Do you know about slow feeding?
Slow feeding, or the practice of slow feeding equids, is becoming increasingly popular among horse and pony owners.
This method involves providing them with small quantities spread over a longer period, thus mimicking their natural grazing behavior. Slow feeding offers numerous health and well-being benefits for our equine companions. Firstly, slow feeding helps prevent digestive problems in equids. By offering them small amounts of hay, they are encouraged to chew longer, which promotes saliva production and aids in better food breakdown.
The hay net prevents the horse from taking large mouthfuls of hay. This way, it grabs the hay strand by strand and chews for much longer.
The Many Benefits of Slow Feeding
Slow feeding, achieved through the use of a hay net, reduces the risk of colic and other digestive disorders. Furthermore, slow feeding helps prevent excess weight in equids. By providing them with small quantities of feed at regular intervals, blood sugar spikes and cravings are avoided. This helps maintain their health and prevent the development of obesity, which can cause various issues in horses and ponies.
The practice of slow feeding, thanks to the hay net, also promotes mental engagement for equids. By allowing them to graze longer, they are encouraged to explore their environment and keep their minds occupied. This reduces the risk of boredom and undesirable behaviors such as cribbing.
Moreover, slow feeding allows for mimicking the natural diet of equids living in the wild. In their natural environment, horses and ponies spend a large part of their time grazing on small portions of grass throughout the day. By offering them a slow hay distribution system using a hay net, this ad libitum feeding is reproduced, and their natural needs are met.
Slow feeding therefore helps prevent boredom, overeating, digestive problems, and destructive behaviors in horses.
Here’s how to practice slow feeding for equids:
– Use hay nets: Hay nets significantly reduce the animal’s feeding speed. They can be attached in the paddock or in a shelter. We offer different mesh sizes, the choice of size allows you to control the feeding speed.
– Provide free-choice grass: If possible, allow horses to graze all day. Fresh grass is a natural food source and promotes grazing behavior.
The slow feeding technique allows for simulating their natural diet by reducing the speed at which they eat their hay.
To facilitate this method, many owners use a specially designed hay net. This net features appropriately sized mesh that limits access to food, thus forcing the animal to take its time eating.
In addition to extending meal duration, slow feeding with a hay net prevents hay waste and addresses issues of overweight and digestion in horses. It’s a simple and effective solution to ensure a balanced diet for our herbivorous companions.