Annaharvey AktivStall
Choose a more natural life for your horse
By nature, horses are gregarious herd animals with a daily life that revolves around food, shelter and water. In the wild, horses are constantly on the move in search of food and water. Annaharvey AktivStall allows horses to live in a herd with exercise throughout the day offering huge advantages for their health and well-being.
Anyone who has studied equine nutrition will tell you horses are ‘trickle feeders’, with a digestive system designed to eat little and often. Annaharvey AktivStall system incorporates automated concentrate feeders and hay racks designed to spread a horse’s feed intake over the full day while still controlling and managing a particular horse’s requirements.
Advantages of the AktivStall
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Horses live in a herd which is carefully managed and allows social interaction throughout the day. The horses make friends and sort out a clear hierarchy so know their place in the herd.
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The layout of the Annaharvey AktivStall encourages horses to move around the large space throughout the day allowing exercise during all 24 hours of the day and night. This has huge advantages for their well-being and health compared to standing in a stable for long periods.
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Spending the majority of the time outdoors is obviously better for a horse’s respiratory system compared to an indoor barn or stable. It also makes sense that steryotypic behaviours are reduced.
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A large open barn with straw bedding allows an area for rest, relaxation and deep sleep.
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A large sand pit encourages horses to play, dig and roll.
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A feeding station for concentrated feeds can be tailored to suit each individual horse. Feeds can be programmed so the daily intake is spread over several feeds if required.
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Multiple hay racks are programmed to allow limited access to hay spread throughout the day and night. Selected horses that require a greater daily intake can access an area with ad lib hay to ensure body condition is maintained.
Annaharvey AktiveStall
FAQs
How does the feeding station know to feed my horse?
The horse wears a tag which is read by a computer when the horse enters the feeding station. The tag is normally on a collar worn around the horse’s neck. It is also possible to plait the tag into the mane but we find the collar works very well for most horses.
The system is programmed so each horse is treated individually. There is a choice of two different feeds which can be fed via the automated system.
How often does a horse get concentrated feed?
The system can be programmed to split the daily intake into a number of feeds. For horses that only require a small amount of hard feed each day we recommend two feeds.
For horses that require a larger volume of hard feed splitting the daily intake into more feeds ensures the horse gets the most from the daily intake without feed being pushed through the stomach too quickly. The programme can be customised to suit each individual horse.
Will my horse get fed again if it returns to the feeder again?
The feeder remains open when not in use so a horse can walk in whenever they want to - it will only feed the horse though if it is due its next feed! If it has already been fed it will not deliver any feed.
How is the intake of hay controlled?
The hay feeders can be programmed to open and close at various intervals throughout the day and night.
Closing the hay feeders for certain periods helps to prevent the greedy horses from becoming overweight while preventing hunger and digestive problems from long periods without roughage.
My horse needs access to ad lib hay - is this possible?
Yes, it is possible to allow selected horses to have access to ad lib hay!
There is a restricted area with an unlimited hay feeder which only selected horses can access. When leaving the concentrated feeding station those horses exit via a different gate into the ad lib area where they can eat as much hay as they want. They return to the herd through a one way gate when they feel the need for water, shelter or to just say ‘Hi’ to their friends!
Do the horses fight?
In a wild herd situation horses have a clear hierarchy, with some horses more dominant and others further down the pecking order. In the AktiveStall the horses do sort out pretty quickly who is the boss, and each horses learns its place in the hierarchy.
Because the horses have plenty of space to move away from more dominant horses, and they are trickle fed so never particularly hungry, they generally get along together very well. You will see the horses ‘queue’ up quite politely waiting for their turn to be fed a concentrated feed!
Can I put my horse in for a short stay?
The AktiveStall is designed to be used by horses that live together for extended periods rather than short term stays. There is an introductory period to ensure horses get along well together and it also involves training the horses to use the feeding station. For these reasons only horses that will be staying on livery at Annaharvey for long periods will be considered for the AktiveStall.
Where can the horses sleep?
There is a large open shed with straw bedding for horses to rest and sleep. In fine weather they will also lie down on the sand pit which is designed for them to have a roll and dig in.
What type of horses does the AktiveStall suit?
The AktiveStall is great for horses that have certain problems such as legs that fill up when the horse stands in a stable or a horse that gets too fresh when stabled. Horses prone to colic or ulcers caused by stress and the long periods without feed associated with traditional stabling may do much better in the Aktive Stall.
Are there any horses that the AktiveStall is not suitable for?
It may not suit horses with certain allergies. For example because they are fed hay from an automated feeder it is not possible to provide soaked hay to one individual horse. As the horses spend most of the time outdoors this system may not be suitable for horses with respiratory problems at times when the pollen count is high.