SLOW FEEDING: a feeling of abundance… (originally posted Feb 25, 2011)

I recently purchased 2 slow feeding hay nets from Rivas Remedies last week. What’s a slow feeder you ask? It’s any (safe) device, net, box etc that allows your horse a constant supply of feed (aka trickle feeding) that they have to work at to get out. This is more natural for horses as they grazers or rather foragers in nature. Large unnatural feedings (often twice a day) is what horses are subjected to in our human controlled habitat. A slow feeder allows small slow amounts of food to constantly be keeping a horses digestive system working – hence the natural part. For now the unnatural part of this is that Prowler isn’t moving his feet to get from piles of loose hay as I was feeding him before. Ideally I’d love to have a hay net that could be loose that Prow could push around and thereby be moving his feet, but alas with electric fencing and a downhill paddock area this isn’t possible right now. To try and remedy this a little I’ve got them tied up to two posts, somewhat close to one another and they are ALWAYS full.

The theory is that it might take horses anywhere from a week to a month for their minds, and bodies to fully register that they don’t have to hurry or overeat because the supply is plentiful and endless. This physiological change can help horses that are prone to foundering, boredom, cribbing and other psychological or physical ailments. It is definitely a puzzle for Prow to get the hay out of the small 2″ triangles in the net and I can see the pleasure he is experiencing using his mouth and brain as they were intended. For proponents of slow feeders, they say it also has to do with the amount of acid in the stomach and what happens when large amounts of food are dumped into the hind gut causing ‘leaking gut syndrome’ and leading to sugar imbalances and finally to founder or colic.

Is he gaining weight with this method? Yes he definitely is but I feel that this will taper off soon. In fact for easy keepers it can help them even out and settle into a more natural weight and for hard keepers too. I really questioned whether this experiment was timely considering spring will soon be here and that’s a natural time for horses to gain weight due to new grass, warmer weather etc.. But then I decided to really do it properly and give it a real chance. I’m already glad I made that decision and it’s encouraging me to get back to his regular exercise again after a pause due to super icy conditions.

So how is Prowler taking to this you ask? Incredibly well! He is so relaxed and happy when I go out to see him. I don’t have to worry about rushing out to feed him, especially in the cold -20 with wind chill like last night. He was happy and warm when I went out to feed him his evening beet pulp. The feeling I get from him is safety, and contentment. It’s as though he’s thanking for me for really honouring his body’s needs. In fact, especially in the winter, I’ve noticed that I hear him calling out to me in the night or early morning. This is literally impossible as I am sleeping in a cement basement on the other side of the house from where he is, but I’m quite sure I hear him psychically. Since implementing the slow feeding system I have not heard him at all which tells me he’s not getting hungry and anxious in the cold dark night.

The feeling of abundance I described coming from Prow triggered a spark of curiosity in me. How would that feel to more deeply experience relaxation and trust in my life? To really trust that there’s no need to worry where the next money was coming from, or how the next bill would get paid? Now when I sit with Prowler every morning after chores I’ve been focussing on trying to align myself to the vibration of abundance and stating out loud at least 10 things I am grateful for. It will be part of my morning ritual with him from now on.

MY horse is my Guru.