Managing An Easy Keeper: How Hay Feeders Affect Equine Behavior - Horse Racing News - Paulick Report

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Though the ability to free forage is the most-natural state for horses, there are some instances in which feed restriction may be necessary to keep a horse healthy.

The use of hay bags and slow feeders may help reduce hay waste and extend the amount of time a horse spends eating, but they may also increase abnormal behavior because of the limited access to food.

To determine how three different hay feeders and the availability of hay impacted horses in feed lots, researchers from Colorado State University used 15 healthy Thoroughbred cross horses in a study funded by Morris Animal Foundation and led by Jéssica Carvalho Seabra.

The goal of the study was to identify improved feeding techniques that could optimize feeding management, diminish abnormal behaviors, and improve equine welfare. The scientists broke the horses into three groups of five horses. Each group did one of three treatments for 15 days: free choice hay, hay in a slow feeder, or hay in a box feeder that offered hay at specific times.

At the conclusion of each treatment period, the horses were weighed and blood samples to test cortisol were taken. Behavior was also monitored throughout the 15 days.

The research team found that horses using auto-feed boxes and slow feeders ate less and gained weight more slowly, indicating that their food intake was effectively regulated. Horses that ate hay as they chose ate the most hay and had the highest weight gain, suggesting that this mode of feeding is not the best choice for overweight horses. Horses eating free-choice or out of a slow feeder spent more than 12 hours a day foraging.

Horses using timed box feeders spent only about a quarter of their day eating, which meant they spent more time standing, sniffing, and eating their own manure. Horses eating out of the timed boxes were also more aggressive.

Horses became more aggressive as the feeders' size decreased and access to hay became more difficult. To combat this, the researchers recommend that each horse have adequate space to eat without feeling crowded, especially when limited food is offered.

The right feeding technique can extend the time horses engage in foraging behaviors, reducing stress and possibly curbing the emergence of abnormal behaviors.