Sometimes I think it’s an Invention of the Devil. Other times I think it’s a Godsend. My hay net, Dear Humans, that’s what I am talking about. My human , Ma Leueen, has just told me it is called a Nibble Net. Whatever…..! This is what it looks like.
As you can see it has very small little squares and it does not deliver the hay in a profuse manner. Oh no, I have to pull the hay out from those very small little squares. If I am really hungry and want to just gobble up my hay then the thing is an Invention of the Devil! I have to put a lot of work into getting my hay.
Ma Leueen tells me it is better for me to eat slowly. Well, I have to admit, she is right. My ancestors were out grazing on the grassy steppes back in the day. There was no gobbling hay then. My ancestors just nibbled and nibbled along all day long. So with this constant eating our stomachs were made to have acid in them all the time. Now you humans are more like dogs or lions , your ancestors killed something and ate it and then went to sleep for hours afterwards. Your stomachs did not have to be producing acids and be ready to digest food. So, for we horses, it is better if we can be eating slowly for a longer time. That is what my hay, oh….. sorry….. my Nibble net is good for.
But here is the best thing about it. We all get our hay at the same time. My neighbors Kahn and Mesanto gobble up their hay and then they are standing around with nothing to do. But I am still eating Dear Humans. I still have lots of hay in my net.
“Biasini,” Khan says to me. “How come you still have hay? Are you getting extra?”
“No Khan, we all get the same amount.”
“But how come you’re still eating ?”
“My dear Khan, I just like to savor my hay and wash it down with a nice glass of Aqua Pura.” When I say that he knows I’m just kidding . We horses drink from a water bowl not a glass. He just laughs and shakes his head. Then Mesanto chips in.
“Beebles, it is because you have that hay net thing?” he asks.
“Yes Mesi it is. It it pretty tricky getting the hay out so it takes longer for me to eat. ”
“Hmmm….” he replies with a nod. “But it’s cool that you can still have hay when the rest of us are finished.”
“I know Mesi and I would share some with you but without opposable thumbs, like the humans have, I can’t get the net open.”
And then I just go back to nibbling on my hay. I can nibble from the bottom of the net.
And I can pick up bits that have fallen out onto the floor.
It is in those times when everyone else is finished and I am still eating I think the net is a Godsend. Don’t you agree Dear Humans?
I’d love to hear from you!