After seeing them pop up all across social media, at the start of the year I bit the bullet and bought a Parallax Hay Ball* for my horse. I was somewhat dubious to begin with but after nearly a year of using it, I thought it was about time I gave it a proper review.
What is the Parallax hay ball?
Suitable for use in the field and in the stable, the Parallax hay ball is a challenging hay container.
Designed to stimulate a natural grazing position, the hay ball is ideal for relieving boredom for stabled horses, or for horses that are prone to laminitis, that are on starvation paddocks, or just to slow down your horse as they eat.
Available in blue, yellow, pink, green, and black, the hay balls feature 12, 75mm wide holes and are created so that they can be filled with hay or haylage.
What are my thoughts on the Parallax hay ball?
When I first bought the hay ball, I was a little bit worried that Beano would either find it frustrating and give up before he ate all of the hay. However, after months of using it, I can safely say that isn’t the case at all. In fact, Beano actually chooses to eat from the hay ball over his hay nets now and he always manages to get every last strand of hay from it.
As they’re made from plastic, I was also worried that it wouldn’t be very durable but it has hugely surprised me. Despite Beano having had it daily for nearly a year now and often being anything but gentle with it, the hay ball is still in perfect condition.
I personally give the hay ball to Beano while he is stabled, to encourage him to keep moving and to keep him occupied for longer. And it definitely works. It takes Beano twice the length of time to eat all of his hay now, and
Not to mention the fact that it is more natural for him as he is eating from the floor instead of from a hanging hay net now.
Where to get your own hay ball
The Parallax hay ball* is available from a huge range of online equestrian retailers, but you can also pick up one from Amazon for £48.
*Affiliate link. This means I get a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you decide to purchase a hay ball through this link.
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