A slow feeder is a haynet, hay pillow or rigid container with small openings, so your horse has to pull the hay out wisp by wisp and takes longer over the same portion. Here you will find nets with 45 mm and 60/45 mm meshes, Hay Pillow hay pillows and rigid slow feeders from Hay Slow Feeder, Vplast and OK Plast.
Why eat more slowly?
A horse is built to eat small mouthfuls for many hours a day. If it gets a portion of hay twice a day that is gone quickly, it spends the rest of the time without forage. A slow feeder stretches the same amount over more hours. That is especially handy for horses on a restricted ration, horses that spend a lot of time stabled and fast eaters.
How small should the meshes be?
The smaller the mesh, the more effort each mouthful takes. The 10-kilo net with 60/45 mm is an intermediate step; the 2.5, 5 and 10 kilo nets with 45 mm slow eating down more. Do not switch straight to the smallest mesh: a horse that cannot get anything out becomes frustrated and starts pulling at the net. Start with part of the portion in the net and the rest loose, and build up over a few weeks.
Soft or rigid
- Net: light, can be hung anywhere, also available as a round bale version.
- Hay pillow: the Hay Pillow is a square pillow of slow feeder mesh that lies on the ground, in four colours.
- Rigid slow feeder: the 140-litre Hay Slow Feeder with mounting kit, the 200-litre OK Plast hay dispenser and a lid with openings for the 126 cm OK Plast ring feeder.
- Small and playful: the Hay Slow Feeder Fun & Flex, also in a carrot shape.
Note
During the first weeks, check that your horse is getting enough and that no rub marks develop around the mouth. For shod horses, a net on the ground is less suitable; a rigid feeder or a net hung high is then safer.
These slow feeders belong under stable and field. All nets together are in haynets; buckets for hard feed in feed buckets and tubs.
Frequently asked questions
Which mesh size should I choose for a pony?
Ponies are often fast eaters prone to weight gain, so 45 mm is a logical choice. Do let them get used to it gradually.
Can a slow feeder hang all day?
Yes, that is what it is designed for. Make sure there is always hay in it, so your horse is not left with an empty net for long.
Does a slow feeder work in the field too?
Yes, with the round bale net or a ring feeder with lid. That way, several horses eat more slowly from the same bale.