Feeding Horse Hay on the Ground

Should you feed your horse on the ground or from a hay feeder? This debate has good reasons for both sides. In this article, we’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages of each way providing forage to your horses.

Horses by nature are grazing animals. In the wild they eat grasses and shrubs by lowering their heads to the ground. At many horse barns, horses are fed from elevated feeders. These systems reduce waste, but they make it more difficult for the horse to clear its airways of dust and debris.

Here are several pros and cons to consider when deciding whether to provide forage to your horse on the ground or in a feeder.

Ground Feeding

There are several advantages and disadvantages of ground feeding. One disadvantage is that horses fed on sandy soils or decomposed granite are likely to consume a significant amount of “dirt.” That debris can accumulate in the bowel to cause intestinal irritation, diarrhea, and/or colic.

Another disadvantage to ground feeding is that there tends to be a significant amount of hay wastage. When hay is fed on the ground the horses trample it, soil it with manure and urine, the wind blows it away, and/or it becomes wet and moldy.

In any case, this waste is unpalatable and accounts for huge losses that translate to expense and less-efficient feed intake.

Hay Feeders

Feeding from a feeder keeps feed off the ground and where you put it. Some of them also catch the dropped leaves when you are feeding alfalfa. This is the most nutritious part of the hay.

On the other hand, tall hay feeders force the horse to eat with its head raised rather than lowered in a more natural grazing position.

Hay feeders—depending on the type—can cause horses to rub out manes. They also can be hard to clean if they have trays to catch leaves from the hay. Sand and dirt from hay bales can accumulate in that tray, mimicking the issues of feeding on the ground.

Choose hay feeders designed for horses to avoid issues of rubbing and getting legs trapped in the metal of the feeder.

With lower hay feeders, horses often knock the hay out of the feeder to get to the leaves. Then they eat the hay off the ground—what you were trying to prevent in the first place.

Mitigate Feeding Effects

There are ways to mitigate the adverse effects of ground feeding by using rubber mats or providing forage in a stall with mats or a feeder.

Protection of the respiratory tract when using elevated feeders relies on sound management choices. Purchase quality hay that isn’t dusty and is cured properly so it doesn’t break into small pieces. It is also possible to moisten the hay to cut down on aerosolized particles as the horses eat.

Final Words

Whatever method you choose to feed hay, keep in mind the importance of protection of the horse’s intestinal tract and respiratory tract. This is balanced with ensuring physical safety in feeder selection.