Equilibrium PortionPacer Haynet-Slow Feeder
Smarter fibre feeding to support a healthy horse, the PortionPacer Haynet allows you to take control of your horse’s diet with tested feed rates and known fill sizes. With 3-year guarantee.
- 2 x hole sizes (3cm and 6cm).
- 5 x haynet sizes from 2kg – 12kg**.
- 3cm hole size can extend eating times by up to 30% on average*.
- 6cm hole size has a similar feed rate to ad lib, floor fed hay on average.*
- Ideal for weight and dietary management of all horses.
- Helps reduce wastage compared to floor fed hay.
- Improves wellbeing by reducing the amount of time your horse is without food.
- Made from long lasting, strong Polypropylene woven into a knotless design.
- Fully recyclable at home at the end of its long life.
*A field based observational study looking at 10 horses and 10 ponies fed forage from the floor, a 6cm holed net, and a 3cm holed net.
**Based on average haynet fill using dry meadow hay.
What is the inspiration behind the PortionPacer™ Haynet?
We know horses are natural trickle feeders but for a variety of reasons, it’s not always possible to know how much they eat or how long their hay lasts them. The PortionPacer™ Haynet solves two problems. The first being that you know approximately how many kilograms each haynet holds, and therefore how much your horse is being offered. The second point is that you know the feed rate in comparison to ad lib floor fed hay, so you can take a decision as to which haynet they may need to manage their weight and if eating times need to be extended. Using this information can help you not only monitor their forage intake, but also reduce the ‘hunger gap’. If horses are left without food for periods of time, it can have negative effects on their mental and physical wellbeing.
Who is the PortionPacer™ Haynet for?
The variety of mesh hole sizes and hay net sizes means there is a PortionPacer™ Haynet for every horse and pony. Here’s a few scenarios:
- For all horses to know how much they are eating and adjust their diet accordingly (if needed).
- To extend eating times for overweight horses, or those who eat quickly and are therefore left without hay for long periods of time.
- For underweight horses to monitor the amount they are eating.
- For horses that tend to wreck haynets.
- For horses that like to mess their forage, resulting in waste.
Which haynet would be best for my horse?
Both haynet options are long lasting and durable solutions to knowing how much forage your horse is eating. They are also effective in reducing waste, could save money, and for horses who mix their forage into their bed and reduced the chance of ingesting bedding. With size options from 2kg for very small ponies, all the way up to 12kg for the bigger horse, there are multiple options to ensure your horse is getting access to the forage they need.
Small Holed Haynet (3cm) Slow Feeder
The small holed haynet makes a significant difference to rate of intake. The way in which forage is eaten is just as important as the amount of forage given. Feeding patterns are one of the risk factors for digestive disorders and a difficult aspect to manage, especially when the horse is stabled for prolonged periods, for example overnight.
In a field based observational study looking at 10 horses and 10 ponies fed forage from the floor, a 6cm holed net, or a 3cm holed net, the feed/forage intake rate of horses and ponies using the 3cm net resulted in a more consistent hourly intake pattern. The 3cm net also prolonged feeding time by up to 30% across the group.
A small holed haynet can help reduce the total amount eaten as well as prolonging the time taken to consume a set amount of forage. For many horses, a controlled calorie intake also means less time spent eating, which impacts on digestive health and general well-being. As horses are designed for multiple meals per day, using a small holed haynet is an easy way of working towards a more natural feeding pattern for your horse or pony, whilst carefully reducing the amount eaten in a 24-hour period.
Large Holed Haynet (6cm) Steady Feeder
The large holed haynet is a great choice for all the practical reasons above whilst keeping intake rate similar to that of floor feeding. Horses and ponies are highly individual and some naturally have slower intakes or lower appetites than others.
A large holed haynet is ideal for:
- Horses or ponies needing free choice forage and requiring no calorie restriction
- Horses and ponies that are naturally slower feeders
- Horses who mix their forage into their bed.