6 Best Horse Feed Bunks For Preventing Colic That Mimic Natural Grazing
The right feed bunk can prevent colic by mimicking grazing. Discover 6 top options that slow eating and encourage a natural head-down posture.
Watching a horse bolt its feed or toss hay all over a muddy pasture is a familiar and frustrating sight for any owner. The fear of colic is always in the back of your mind, and you know that how a horse eats is just as important as what it eats. The right feeder isn’t just about convenience; it’s a critical tool for promoting digestive health and preventing a costly emergency vet visit.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
Why Ground Feeding Reduces Colic Risk in Horses
Horses are designed to eat with their heads down. For millions of years, this was their only posture for foraging, and their entire digestive system is built around it. When a horse eats from the ground, its jaw aligns correctly, allowing for the side-to-side grinding motion that properly breaks down fibrous hay.
This natural head-down position also increases saliva production. Saliva is more than just lubrication; it’s rich in bicarbonates that buffer stomach acid, which is a horse’s first line of defense against ulcers. Feeding from a high-hung hay net or rack forces the horse into an unnatural posture, which can lead to improper chewing, inhaled dust particles, and even chiropractic issues over time.
Most importantly, ground-level slow feeders prevent a horse from gorging. A horse’s stomach is relatively small and designed to process a slow, steady intake of forage throughout the day. When a horse eats too quickly, undigested food can pass into the intestines, creating a risk for gas buildup, impaction, and the dreaded twist—all common causes of colic.
Porta-Grazer: Top Choice for Slow Hay Intake
The Porta-Grazer is the gold standard when it comes to slowing down a fast eater. Its design is simple but brilliant: a tall, barrel-like container with a floating grate that sits on top of the hay. The horse has to pull small wisps of hay through the holes in the grate, forcing it to eat slowly and deliberately.
This feeder directly mimics the process of natural grazing. It can turn a 15-minute hay binge into a multi-hour foraging session, keeping your horse occupied and its digestive system working as intended. The solid construction also means it’s incredibly durable and virtually eliminates hay waste, as hay can’t be pulled out, stepped on, or soiled.
The main tradeoff here is the price. A Porta-Grazer is an investment, but when you weigh it against the cost of wasted hay and potential vet bills, it often pays for itself. It’s an ideal solution for a horse on stall rest, an easy keeper prone to weight gain, or any horse that needs its forage intake managed carefully.
Tarter Equine Hay Basket for Group Pastures
When you’re feeding a small herd in a pasture, individual feeders aren’t always practical. The Tarter Equine Hay Basket is a fantastic solution for group settings. It’s a large, sturdy metal basket that holds a whole square bale, keeping it off the wet, muddy ground.
This feeder allows multiple horses to eat comfortably at the same time from a natural, head-down position. By elevating the hay just enough to keep it clean, you drastically reduce the risk of horses ingesting mud, sand, or parasites along with their forage. This alone is a significant step in preventing sand colic.
Keep in mind, this is not a slow feeder. A hay basket is primarily about waste reduction and cleanliness in a group environment. Horses can still pull out large mouthfuls, so it’s best suited for herds where gorging isn’t the primary concern. It’s a workhorse for keeping expensive hay from becoming expensive bedding.
High Country Plastics Ground Feeder: Durability
Sometimes, you just need something tough that will hold up to abuse. The High Country Plastics Ground Feeder is built like a tank. Made from heavy-duty molded polyethylene, it’s designed to withstand kicking, pawing, and being flipped by a bored or pushy horse.
Its simple, open-box design makes it versatile. You can use it for hay, soaked cubes, or grain, and it’s easy to rinse out and move around the paddock. The rounded edges and low profile make it a safe option, reducing the risk of a horse getting a leg caught or injured.
This is a straightforward container, not a complex feeding system. It doesn’t have a grate to slow down eating, so its main purpose is to provide a clean, durable, and safe vessel for feed. If your top priorities are durability and safety over slow-feeding, this is an excellent, no-nonsense choice.
