Secondly, horses may ingest sand, giving them colic. Or they might bite into rocks, cracking a tooth. You might use a feed trough. But then the dominant horses take a bite of feed and chase away the more timid horses. Another problem is that sharp corners on troughs can cause injuries to horses.
Some owners place feed containers on the ground.
Probably the safest are rubber tubs. If a horse steps in one, the animal isn't injured. But metal tubs, and some plastic ones, may break, causing an injury. Researchers at the University of Kentucky did a study and learned that placing feed tubs 12-24 feet apart worked best. A greater distance wouldn't be as efficient.