Even if ideally we all would love to feed our horses and ponies with ad libitum forage provision, this is not always a feasible option. This is especially true in terms of costs and waste of resources1 but also for those who need us to watch their waistlines2.

Luckily hay nets and slow feeders are available as tools to improve feeding management. These help owners and caretakers to prevent prolonged periods of fasting whilst optimizing the use of hay3.

Ponies and Slow Feeding Devices

Slow feeding devices (i.e., haynets and slow feeders) are often used to help better manage overweight animals. That’s especially true for those at risk of developing metabolic disorders such as laminitis. Those horses and ponies need strategies to reduce their calorie intake whilst enabling them to spend enough time foraging2–4.

However, despite the promising use of these tools, the majority of the studies carried out on slow feeding devices have involved just horses. Those did not consider differences that may occur according to body weight, body size, or breed.

To fill this gap, a study was recently published by the Department of Veterinary Science of the University of Turin.5 This was done in collaboration with Waltham Petcare Science Institute and Unequi Ltd. This study investigated the effects of different hay feeding methods on the intake rate and ingestive behaviours of Shetland and Welsh/Cob ponies.

The Research

The study involved nine adult ponies: Shetland (n=5, SH) and Welsh/Cob (n=4, WC). They were normally fed with the hay on the ground and kept in dry lot paddocks. After an adaptation period, they were fed with four different hay feeding methods:

  1. 3 kg (6.6 pounds) of hay on the ground (G) used as control
  2. 3 kg (6.6 pounds) of hay in a small holed haynet (HF)
  3. 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of hay in a small holed haynet (HL)
  4. 3 kg (6.6 pounds) of hay in a slow feeder Haybox (HB). The height of the haybox was adjusted for either the Shetlands or the Welsh/cobs.

The Haybox had been constructed with a clear Perspex side so that the pony’s mouths could be seen when they were eating from the box (above image).

All the ponies were video recorded when eating so that  behavioural analysis (e.g. bites/kg, chews/kg) could be undertaken. A geometric morphometrics approach was applied for mouth shaping assessment (i.e., the shape of pony’s mouth as it opens/closes to cope with the prehension of hay). This approach was useful to understand how the different pony breeds  adapted how they grasped the hay (e.g., in big or small bites) depending on the feeding method tested.

Further intake rate measurements were calculated:

  • intake rate (g/h)
  • intake time (h/kg)
  • time that would be spent (hours) on ingesting forage if fed at 1.5% BW on a dry matter basis
  • percentage of 24 hours (%) that would be spent on eating hay if given at 1.5% BW on a dry matter basis.

Why Consider the Role of Morphology

The four feeding methods affected how quickly the ponies ate the hay and resulted in a variation of the mouth shaping for both breeds. This meant that the different feeding  methods influenced not only the intake rates but also how ponies prehended (i.e., got hold of) the hay.

For example, due to their different head morphology, Shetland-type ponies performed more bites/kg and chews/kg than the Welsh/Cob type ponies.

Interestingly, the shape of the ponies’ mouths when fed with the Haybox was very similar to that seen with the more natural ground feeding.

Slow Feeder or Hay Nets?

When a restricted forage diet is needed for overweight ponies, the use of a partially filled haynet (see below) could be the optimal solution.

shetland ponies haynet
A Shetland pony eating from the small-holed haynet. Courtesy Clara Bordin

The study suggested that it could almost triple the time spent in foraging activities (if feeding forage at 1.5% BW in dry matter over a 24 hour period) when compared to allowing the ponies to feed the same amount of hay from the ground.

It’s important to underline that such haynets need to be frequently replaced, as required, during the day. This could not be practically possible for most owners.

The Haybox

The study shows that the Haybox is another possible solution when wanting to provide forage, especially in a restrictive way, to an individual animal. The Haybox we tested could double the time spent in foraging activities compared to feeding from the ground. Contrary to the haynets, it also allowed the ponies to mimic a more natural posture when they were foraging6.

It is important to underline that each animal is unique, and one solution does not fit all. Thus, when considering the use of slow feeding devices, it’s always necessary to take into account the characteristics of the individual. This includes the animal’s size, breed, and personality.

References

  1. Round-bale feeder design affects hay waste and economics during horse feeding. Martinson, K.; Wilson, J.; Cleary, K.; Lazarus, W.; Thomas, W.; Hathaway, M. J Anim Sci (2012) 90:1047–1055. doi: 10.2527/JAS.2011-4087
  2. Nutritional Considerations When Dealing with an Obese Adult Equine. Shepherd, M.; Harris, P.; Martinson, K.L. Vet Clin North Am – Equine Pract (2021) 37:111–137. doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2020.12.004
  3. The effect of presenting forage in multi-layered haynets and at multiple sites on night time budgets of stabled horses. Ellis, A.D.; Redgate, S.; Zinchenko, S.; Owen, H.; Barfoot, C.; Harris, P. Appl Anim Behav Sci (2015) 171:108–116. doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.08.012
  4. Miniature horses and ponies. Pugh, D.; Passler, N.; Ziska, S. Nutr Manag Equine Dis Spec Cases (2017)1–3. doi: 10.1002/9781119191926.CH1
  5. Pony feeding management: the role of morphology and hay feeding methods on intake rate, ingestive behaviors and mouth shaping. Bordin, C.; Raspa, F.; Greppi, M.; Harris, P.; Ellis, A.D.; Roggero, A.; Palestrini, C.; Cavallini, D.; Bergero, D.; Valle, E. Front Vet Sci (2024) 11: doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1332207
  6. Effect of pony morphology and hay feeding methods on back and neck postures. Bordin, C.; Raspa, F.; Harris, P.; Ellis, A.D.; Roggero, A.; Palestrini, C.; Bergero, D.; Valle, E. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) (2023) doi: 10.1111/jpn.13861

Further Reading

Ponies of Antarctica. MySeniorHorse.com

  • Clara Bordin has an MSc Animal Science. She is a Research Fellow, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Italy. Her Masters Degree is in Animal Science with a curriculum focused in animal nutrition. Her areas of research interests are equine nutrition and welfare. She’s focusing also on the use of AI and precision livestock farming (PLF) tools in equine science.
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