The Most Effective, Versatile, Easy-to-Use High Quality Slow Feeding Hay Bag on the Market
Proudly made in the USA. Finally, a slow feeding system that provides a steady yet controlled supply of hay to your horse or mini lasting several hours or all day and night. Slow feeding makes for a happier, healthier and more content companion.
Allow Your Horse or Mini to Eat in A Natural Grazing Position & Encourage Movement
The Standard® and Mini Hay Pillow® are the only slow feed hay bags designed for use on the ground; allowing your horse or mini to eat in a natural grazing position and encourage movement! The best choice for voracious eaters; when used on the ground it is not attached to anything so they can't tug or pull on it.
Why is feeding my horse from ground level best?
- Less strain on the skeletal system and soft tissue because a horse is designed to eat with the head down.
- A natural grazing position allows the mandible (jaw bone) to come down and forward in the atlantoaxial and temporomandibular joints. This enables the mandible to move up and down, side to side, forward and back without any restriction; facilitating natural wear of teeth along with optimum mastication and reduction of particle size.
- Enables nasal passages to drain effectively thereby minimizing the inhalation of dust and particles.
- A horse's emotional state is reflected in body position and posture. If we require a horse to eat with their head elevated, we are encouraging an alert and tense mental state.
- Eliminates the risk of hay and dust falling into your horse's eyes.
- The Standard and Mini Hay Pillow® do not impair the horse's peripheral vision. If impaired, this can create tension psychologically. Horses are prey animals and depend on sight and sound to detect predators.
Why a slow feed system for your horse?
- Reduces the risk of ulcers - A horse's stomach produces acid 24 hours a day in preparation for constant uptake and can empty in as little as 15-20 minutes. Saliva is alkaline, which buffers gastric acid. Under natural conditions with free choice forage, the horse will produce about five gallons of saliva every day, and eventually "recycle" much of the water content via re-absorption prior to excretion. Equines naturally graze 18-24 hours a day therefore food should always be available. The lack of food produces a stressful situation which can be a large contributing factor psychologically.
- Decreases the secretion of cortisol - By alleviated stress associated for an empty stomach (mentally and physically, horses need forage available 24/7). If cortisol is elevated, insulin rises, leading to fat storage; this can cause or worse obesity. Insulin is also an inflammatory hormone, potentially damaging the hypothalamus portion of the brain, predisposing the horse to leptin resistance and Cushing's disease.
- Increased digestion - If your horse consumes hay too quickly, it will not have enough time to digest it properly. Proper digestion and fermentation require time and movement. Using multiple bags/locations will encourage both. This will keep fermentation going consistently, effectively keeping the hindgut weighted and healthy, as a result, preventing conditions that can contribute to colic.
- Minimize or alleviates boredom - Horses allowed to continuously slow feed benefit both physiologically and psychologically. Being kept occupied helps to prevent vices from developing. Horses only sleep 3 to 4 hours in a 24 hour period and usually no longer than 20 minutes at a time, food tends to be their main focus.
- Increased chew time - Wears teeth more naturally and produces more saliva.
- Little to no wasted hay - Saving you money! The solid back dramatically reduces wasted hay and is ideal in windy weather.
Durable Construction - Made in the USA
Standard and Mini Hay Pillow are constructed from the most rugged materials:
- 1000 denier nylon Cordura®
- YKK® zipper
- Custom nylon (DuPont®) knotted netting
- All made with American materials manufactured in the USA
Our unique closures provide ease of loading and ensure hay is only accessed through the netting.
NOTE: Due to the dangers involved in using any mesh material that can potentially get caught in a horseshoe, this product should not be used by shod livestock. We do not recommend use with horned animals or horses with blankets or halters that can potentially become snared in netting.
Standard Hay Pillow Dimensions
- Holds up to 8 lbs of hay
- 32" L x 27" W - overall dimensions
- 25" L x 15" W - netting area dimensions
- Mesh sizes: 1 1/4" and 1-3/4"
Mini Hay Pillow Dimensions
The Mini Hay Pillow is intended for miniature horses only due to its capacity.
- Holds up to 2 lbs of hay
- 23" L x 19" W - overall dimensions
- 17" L x 12" W - netting area dimensions
- Mesh sizes: 1" and 1 1/4"
Choosing a Mesh Size
For the Standard Hay Pillow:
Choosing a Mesh Size
For the Standard Hay Pillow: The 1 3/4" is our most popular mesh size. It will feed slower than loose hay and slows some down significantly. It is a great choice for introducing a slow feeder, minimizing wasted hay or for an anxious meal fed horse. Also offering the 1 1/4” for more patient adept individuals. Smaller mesh sizes do not necessarily equate to your equine eating slower; they may not be able to eat at all.
For the Mini Hay Pillow: The 1 1/4" is the most popular mesh size and a great choice to introduce the Hay Pillow®. Smaller mesh sizes do not necessarily equate to your equine eating slower; they may not be able to eat at all.
Introducing the Hay Pillow for the First Time
- Don't pack your pillow too tight.
- Break up your hay and put 2-4 pounds in to start for horses. For minis 1-2 pounds.
- Pull some hay through the netting to encourage them to use it.
- Observe your horse to ensure they can eat.
- Have loose hay or current slow feeder available in addition to your Hay Pillow initially.
If your horse paws at the Hay Pillow:
- The mesh size may be too challenging.
- They have not mastered the technique of extracting and manipulating the hay with their teeth and lips.
- Your Hay Pillow is empty and they want more hay.
Shipping Information
*Hay Pillows are shipped via U.S. Postal Service within 4 days of your order. Free Shipping is within the continental U.S. Shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and all international locations will be charge separately. Please email GettyEquineNutrition@gmail.com or call 940-272-0001 for exact shipping charges prior to ordering.
Interested in Auto-Ship?
Send Getty Equine Nutrition an email at GettyEquineNutrition@gmail.com or call 940-272-0001.