Horse Feed Stall Fixes for Pony Club Events

By Melissa Dabadie, Chief Horse Management Judge (CHMJ)

The purpose of the feed stall is to keep your team feed in a neat, tidy, and secure location so that anyone walking into your feed room would be able to figure out how to feed your pony.

1. Be as detailed as possible on your feed chart. It is much easier to find “5 lbs Teff grass hay” than “5 lbs hay.”
2. All hay must be clearly labeled in the feed stall or feed trailer. A sign can be on the wall above your hay bale or written on a piece of tape wrapped around the hay string itself, but it must be obvious and easily found.
3. Keep hay neat and tidy somehow. Tie it up, put it in a hay bag, or pre-package it. Use your broom to sweep up dropped feed.
4. If you pre-package your grain, stack your feed so that the first feeding is on top (Friday p.m.) and the last at the bottom (Sunday p.m.). Label it with your pony’s name and when to feed it. “Zelda: Saturday a.m.”
5. The feed must be secured from most animals. This means not just horses, but dogs, raccoons, opossums, mice, and rats. You can use a metal trash can, plastic footlocker, or other non-airtight, firm-sided container with a tight secure-fitting lid/safety latch.
6. Make sure your feed room is labeled with your team’s competitor numbers.

For more information on feed stall setup, see the USPC Horse Management Handbook and Competition Rules, Section III: Chapter 10, Articles 90-95.