As prey and flight animals, horses are naturally programmed to react quickly and be ready to flee at any time. Large meals and full stomachs would hinder this survival technique, and so horses have evolved to forage and graze small amounts on an almost continuous basis. This natural foraging and grazing behaviour involves searching with their lips, tearing small amounts with their teeth, and constant chewing. Mostly at ground level. The need to use this natural behaviour is deeply ingrained, and so providing your horse with the opportunity for it is essential not only for physical well-being, but for psychological health too. However, the reality is that it’s often not possible to give your horse 24/7 access to pasture grazing, and the alternatives are not always satisfactory.
Eazigrazer hay feeder provides simulated natural grazing, prevents many equine health issues, and helps you avoid the soundness problems associated with other slow feeding systems. Plus, it makes life much easier for you. Click on the tabs below to find out more!
Prevent gastric ulcers
The ‘little and often’ natural grazing pattern of your horse means that he secretes gastric acid constantly to enable him to digest the continuous supply of food. You probably find that your horse eats loose hay very quickly, leaving long gaps and empty stomachs between typical twice a day feeds. A natural grazing pattern provides a constant mix of forage and saliva which buffers gastric acid and keeps stomach PH in balance, so it’s easy to understand why an unnatural feeding pattern is often the cause of gastric ulcers in domestic horses. There are many methods of slow feeding that can help to reduce gaps, but they usually come with problems of their own. Forced over restrictive feeding, especially in an unnatural position, will also heighten anxiety and may even increase the risk of ulcers.
Eazigrazer provides extended feeding periods, and also provides natural grazing behaviour, effectively helping you to prevent ulcers or manage an existing problem.
Prevent colic
Not only is your horse able to eat loose in hay in large amounts very quickly, which his/her digestive system is not designed for, but the unregulated bites can also lead to reduced chewing. A reduction in chewing means a lack of saliva, and this results in dry forage entering the digestive system. Either of these, or a combination of both, can be the cause of impaction colic. Hay also becomes contaminated with dirt, sand and bedding when fed on the ground, and the unavoidable ingestion of this is another common cause of colic.
Eazigrazer provides your horse with regulated bites and natural grazing behaviour, which means he will chew and salivate as nature intended him to do. It also contains your hay and prevents accidental ingestion of dirt, sand or bedding.
Improve soundness
There are many slow feeding options available, but often they involve forcing your horse to eat in an unnatural position. Pulling hay at high level, or having to twist the neck to reach the hay can lead to a multitude of physical problems. Sore backs, sore necks, joint problems, muscle wastage, lack of topline, dental/TMJ problems and so much more can be attributed to various common slow feeding systems. It may be advantageous to provide your horse with hay in a contained trickle feeding manner, but not if it causes other issues.
Eazigrazer allows your horse to feed at ground level with a natural grazing action. Help your horse to remain tension free, with a soft topline, supple muscles, healthy joints, and correct dental alignment. That way he is able to work at his best, and you can avoid the potential vet and bodywork fees.
Manage laminitis/weight
Keeping your horse physically and mentally healthy is difficult when your horse is on a restricted diet, especially when contained to a stable or starvation paddock. Unfortunately, this is often essential if you are trying to manage metabolic conditions such as EMS and Cushings, prevent episodes of Laminitis if your horse is prone to it, or simply trying to maintain healthy weight in a good doer.
Eazigrazer helps you more easily manage these conditions while keeping your horse happy. It provides the natural grazing behaviour your horse lacks when paddock grazing is restricted, and helps you avoid the use of other slow feeding methods which can cause problems of their own. You can even soak hay to reduce sugars if necessary, without the usual hassle.
Prevent respiratory issues
Your horse evolved to spend most of his time with his head and neck lowered, and this ground level feeding behaviour is essential in order to maintain healthy respiratory function. However, the problem with feeding loose hay on the ground, or even more so when feeding loose hay in a container, is that your horse is inhaling dust and spores as he searches through the hay.
Eazigrazer provides ground level feeding allowing correct respiratory function, but it also significantly reduces the dust your horse is able to breathe in. Dust and spores are contained under the hay regulator, and as your horse grazes they fall to the bottom of the container, staying there under the hay regulator until you remove them. This is enough to prevent most hay related coughs, but if your horse suffers badly with respiratory issues then Eazigrazer also provides you with a hassle free soaking solution.
Eliminate behavioural problems
It is widely acknowledged that behavioural problems in horses are often linked to unnatural feeding patterns, including the resulting anxiety and potential gut pain. Contented horses are less likely to develop behaviour problems such as box walking, weaving, cribbing and symptoms of anxiety. But it doesn’t just affect behaviour in the stable, a physically and mentally healthy horse performs better too.
Eazigrazer provides your horse with the natural grazing behaviour he needs, including smaller bites, increased chewing time, and extended feeding periods. When your horse can’t have 24/7 access to grazing in the field, Eazigrazer hay feeder may just be the next best thing.
Save money, time and effort
Horses naturally walk on their food as they forage for the best bits. Hay is no different, and you probably find that your horse tramples loose hay into his bedding or the mud in his field. Not only are you wasting money on hay and bedding, but it also takes up a lot of your time cleaning it up each day, particularly if your horse box-walks.
Eazigrazer keeps hay contained, which saves you money by reducing waste, and saves you time and effort when mucking out. Eazigrazer is easy to use, quick to fill, and if you need to soak your hay Eazigrazer will cut down time and effort there too. Not forgetting that it will also help you avoid those unnecessary vets fees by providing your horse with the natural grazing behaviour he needs.
Safe, hygenic and portable
Most contained hay systems cannot be easily moved, making cleaning difficult and usually ineffective. They are often made from materials that harbour mould and germs, and commonly contain parts and/or mechanisms that could injure your horse.
Eazigrazer is easily portable and can be cleaned quickly, easily, and thoroughly. It doesn’t have any nooks and crannys that can harbour dirt and germs, and the material hoses more easily than the average feed bucket. The portable design also means you can also move it to fill with hay, move from stable to paddock, or take with you on trips away. Eazigrazer is also free from any fixings or mechanisms, so even if your horse uses it as a toy, or tips it over, you don’t need to worry!