Slow feeders seem to be the latest trend in the horse industry. There are several varations all made with the goal in mind to slowly distribute hay to your horse. The idea behind the concept is horses were meant to be out in nature grazing all day long. Humans have kept horses in kept captivity and changed the way the eat, by feeding them large quanities twice a day where they tend to be quickly consumed.
Some feel horses who feed off a slow feeder have better digestion, since the hay isn't gobbled up all at once in a single feeding and instead, it is munched on slowly. Some research shows that this can benefit your horse's overall health and keep them actively chewing and passing through food slower, which will provide a closer match with what they might be doing if they were out in nature.
Pros:
Cons:
Premium Alfalfa hay is excellent for haybags as it can tend to flake off and tiny peices get spread out on the ground. With slow feed haybags, you can manage the waste. Also the barrel type of slow feeders work well for feeding alfalfa hay for the same reason, less mess and less waste.
Some feel horses who feed off a slow feeder have better digestion, since the hay isn't gobbled up all at once in a single feeding and instead, it is munched on slowly. Some research shows that this can benefit your horse's overall health and keep them actively chewing and passing through food slower, which will provide a closer match with what they might be doing if they were out in nature.
Pros:
- Slow hay feeders can offer your horse a meal where they aren't consuming it too quickly.
- If they have premium alfalfa hay as their main diet, feeding through a slow feeder it can be less messy if the slow feeder is a bag or a bin and yeild less waste.
- Slow hay feeders can prevent your horse from eating off the dirt and sand which can lesson the likelyhood of sand colic
Cons:
- Slow hay feeders can frustrate horses who aren't used to them, so you will need to introduce it slowly to them and offer free feed as well on the ground. If you are feeding large stemmed alfafla hay, hay bags can be extra frustrating since the large stems might be hard for the horse to pull through the holes in the bags.
- Slow hay feeders can rub on a horse's mouth if they are tough nylon or plastic. Be sure to check your horse's teeth and gums to make sure it isn't causing a problem.
- Slow hay feeders - especially hay bag types that aren't tied down to anything can get moved out of a horse's reach if the horse pushes it out under the fence - so monitor your horse and make sure it is staying with-in reach of your horse in their paddock or pasture.
Premium Alfalfa hay is excellent for haybags as it can tend to flake off and tiny peices get spread out on the ground. With slow feed haybags, you can manage the waste. Also the barrel type of slow feeders work well for feeding alfalfa hay for the same reason, less mess and less waste.