Performance Horse Hacks - DIY Hay Slow Feeder

Performance Horse Hacks - (get that hay) Ground UP!

This series is created for those in equine performance that are looking for an edge on the competition. Each article will be grounded in ONE skill, tweak or technique that will help your arena results. Make sure to subscribe to IntegratedEquine.net and download your free ebook before you begin! Sometimes the little things are actually the things that make a BIG difference. Paying attention to hooves, health, and horsemanship will be what buys you skills to change.

FACT: Horse feed needs to be 'ground up'. Ground up by their teeth, not by their gut.

So...

What happens when

you figure out that every horse, including your own needs proper dental care to properly grind up their hay?you learn that every horse, including your own produces over 3 buckets worth of stomach acid a day?you know you need saliva produced from prolonged grazing to buffer the stomach acid?

You buy or build a slow feeder.

TheHorse.com gives us a heads up on what going on down there in the horse's stomach. The importance of pro-longed grazing And this article explains that here. And the importance of managing stomach acid This article explains it well here. 

but first...who this is probably not for:

One-armed Wilma: you're probably need a helper to hold the hoop level while ya drill.

Samantha's shack: if your barn/stall is not built to bear weight do not attached anything to it.

Cheating Peat: this is not the time to skip steps. Mount it right and tight or don't mount at all.

DIY Hay Slow Feeder

Simply follow the directions to mount your basketball hoop safely on a secure frame.Make sure that the hoop is a bit higher than your horses head so he doesn't startled himself and whack his head. Make sure you can reach the hoop to drop hay in.Loop the hay net or basketball net (included) to the rungs on the hoop. If you choose to use the baseball net, take a utility strength zip tie, thread it through the bottom end of the net and cinch it closed like a bag.Double check for safety of the net's functionality before leaving horse alone to eat.

Performance Horse Hack #5: Teeth

The scoop on a frugal hoop and functional feeding solution!

Send me a picture or video of how YOU are going to apply this hack: "The scoop on a frugal hoop and functional solution!”  to your individual horse or situation.  What kind of slow feeder do you have or did you make?