ||
| PasoBaby_CarolU |
Just a quick note on this thread, the term "SlowFeeder" is a trademark feeder and I've been contacted before about not using it, unless it is the context of their specific feeding system. So, I ask that people be clear that you are talking about just feeders that slow down a horse's feeding and not the name brand.
On a personal note, I've used the NibbleNets and the Small Mesh Hay nets. I've had three horses get wounds on their noses from the NibbleNets to the point they couldn't eat with them. So, I don't use them anymore and have gone just to the Small Mesh Hay nets. I do think they cut down on waste, but don't notice them slow the feeding down much. They learn how to get the hay out and it only slows them down a little. |
||
| karmikacres |
Word of caution to anyone using metal grids as feeders. We used them for two years with no issues, within the last few months, we have horses with damaged teeth. Needless to say, they all got changed to mesh or webbing that day...
Still looking for the best material to make the feeders out of. I had some panels made by an industrial barrier netting company that are absolutely indestructible, but also about $80 each. Found some other stuff I like, but am at a 50% destruction rate. Mike |
||
| ElaineW |
interesting thread.
i'll put my own disclaimer up,,since I put my pics on there.. I made that hay net,, I made it for less than 60 buxs (hehehehe) it's made of a commercial fishing netting. we had some popped mashes after awhile, but nothing more. my mom's horse LOVES to throw hay around and make a mess. he was pissed when he learned he could not dothat anymore with the net. with levi I noticed he didn't get a huge hay belly right off the bat.. |
||
| karmikacres |
Interesting. I will have to research that on the USPTO. I find it hard to believe that the Patent and Trademark office would issue a trademark registration for something so descriptive. I will let everyone know what I find out. Karen |
||
| karmikacres |
As suspected, there is nothing listed on USPTO using SlowFeeder. That doesn't mean that they don't have an application in but they certainly don't own the registration at this point. I am sure they are caught up in fighting office actions on the descriptive nature of the intended mark. Don't think it will ever fly.
Karen |
||
| Blue Flame |
I think I would prefer the sinking lid type designs - unless someone can tell me about any accidents being caused by them . . .
like in this old thread - http://itsaboutthehorse.myfastfor...g/viewtopic.php?t=632&start=0 |
||
| Horsemama |
Slow Feed Hay System may solve many dietary issuesI love the Small Mesh Hay Nets, we have them hanging in trees out in the pasture and from the fence line. Maybe my horses are very well behaved but we have not had any injuries (Knock on Wood) so far. Our nets are also made from netting used in crab traps, it's very strong and much better quality than most bags you'll find on the market. The smarter horses ( one part Paso ) who are particularly aggressive eaters, have gotten better at getting the hay out of the bags. It still takes them several hours to empty a bag though. I think it would take them 30-45 minutes if the hay were just thrown out on the ground. I'm going to add a bag to our website that you can put an entire bale in. Have any of you tried this? It will close with a large spring snap and sell for $34.99 our small bags that hold several flakes, a good meal size or more are on sale now for $14.99 and if you use these you really need to try a "Bag Buddy" which will hold the bag open for you while you fill it. A fantastic design my husband came up with! Please check out my Website at http:/www.TNTCustomMetalWorks.comI'd love to hear your opinions on my website, you can e-mail me directly from the site also. This is a new venture for us and I really think it's very benefical to feed this way. Thanks 
|
||
| ztmag |
If you have a really aggressive feeder, you have to be careful. Dolly has destroyed several "indestructible" feeders already. They do sort of slow her down, but she basically grabs the whole thing and yanks as hard as she can to make the hay come out faster. The Nibble Net has held up the longest so far, but I have better luck with her by tearing the hay apart and spreading it all over so she has to forage for it. | ||
| slowdownhayfeeder |
"SLOW DOWN" Hay Feeder/SoakerCarol,Thank you, so much, for your kindness in remembering our conversation about our trademark. It is however, for the term "SLOW DOWN" HAY FEEDER SOAKER. For those wishing to research it's validity it can be found here: [url] http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp[/url] to search marks: [url]http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=searchss&state=4006:f7bjbs.1.1 [/url] new search form, type in: SLOW DOWN registration number: 3543169 SLOW DOWN We know there are several who will try to duplicate the slow feeders and nets for cost savings. Please remember that most reliable commercial products are put thorough rigorous testing before placed on the open market to protect your horse and the companies. Please watch your horses carefully, as accidents with horses are common and will inevitably cost you a great deal more in the long run. Julie Turner, Healthy Feeding Systems, Inc.
|
||
| whisperingwindfarms |
Thanks for taking me back to my days as a trademark paralegal. From my research, the term "Slow Feeder" is not trademarked and I also didn't find the trademark certificate for the "Slow Down" feeder either. | ||
| slowdownhayfeeder |
Erin,
Thank you for taking the time to do a search with the US Patent Office. In reading you were unable to find our trademark, I did a search myself to ensure it was indeed still listed. Here is how I found it and it is still listed as an active trademark. http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp click " search marks" http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=4007:hd3gt2.1.1 go to " basic word search" http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.e...earchss&state=4007:hd3gt2.1.1 to "word search link" When you type in "SLOW DOWN", you will get a page listing 31 'slow down' trademark listings. Our trademark is listed as #16 with serial number: 77453165 and registration number 3543169 16 77453165 3543169 SLOW DOWN Word Mark SLOW DOWN Goods and Services IC 021. US 002 013 023 029 030 033 040 050. G & S: Horse feeders, namely, a container that allows horses to feed on dry hay or hay that has been soaked in water. FIRST USE: 20070131. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20070131 Standard Characters Claimed Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK Serial Number 77453165 Filing Date April 21, 2008 Current Filing Basis 1A Original Filing Basis 1A Published for Opposition September 23, 2008 Registration Number 3543169 Registration Date December 9, 2008 Owner (REGISTRANT) Healthy Feeding Systems, Inc. CORPORATION IOWA 32140 Panther Creek Road Adel IOWA 50003 Attorney of Record Peter Loffler Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator LIVE |
||
| whisperingwindfarms |
I see that now. Without reading the entire application though, I am unable to figure out how that prevents anyone from referring to "slow feeder" or "slow hay feeder" only "slow down" feeder which leads me to believe that no one here is in violation of the trademark unless I have missed a post. | ||
| slowdownhayfeeder |
Erin,
You are correct, just the term "slow down",you may though, have missed the post from Carol, as I was correcting her; it is not "slow feed", as she was not recalling the correct term. I knew she was referring to our conversation over a year ago referring to "slow down". No harm done. Very nice to have chatted with you! Our best to you and your horses!
Julie |