NAG Bags: Industry Impacts & Improved Welfare, Inspired by A Special Horse
- Honos Nutrition Co.
- May 22
- 3 min read
At Honos Nutrition Co., we’re passionate about horses, science, and doing the best we can do for our horses, while empowering others to do the same. We know that we're better together, and THAT'S how we improve lives 🤍 This is why we think it's so important to collaborate, elevate and amplify the voices in our equestrian space who are dedicated to improving the lives of our beloved equine best friends.
Meet Mandy
For this edition of our guest blogs, we interviewed Mandy Blais, the creator and owner of Nag bags, a Canadian-made small business with an incredible range of innovative natural alternative grazers.
How did your business get started? Was there a specific horse that sparked inspiration for Nag bags?
It all began with Scotty—a horse of a lifetime. I bought him as a high-end futurity prospect from Oklahoma, but when he arrived, he came with digestive issues and anxiety. I was determined to help him heal, and one big thing he needed was constant access to forage. The nets I found on the market had holes that were too big and unsafe, so I designed my own. When people saw them, they wanted them too—and that’s how Nag Bags was born.
Why are evidence-based practices important to you?
We know now that horses need to forage. Science and experience both show that stalled horses with limited feedings often suffer from ulcers, anxiety, and other health issues. Forage-based feeding supports a healthy gut and a happy, balanced horse. The evidence is there, and it matters.
How have horses shaped your love for learning?
My passion for horses—and for learning—started when I was five with a sick pony we had to nurse back to health. That experience sparked a lifelong curiosity and a love for horsemanship that continues today. Horses constantly teach us, and I’ll never stop learning from them.
What advice would you give your younger, horsey-self?
Trust your gut. If advice doesn’t sit right with you, you don’t have to take it. You know your horse best—listen to that inner voice.
What has been the most rewarding part of starting your business/developing this product?
Without a doubt, it's seeing horses with access to forage all day—something I rarely saw during my years in the show world. It used to break my heart to watch horses stand for hours without feed. Now, I walk through barns and see hay nets everywhere. Watching that shift, knowing NAG Bags played a part in improving equine welfare, fills me with pride.
Full story online: https://nagbags.ca/pages/our-story
Benefits of hay nets: https://nagbags.ca/pages/benefits
Net Guide: https://nagbags.ca/pages/net-guide
We're always so inspired by the hard-working business owners who are driven by the goal to improve equine lives, and we feel so grateful to have featured Mandy and Nag bags!
For those who haven't heard of Nag bags yet, you should definitely look into them - these high-quality hay bags are all that I use for my horses. They're durable, knotless, and have varying netting sizes to suit every need - I use the 2.75-inch option for my senior horses. Mandy has given us a promo code for you guys to use when investing in your very own Nag bags -use the code Honos for 10% off!
Check out NAG bag products here - they also have an amazing library of educational material & resources too: https://nagbags.ca/
Follow the @nag.bags instagram below:
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