Hay Pillow®
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Online Store
    • Bulk & 501c3 Discounts
    • Delivery
    • Worldwide Shipping
    • Policies & Terms of Use
    • Newsletter Sign Up
  • FAQ
    • FAQ Library
    • Choosing a Mesh Size
    • Product FAQs/Advisories
    • Mounting & Hanging Tips
    • Slow Feeder Comparison Chart
    • Slow Feed Solutions for Any Environment
    • Feeding Free Choice - An Action Plan
    • Why Feed from the Ground?
  • Testimonials
  • Gallery
    • Home Use
    • Travel Use
    • Barnyard Buddies
  • Blog
  • About
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Favorite Links
  • (888) 489-0022
The Hay Pillow Blog

Enhancing Equine Health

browse all posts by topic >

Weigh Hay Rations? No Way! What You Need To Know...

9/29/2016

0 Comments

 
By Monique Warren

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.
Weighing hay rations for horses

Causes of Stress

​ Stress can be associated with a wide range of causes including, but not limited to:
  • Lack of forage
  • Confinement
  • Lack of  movement
  • Lack of direct physical interaction with other herd members/isolation
  • Pain
  • Lack of nutrients, vitamins and minerals necessary for proper thyroid, hormone and neurological function
  • Rigorous training
  • Travel

Why Meals Cause Stress

Each time your equine consumes a long-awaited meal, the psychological cycle repeats itself. I must eat all of my hay as quickly as possible to "self-medicate." Their stomach does not feel well due to the build-up of acid or ulcers - and they know as soon as they start chewing and eating it will start feeling better. Chewing activates saliva production (an alkaline substance), which buffers gastric acid. Learn more in our Preventing Equine Gastric Ulcers - How Forage Buffers Acid post. 

Providing a slow feeder for meals certainly helps, but will not relieve the stress of being without forage for periods of time - which perpetuates the viscous cycle. Either your horse has forage available 24/7 or they don’t. This can be a difficult concept for some! It's equivalent to being sort of pregnant - either you are or you aren't.

Horses eating from slow feed hay bags in pasture
Multiple Standard Hay Pillow slow feeders encourages movement

Lack of Forage = Stress = Cortisol Production = Fat Storage

Horses are stoic by nature. Because they are prey animals, they may not show outward signs of stress.

Lack of forage is stressful for your horse - and stress produces the hormone cortisol - and cortisol production results in fat storage by ignoring insulin’s attempts to uptake glucose into the tissues. This can be the cause for easy keepers and air ferns. If appropriate forage is available at all times, they can typically eat more and maintain or lose weight.

Chronic stress and release of cortisol may also be responsible for conditions including:
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Decreased growth and reproductive capability
  • Inhibition of the immune system
  • Increased risks of gastric ulceration, colic, and diarrhea

Action Plan to Reduce Stress

  • Feed free choice tested low NSC (10% or below) straight grass hay. See How & Where to Test Your Horse's Hay & Interpret Results.
  • Consult an equine nutritionist to ensure all vitamin/mineral requirements are being met in proper ratios and unique conditions addressed. FeedXL can be extremely helpful for DIYers.  
  • Experiment with slow feeders to determine the smallest mesh size that enables your horse to extract hay without being frustrated. Frustration is counterproductive - it causes stress!
  • Offer multiple locations to encourage movement and feed from ground level.
  • Use a grazing muzzle in pasture and turn out when sugars are likely to be lowest.
  • Resolve any causes of pain or discomfort mentally and physically.  
  • Routine exercise is key. And never exercise your horse on an empty stomach. If your horse is foot sore, equip them with hoof boots and pads.
Horse and rider cutting cow
Never exercise your horse on an empty stomach!
Shop Now!

Helpful How To Resources for Slow Feeding

  • How & Where to Test Your Horse's Hay & Interpret Results
  • A Safer Always Have Hay Source – Mature Grass Hay
  • Sand Colic - The Surprising (Simple) Cure & Prevention
  • How to Introduce & Incorporate Free-Choice Forage: A Detailed Action Plan
  • Slow Feed Solutions for Any Environment
  • 6 Great Reasons to Feed Your Horse from Ground Level
  • 9 Benefits of Slow Feeding Horses
  • 7 Slow Feed Dos and Dont's for Horses
  • 7 Easy Ways to Help Prevent Colic
  • Never Exercise Horses on an Empty Stomach...Ever
  • Why You Shouldn't Transport Horses On An Empty Stomach
  • Keeping Horses Warm Naturally – Internally and Externally
  • Why Most Horse Prefer to Eat Outside

​Stay Connected > Follow us on Facebook  for educational daily posts - Instagram & Pinterest!

