Pony feeding management: the role of morphology and hay feeding methods on intake rate, ingestive behaviors and mouth shaping.
Authors: Bordin Clara, Raspa Federica, Greppi Martina, Harris Patricia, Ellis Andrea Dorothea, Roggero Angela, Palestrini Claudia, Cavallini Damiano, Bergero Domenico, Valle Emanuela
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Haynets and slow feeders have become standard recommendations for reducing forage waste and extending feeding time in horses, yet their effects on ponies—which possess distinctly different head morphologies than larger equines—remained largely unexplored until this recent investigation. Researchers used geometric morphometrics and behavioural analysis to assess how four feeding methods (ground feeding, fully filled haynets, partially filled haynets, and slow-feeder boxes) influenced mouth shape, ingestive behaviours and intake rate across Shetland and Welsh/Cob type ponies, two breeds with notably different cranial structures. The findings revealed that feeding method substantially shaped oral mechanics, accounting for 36–83% of variance in mouth conformation depending on the method used, with partially filled haynets extending consumption time most dramatically (5 hours per kilogramme in Shetland ponies, 3 hours per kilogramme in Welsh/Cob types), whilst slow-feeder boxes reduced intake rate whilst preserving more natural head posture. Breed morphology itself played a significant modulatory role in feeding efficiency and behaviour, underscoring that generic feeding management protocols may not suit all pony types equally. For equine professionals selecting forage delivery systems, these results suggest that partially filled haynets offer superior temporal benefits when extended feeding time is the priority, though slow-feeder boxes warrant consideration where intake rate reduction and postural health must be balanced.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Partially filled haynets are most effective for extending feeding time in ponies, particularly valuable for weight management or behavioral enrichment in Shetland types
- •Slow-feeder boxes offer a practical compromise—they slow intake while allowing more natural grazing posture than fully filled haynets, making them suitable for ponies needing reduced intake rate without postural strain
- •Pony breed morphology matters: Shetland and Welsh/Cob types respond differently to the same feeding method, so tailor your hay feeder choice to individual head shape and size rather than using one-size-fits-all approaches
Key Findings
- •Partially filled haynets (HL) maximized feeding time (5 h/kg for Shetland, 3 h/kg for Welsh/Cob ponies) compared to ground feeding (36% variance in mouth shaping vs 83% for HL)
- •Slow-feeder hay boxes (HB) reduced intake rate while maintaining more natural head posture, with 78% variance in mouth shaping
- •Head morphology significantly influenced response to feeding methods, with Shetland and Welsh/Cob types showing different behavioral and biomechanical adaptations
- •Feeding method altered mouth shaping in real-time, with ground feeding producing minimal shaping (36% variance) versus elevated feeders producing 77-83% variance