The Hay Saver Feeder for Minimizing Hay Waste
The name says it all. The Hay Saver Feeder is engineered specifically to stop your horse from using its hay as a mattress. These feeders typically feature a solid box design with a metal or plastic grate that covers the hay, forcing the horse to eat through the openings.
This design is incredibly effective at preventing waste. Horses can no longer grab a huge mouthful, walk away, and drop half of it on the ground. Every wisp they get has to be pulled through the grate, meaning more hay ends up in their stomach and less gets trampled into the mud.
While its primary function is saving hay (and money), the grate provides a secondary benefit of slowing down consumption. It may not be as restrictive as a dedicated slow feeder like the Porta-Grazer, but it still makes a horse work for its food. It’s a great middle-ground option for owners who need to address both waste and eating speed.
Horsemen’s Pride Ground Feeder: Simple & Safe
For the horse owner who needs a basic, reliable feeder without any bells and whistles, the Horsemen’s Pride Ground Feeder is a go-to. It’s essentially a heavy-duty plastic tub, purpose-built for feeding on the ground. It’s lightweight, affordable, and incredibly easy to clean.
The key advantage of this feeder is its simplicity and safety. The flexible plastic and rounded corners mean there are no sharp edges to worry about. If a horse steps on it or bumps into it, it’s far less likely to cause an injury than a rigid metal or wooden feeder.
This feeder is perfect for feeding grain, supplements, or a single serving of hay in a stall or dry lot. It keeps the feed out of the dirt and bedding, but it offers no slow-feed capability. Think of it as a clean plate for your horse—a simple, safe, and affordable tool for daily feeding routines.
Behlen Country Corner Feeder for Stall Use
Space is always at a premium in a stall. The Behlen Country Corner Feeder is designed to solve that problem. By fitting snugly into a corner on the ground, it stays out of the way, maximizing the horse’s living area and preventing the feeder from being pushed into the middle of the stall.
These feeders are typically made from either tough polyethylene or galvanized steel, built to withstand the close-quarters wear and tear of stall life. Placing the feed in a dedicated corner also helps contain any mess, making stall cleaning a little bit easier. It ensures hay or grain doesn’t get mixed into the bedding where it can be soiled.
Like other open-bin feeders, this one is about location and cleanliness, not slowing down intake. It’s an excellent choice for keeping a stall organized and ensuring your horse has a clean place to eat from a natural, head-down posture. It’s a simple, space-saving solution for indoor feeding.
Choosing Your Feeder: Material and Grate Size
Once you’ve decided on a style, the details matter. The two most important factors are the feeder’s material and, if it’s a slow feeder, the size of the grate openings. Getting this right makes the difference between a useful tool and a frustrating piece of plastic.
Material choice comes down to a balance of durability and safety.
- Poly/Plastic: Generally safer due to smooth, rounded edges. They are lightweight and easy to clean but can be destroyed by a particularly determined horse.
- Metal: Extremely durable and heavy, making them hard to move or damage. However, if they do break, they can create dangerously sharp edges, and cheaper models can rust.
For slow feeders, the grate is everything. The size of the holes determines how much you slow down the horse.
- Large Holes (3"+): A good starting point. They slow the horse down without causing too much frustration and work well with coarser hays.
- Small Holes (2" or less): Offer maximum restriction for very fast eaters or easy keepers. However, they can be too challenging for some horses and may not work with thick, stemmy hay.
The best approach is to match the feeder to your horse’s personality and your hay type. An anxious horse might give up on a small-holed grate, while a food-motivated one will happily work at it for hours. Always supervise a horse with a new slow feeder to ensure they can use it effectively without excessive frustration.
Ultimately, selecting the right ground feeder is a proactive step toward better digestive health for your horse. By encouraging a natural eating posture and controlling intake speed, you’re not just reducing hay waste—you’re making a smart investment in preventing colic. Thinking like a horse and mimicking nature is almost always the right answer on the farm.
