Equine Digestion: It's Decidedly Different
Equine Digestion: It's Decidedly Different
So many aspects of horse health depend on the horse's "person" understanding the reasons that compel the horse's natural diet and eating habits, and many complex health problems can be prevented or alleviated through a deeper understanding of how horses are made on the inside.
Book Highlights:
- Anatomy of the entire gastrointestinal tract
- Comparison between dogs, cow, humans and horses
- What's best - hay or grain first?
- What happens in the stomach?
- How is fat processed without a gallbladder?
- What are the functions of the pancreas?
- Is all fiber the same (there are five types!)?
- What happens in the cecum?
- Where do ulcers occur and why?
- What causes sphincters to weaken?
- Digestion changes as horses age
- What's in manure?
- Four steps of feeding forage free-choice
Need help with sizing?
We're here to help! Our friendly and knowledgeable team is just a message away. Feel free to ask any questions or concerns regarding sizing, and we'll guide you towards the perfect fit. Your satisfaction is our priority, so don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to ensure your experience with us is nothing short of exceptional.
Things you may consider
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The size of the net hole you choose depends on the type of animal you are feeding, its developmental stage, lifestyle, and what hay type you are providing. See our Net Guide for more information and our Hay Testing page.
general guide below:
1 inch: Ponies, miniature animals, and young mini goats and lambs will all do very well with 1-inch netting.
1.5 inch: This is our most popular size for equines, donkeys, mules, alpacas, goats, sheep, llamas, rabbits, and yes, even chickens!
2 inch: For larger breeds like drafts, warmbloods, working horses, young and older horses, and calves.
2.75 inch: For cattle and horses, when consumption is not an issue, just wanting to keep the hay in the feeder. The 2.75 is a great net, especially in colder climates. It can be used for older horses, growing, working & racehorses, and it works great for cattle. This net needs to be used in a feeder as its larger holes could be a hazard.
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When introducing slow hay feeding hay nets, always provide loose hay along with the NAG Bag for the first week. Loose hay feedings assist your animal in learning how to "graze" from the nets properly, minimizes the chance of net damage, and prolong the life of your NAG Bag.
Remember, slow-feeding is only as good as the hay that’s being offered. Meeting the animal's needs is very important, and ensuring that you have the correct hay type will help ensure successful net feeding.
Visit our Hay Testing and Articles pages to learn more.
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NAG Bags will benefit all equines, especially for the care of ulcers, colic, cribbing, aggression and nervous horses. Small but frequent meals are your best defence against the formation of ulcers and promote ulcers' healing. Veterinary-recommended NAG Bags support healthy digestion.
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NAG Bags offers hay nets in various sizes and capacities to accommodate different needs.
The small-sized hay nets typically have the capacity to hold around 1-2 flakes of hay or a smaller quantity suitable for individual servings. These are often convenient for travel or shorter feeding durations.
The medium-sized hay nets have a larger capacity, capable of holding approximately 5-6 or more flakes of hay. These are ideal for extended feeding periods or for multiple horses.
The large-sized hay nets with the highest capacity are Round Bale and Large Square Bales. The capacity of these hay nets is tailored to accommodate the size of bales, measured in feet (width x height).
It's important to note that the exact size and capacity options may vary between different models or product lines offered by NAG Bags. It is recommended to refer to the specific product descriptions or reach out to NAG Bags directly for detailed information on their hay nets' size and capacity specifications.
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NAG Bags can be used with shod horses. However, the nets should be placed in a tub, feeder, hay ring, or hung out of the pawing range. We do like to see the net in a lower position, if possible for a more natural foraging position.
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When Nag Bags hay nets are property introduced, our customers find that their horses prefer to forage from the Nag Bag rather than loose hay. Trickle feeding is natural for them, and they know it. Choose the correct net hole size for your animal to match their needs and hay type.
Please view our Net Guide for more information. Still not sure; please call.
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Our nets are constructed with longevity and animals in mind. Constructed with high-quality knitted nylon blend material ensuring that our slow feeders' hay nets can withstand rigorous use and maintain their integrity over many uses.