The Best Way to Feed Hay to Horses

1. The Best Way to Feed Hay to Horses! The basis of horse health is proper premier equine nutrition and feeding practices. Equestrians know that feeding horses by mimicking a horse's natural way of eating as a grazer is better for their brains and their bodies. These slow feeding principles apply to feeding hay and concentrated foods. Grain feeders can also be slow feeders! Why use slow hay feeders for horses Slow feeding your horse lets his digestive track work all of the time. He can get his daily amount of hay, and spend a lot more time eating. Smaller bites spread out over time encourage his stomach acids to digest food and not create ulcers. Slow feeding will also reduce the hay waste at your farm, and your square bales and large round bales will last longer. There's also the added bonus of your horse not eating as much sand. All of the horse farm residents can benefit as well! Small animals like mini horses, goats, and sheep can use goat hay feeders to reduce waste, and larger creatures like alpacas and cows can share the hay feeder for horses. The best slow feeders for your barn Your selection of slow feeders should match how you buy your grass hay! Hay is baled in lots of sizes, from small square bales to large round hay bales. You can find slow feed hay nets for feeding a few flakes, to horse hay feeders that hold an entire bale of hay. Round bale feeders hold even the largest of bales of hay. Your hay feeder choice is also dependent on your facility. For horses that eat in the horse barn or sheds, hay nets are easy to hang and can be brought to shows. If you prefer to have a hay rack that's more permanent, wall hay feeders, hay baskets, or mangers are options as well. In the paddocks, outdoor hay feeders save you money! You can DIY and make a hay saver system. Fancy taking apart some wooden pallets and doing some sanding? Or, use a slow feed hay bag for entire bales of hay. It's best to keep them in a large tub, this keeps the bales cleaner, free of sand, and will also reduce wasted hay. It's easy to keep this hay dry by popping your system in a shed. Another bale feeder for horses style is a grid placed around the bale. Horses need to eat in the gaps. For large bales and round bales, hay nets are available in larger sizes! Heavy-duty bale

2. hay feeders are typically just a ring to hold round bale hay in place, without acting as a slow feeder. By implementing a slow feeding situation, it's easy to save money with less hay waste. Many simple hay nets can double at hay totes around horse shows and during travel. This is a win-win for horse owners and their barnyard animals!