Lyme disease inspired an easier way to feed hay

Master and I were both bitten by ticks carrying Lyme disease.

I’d been living my childhood dream of having horses for over 20 years, but in 2010, I was hospitalized, couldn’t walk and was unable to care for them for months. I was bitten by a tick in 2009 and diagnosed with Lyme Disease a year and half later. 
Tumble Feeder was invented when I eventually got back on my feet. I regained some strength, but not a lot of staying power. The lingering Lyme symptoms inspired me to find an easier way to feed hay.
Lyme bacteria spirals into tissues and the inflammation can cause widespread arthritis, neurological and often cardiac symptoms. This creates a lack of energy and the stamina needed for barn chores and some days I still can’t do all of it. Tumble Feeder makes it possible for me to feed with much less work.

Saves me money, hay, mess and effort!

There is a lot LESS mess to clean up in stalls and outside. This is a big bonus, since I don’t have a tractor,
The cost savings with less hay wasted has helped a lot, since trying to find somehow to get well has been a financial hardship. I do have fewer horses now and can’t do as much with them as I used to.
Sometimes people (who don’t know me that well) ask why I still keep them. Having horses gets me out of bed in the morning and has inspired and motivated me when I needed it the most. They are like family to me. All born here except the stallion.

Easy to appreciate movement

One weekend, I was home on a pass from the hospital, just after an MRI showed lesions on my brain indicative of Lyme or MS. I could see the horses out the window, but could not make it to the barn. I remember thinking, I’m not giving up on the dream.

I know the horses are the main reason I’m able to do more than many who have Lyme.

Time spent on the neuro floor at the hospital gave me a whole new appreciation for movement and mobility. It’s amazing how quickly people adapt and innovate to find new ways of doing things.

Thanks to family and friends

I can’t begin to adequately express how much I appreciate my family and close friends for their love and support.  Without it I would have not been able to keep my horses. They provided the needed daily care for me and the horses until I was able to manage on my own again. Special thanks to a friend with the skills to help me file a proper patent and move forward with this invention.

Equine Lyme Neuroborreliosis

My horse Master was bitten in 2011 and by 2012 had the similar neurological and cardiac symptoms to my own. He had a resting heart rate of 180 bpm – while tranquilized!

One day I noticed he wasn’t swishing flies like the other horses and then he was having trouble swallowing. He stopped eating much and within days he could hardly walk. Then he was down a lot and had a hard time getting up. You can see in the video how his muscles would twitch in fatigue. These are advanced symptoms. Early symptoms are usually more subtle. It took about the same time for him to get back on his feet as it did for me and he seems fine now, but then so do I.  If only horses could talk, he might say otherwise, but I hope he’s truly well.
This article in thehorse.com describes a study on Neurological Lyme Disease in horses.  If you suspect your horse has Lyme, call your vet and also check out Dr. Joyce Harman’s site and webinar on Equine Lyme.
Lyme bacteria are spiral shaped – the fact that I have CURLY horses with SPIRAL manes and tails and get infected, by a such a bacteria, is one of life’s little ironies. 

Sterling Silver-Curly-stallion

Crowdfunding – what’s that?

In order to bring it to market, I’d love your help with a crowd funding campaign on Kickstarter. Soon, you will be able to “pre-order” a feeder at a discount or just help me spread the word about it.
Crowdfunding not only provides the money up front, but also the lead time to be sure you can fill the orders in a timely fashion.  It also allows you to buy materials in bulk, which makes the feeders at a more affordable price for you. Getting bulk discounts on shipping is also key. The more people that sign up and share, the faster I can get this Tumble Feeder rolling your way!
Other horse products have been successfully crowdfunded. Like a high tech girth that sends feedback to your phone. Also a horse camping book and even a removable horse shoe was crowdfunding right now! They exceeded their $100,000 goal.  What makes crowdfunding successful is getting the word out about new products and ideas.

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Kickstarter

Crowdfunding NOW on Kickstarter!
Click here.

When a donut is healthy for your horse!

Before I heard about crowdfunding, I did not have the resources or the energy to bring it to market. Up until I filed my patent, only a handful of people ever saw one. My first prototype is 4 years old and still in use.  Last year I came up with a stall size and it cut my work in half!

The first person to own a Tumble Feeder, used it for one day and wanted another.

I was going to bootstrap the idea, but I didn’t want to get more orders than I could promptly fill. Now I have sourced the materials, have a production and packing crew lined up and will be ready to go soon with your support.

Any profit I make from selling the feeders will help further my recovery.  I also have other feeder models and accessories I’d like to develop and bring to market, including a round bale model.

Click here for a sneak peak at some of the features!

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