Possible Clues:

• Depression
• Feed rack
• Difficult to cross river where animals may be drinking
• Depression makes you unwell after very little time
• Hospital ignored during a long depression
• Long narrow container used to feed animals
• Difficult to pass round river that's low
• After a time, bristly snout goes in here?
• Run into difficult period when little is achieved
• Not a last a polished container - enough to go and hurt one