Providing Your Horse With Slow-Feed Hay Has Many Benefits
As horses have evolved to graze on the ground almost continuously, limiting this natural behavior is known to result in many health and behavioral problems. Horses are trickle or slow feeders by nature. Slowly feeding hay at a naturally low rate is the best way to ensure your horse remains happy and healthy if he cannot access pasture 24/7.
Are You Slow-Feed Savvy?
The following are seven slow-feeding benefits you may not be aware of……
Reduced risk of ulcers
The equine stomach produces acid 24 hours a day, and it can empty in as little as 15-20 minutes. Chewing stimulates the production of saliva (an alkaline material), which helps to buffer stomach acid.
The horse will create roughly five gallons of saliva per day in natural conditions with free-choice feed, and will eventually "recycle" much of the water content via re-absorption prior to outflow.
Effective Weight Management
If your horse is overweight, slow feeding will help regulate insulin levels, metabolism, and cortisol secretion. For underweight horses, it can help increase digestion and assimilation of calories and nutrients.
Boredom can be minimized or reduced
Psychologically, horses that are fed continuously slowly are more relaxed. Slow-feeding horses are less likely to develop vices. They sleep only 3-4 hours in a 24-hour period and rarely for more than 20 minutes at a time as they are usually focused on food.
Enhances Digestive Health
Optimal digestion and fermentation take time and movement. Mobility stimulates intestinal peristalsis. Having the freedom to choose your food in multiple places helps both. This effectively keeps the back intestine hanging (anti-warping) and mobility, promoting consistent fermentation, preventing conditions that can contribute to colic.
Allow natural wear of the teeth
Increased chewing time wears down teeth more naturally than when eating at floor level. The natural grazing position allows the jawbone to move up and down, side to side, front to back without any restrictions; facilitate optimal chewing and reduce particle size.
Reduce food aggression -
Slow feeding with multiple locations allows your entire herd to eat and live together. Horses are herd animals; they benefit physically and psychologically from direct interaction.
The dominant members will keep the others moving as they win various positions. Less dominant individuals will have other sources to feed on; this encourages movement and can reduce stress-related cortisol levels when separated from herd members.
Stress
Horses benefit most from near-constant grazing. Horses are trickle or slow feeders by nature . Eating has been shown to increase levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. When cortisol rises, insulin levels rise, resulting in fat accumulation. This can cause or worsen obesity, which is why some horses can survive on “air”.
Keeping your horse's ulcers at bay.
Feeding a horse can be stressful. As horse owners, we do the best we can for our horses.
Life is busy and scheduling feeds can be stressful for both owner and horses.
The optimum diet for your horse is one that includes free-choice forage, however, this is not always available, leaving your horse at risk of developing ulcers.
Horse ulcers harm horses of all ages, breeds, and disciplines. Equine gastric ulcers are found in 70% of normal pleasure riding horses and up to 90% of performance horses.
Horse ulcer treatment often requires a “2 pronged approach” with omeprazole and sucralfate. Omeprazole heals the ulcer, with a sucralfate dosage forming a viscous layer that adheres to the ulcer site and acts as a protective film. Horses experience relief quickly, and relief from pain for up to 6-8 hours.
A bundle of 30day horse ulcer treatment with Omeprazole, and Sucralfate dosage is available from Abler.
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