Following are 7 helpful tips and realistic expectations to consider when using any brand of slow feeder or small mesh hay net. This is valuable information whether you currently use slow feeders or are debating to try them!

​Slow feeders and slow feed hay nets offer numerous benefits for our beloved horses, donkeys, mules and their barnyard buddies. As with any device, there are potential risks (including, but not limited to, damage to teeth, gums and lips and entanglement). The vast majority of incidents are preventable. Read on to learn general safety measures to follow when choosing and using your slow feeders.  

​Many of us make the switch to slow feeding with good intentions – whether it's to introduce the benefits of trickle feeding, minimize hay waste, or to manage weight. Whether your companions are new to slow feeding or you want to introduce smaller mesh sizes, we have tips and techniques to ease the transition.
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My quest to offer slow fed free choice forage began in 2008 because I had an insulin-resistant mare, Lily, that I was determined to keep happy and healthy. While researching and learning the importance of slow feeding, and eating from ground level, I could not find a slow feeder to purchase that was 1) safe, and 2) slowed down my horse’s consumption rate enough. In addition, ease of “loading” and the weight of the feeder became key challenges. And so began my 4 year experimental journey of creating a slow feeder that met my needs.

During that time I bought, designed, built and prototyped a variety of slow feeders and slow feed hay bags for my and Lily's use. Following are the pros and cons I discovered while experimenting with my own version of each slow feeder type: hard-sided, webbing mesh, and netting.

Are your activities scheduled around - and limited by - your feeding schedule? Are you feeding multiple times throughout the day and night? If so, consider yourself a prisoner of feeding (POF)! 

Is there a way to free yourself? Absolutely! You will be happier and your herd will love you for it. More relaxed herd = more relaxed guardians and vice versa. 

For most of us, we become a POF because we don't want our beloved equines to be overweight or without forage for an extended period of time. And so the multiple feedings begin! I too was a POF: getting up early to feed in the morning, making sure I was home to feed lunch, and feeding late in the evening hours (horses only sleep 3-4 hours throughout a 24 hour period). 
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The vicious cycle of meal fed, hungry hoovers can be remedied. We feed meals due to convenience or concerns about a horse's weight - and rightfully so. Obesity promotes inflammation and a host of other health challenges. However, meals restrict access to forage, which presents its own adverse effects - both mentally and physically. In this post, we'll discuss alternative approaches to feeding that can lead to happier, healthier horses and less stress at feeding time.

​Take advantage of the least palatable varieties of forage to naturally slow consumption rate by feeding them seperately. Immature cuttings of cool season grasses and alfalfa are very palatable and highly digestible (more concentrated source of calories per pound). For most horses, donkeys, goats and other barnyard buddies if you blend palatable and less palatable varieties it will result in the same enthusiasm and rate of consumption.