Dr Gillian Tabor reviews the latest research on how haynets affect horses - Mon 21/11/22

Dr Gillian Tabor is a charted physiotherapist specialising in the treatment and rehabilitation of horses. In this podcast, Gillian reviews a very recent research paper, Posture and Pull Pressure by Horses When Eating Hay or Haylage from a Hay Net Hung at Various Positions by Hodgson and colleagues. Through her research review, Gillian poses questions about how feeding from haynets differs from how wild horses graze on grass and occasionally on bushes/trees.

The study looked at height of haynets, the pressure exerted by horses, the difference between hay and haylage and how double-haynets affect the horse's feeding practice.

Questions asked:

• Does hay or haylage affect how a horse eats, taking forage from a haynet?
• Does the height of a haynet affect the horse?
• With the frustration of feeding from haynets does this encourage the horse to exert more pressure?
• And how does all of the above affect the horse's musculoskeletal system and the way their teeth work/move?

Gillian and the researchers compare our domesticated horses to wild horses, what we feed them and how we provide that feed whilst trying to ensure they are getting a suitable type of forage, amount of forage and regularity of forage without causing weight/obesity issues (and the associated detrimental health effects of this), whilst ensuring they get enough forage to protect against stomach issues and ulcers.

Gillian reviews the research to help us find the answers so that we can care for our horses in a way that improves their lives.

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