Benefits of an Aussie Grazers Hay NetUpdated 5 months ago

Our range of Horse slow feeding products will help you save hay whilst also improving your horse's health.

The 4 main advantages of slow feeding your horses include:

1. Save on Hay Wastage: Minimise hay wastage by up to 50%
2. Reduce boredom by providing enrichment and stimulation for your horses
3. Provide many health benefits for conditions such as Colic, choke and stable vices
4. Ideal for Weight management and great for Laminitic horses

Depending on what your reason for commencing Slow Feeding is, we offer different hole sizes which provide their own unique benefits:

If saving on wastage is your primary concern, then 4cm or 6cm is ideal.

If you are wanting to regulate your animals consumption, reduce boredom and save on wastage then 4cm is the most popular and ideal option.

If you are specifically wanting to slow your animal down, reduce boredom and they have some experience with slow feeders, then the 3cm or 2cm would be your best option.

Some of the many other benefits of slow feeding include:

• Reduces hay wastage from being blown away, trampling mud, etc therefore saving money.
• Simulates grazing for physical and mental health - horses are supposed to eat 18-20 hours a day.
• Reduces boredom by extending feeding time.
• Allows rate of hay consumption to slow down - closer replicating grazing.
• Reduces incidence of choke by stopping gorging, and only allowing a few strands of hay to be eaten at once.
• Recommended by vets to help with obesity, colic, insulin resistance, ulcers and stall vices.
• Happier, healthier horses that are less aggressive towards their mates as they always have something to eat, particularly if they are on a dirt lot, paddock paradise track, stabled or yarded.
• Great for laminitic, IR etc horses as there is no insulin spike if they have hay available all the time. Allows free choice/low carbohydrate hay access all the time. Pasture/Meadow hay is usually the best (but not ryegrass and/or clover hay as these are generally too high in sugar.)
• Net types of slow feeders are able to hang anywhere, safe, durable and easy to fill.
• As the net holes are smaller, the net can be secured low for natural grazing position. Don’t tie low for shod horses or horses with untrimmed/sharp edges on their hooves

Slow feeding is to, by use of some mechanical device (usually a restricting feeder); make it impossible for the horse to fill his mouth with hay. By slowing down the eating pace the same amount of hay will last longer and therefore will keep the horse occupied and stimulated for a longer period of time. It basically replicates grazing but in a controlled manner. It also allows you to control the sugar levels in your horses' diet and the quantity fed by eliminating insulin spikes. A free roaming horse spends most of his waking hours searching for food. Since horses only sleep about 4 hours per day and seldom for longer periods than about 20 minutes, food is their main focus for about 18-20 hours a day. Many traditionally kept horses are still being fed 2-3 (or maybe 4) times per day and often more than they will eat in an hour or two each time.

Slow feeding your horse allows them to eat for longer periods of time, without feeding them more.