​Hear About $ales, Nutrition Tips & Giveaways

​Sign up for our monthly newsletter to hear about
​giveaways, sales and equine health and nutrition news for healthier, happier horses.
subscribe

About the Author:
Monique Warren invented the Hay Pillow® slow feeder and is the owner of Hay Pillow Inc.
​Warren has been an equine guardian for over forty years and slow-feed advocate for over 10 years. She contributes equine nutrition and digestive and hoof health articles to publications such as Equine Wellness, The Journal, The Naturally Healthy Horse,  Natural Horse Magazine, Nicker News, Horse Back Magazine, The Horse's Hoof, and  Miniature Horse World Magazine. Equine nutrition and horses feet are her passions. She resides in Southern California.


​REFERENCES
  • Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D. (2015) Obesity. The Real Cause. The Real Fix. Retrieved from https://gettyequinenutrition.com/pages/obesity-the-real-cause-the-real-fix
  • Karyn Malinowski, Ph.D. (2016) Reviewed in 2004 by Carey Williams, Ph.D. Stress Management for Equine Athletes. Retrieved from http://esc.rutgers.edu/fact_sheet/stress-management-for-equine-athletes/
Horses eating hay from slow feed hay bags
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Shop Now:

    Standard Ground Pillow
    Mini Ground Pillow
    ​Hanging Pillow
    ​Manger Hay Pillow
    ​Bale Nets
    Grazing Muzzles
    ​Accessories
    ​Slow Feed Toys & More
    Safety & Emergency ID
    ​Books

    Horses eating from a Hay Pillow

    Newsletter

    Sign Me Up
    Sign up for the Monthly Hay Pillow® Newsletter for $ales, News, Coupon Vouchers & more! ​

    Connect with Us

    Hay Pillow on Facebook
    The Hay Pillow is on You Tube.
    The Hay Pillow on Instagram
    The Hay Pillow is on Pinterest.

    Categories

    All
    Behavior
    Giveaways
    Gut Health
    Hay & Diet
    Health & Safety
    Minis & Farm Animals
    Musings
    Slow Feeding

    RSS Feed

    Hay Pillow Slow Feeder Inventor, Monique Warren.

    Monique
    Warren

    Monique Warren invented the Hay Pillow® slow feeder and is the owner of Hay Pillow Inc.
    ​
    Warren has been an equine guardian for over forty years and slow-feed advocate for over 10 years. She contributes articles on equine nutrition and digestive  health to publications such as Equine Wellness Magazine, The Naturally Healthy Horse, The Journal,  Natural Horse Magazine, Nicker News, Horse Back Magazine, The Horse's Hoof, and  Miniature Horse World Magazine. Equine nutrition and horses feet are her passions. She resides in Southern California.

​Store Information

​​Hay Pillow® Inc.
1444 Main St. #2977
Ramona, CA 92065
​Toll Free:  888-489-0022 
Contact Us
Privacy Policy

Ready to Buy?

​Online Store
Bulk & 501c3 Discounts
Delivery Methods
Worldwide Shipping
Hay Pillow® Policies/Terms of Use
Frequently Asked Questions
​

Why Choose Us?

​About Us
​Testimonials
Gallery

​Made in the USA!

Learning Center

​Blog: Enhancing Equine Health
FAQ Library
​Why Feed Horses from the Ground?
7 Slow Feed Do’s and Don’ts for Horses
Feeding Free Choice - An Action Plan
Slow Feed Solutions for Any Environment

Covered by 3 or more US patents.​ Hay Pillow® is a registered Trademark.
​Copyright © 2022 Hay Pillow® Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Hay Pillow on Facebook
Hay Pillow Inc on Instagram
Hay Pillow on You Tube
Hay Pillow on Pinterest
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Online Store
    • Bulk & 501c3 Discounts
    • Delivery
    • Worldwide Shipping
    • Policies & Terms of Use
    • Newsletter Sign Up
  • FAQ
    • FAQ Library
    • Choosing a Mesh Size
    • Product FAQs/Advisories
    • Mounting & Hanging Tips
    • Slow Feeder Comparison Chart
    • Slow Feed Solutions for Any Environment
    • Feeding Free Choice - An Action Plan
    • Why Feed from the Ground?
  • Testimonials
  • Gallery
    • Home Use
    • Travel Use
    • Barnyard Buddies
  • Blog
  • About
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Favorite Links
  • (888) 489-0022