Nutrition

How to overcome a fussy horse

HorseHage has been the Official Supplier of DustFree Forage to The British Equestrian Team at every Olympic Games since Los Angeles in 1984.

There are numerous reasons why a horse can become a fussy eater and finding out why is the first port of call in rectifying the situation. Of course, like humans, some horses are just naturally faddy, and this can be a constant frustration for owners. On the other hand, if a horse that usually has a good appetite suddenly goes off his food, the cause needs to be investigated. Because horses are naturally trickle feeders, it’s important that they are continually getting enough fibre through their digestive systems to prevent acidic attacks on the gut wall and so if a horse or pony loses his appetite and stops eating, it can easily become a more serious problem. Firstly consider whether your horse has developed a health condition which may have caused him to go off his food. Gastric problems can cause a lot of discomfort when eating and if you suspect

this or any other underlying condition, please consult your vet. Dental issues can cause pain or make it difficult for your horse to chew and a sign of this is quidding (when you find balls of half-chewed food spat out). In this situation we would always recommend consulting your equine dentist.

Stress can be another factor and there can be many causes for this, and this in turn can also be a cause of gastric issues. Has your horse moved yards or fields? Is he missing another horse or pony? Is he being bullied at feed times if turned out with other horses? Has his workload changed? There can be lots of things that we probably wouldn’t consider stressful for our horses or ponies but in reality, sometimes something that seems a very small change to us can be hugely stressful for some horses and ponies. A simple change to a new stable can be enough to put a horse off his food. Look at his daily routine to see if there have been any changes recently and then address them.

Of course, the answer may be something much more simple such as his feeding regime. If your horse or pony is turned out and there is plenty of grazing, he may simply go off his bucket feed as he will be enjoying the grass. Similarly, if he is turned out for longer, he may be filling up on grass. Have you changed feed or feed brands or to a different forage? A change in feeds should always be made very gradually, particularly if you are changing from a molassed feed to one that is unmolassed and even the same type of feed from a different manufacturer can taste slightly different. The same applies to any supplements which you may be adding to your horse’s feed. Horses are greatly influenced by taste, aroma and texture in their food.

Feeding a fibre-based diet compared to a cereal-based one is a much more natural way of feeding. Our horse’s saliva helps to neutralise the acid in their stomach, and unlike humans, horses only salivate when they are physically eating, so the more time we can allow them to eat, the more saliva they will produce. Feeding a high fibre chaff such as Mollichaff will stimulate the production of saliva and slow down the passage of food throughout the gut as it requires up to 8000 chews per kilo to eat, compared to as few as 1200 for concentrates. Look for a flavoured chaff to tempt your horse’s appetite. Horses relish the flavours of mint, cherry, apple and herbs as well as molasses. If you are adding succulents such as carrots or apples, make sure to grate them into the feed to prevent your horse from picking them out first.

Forage can vary greatly, even from bale to bale and this can be down to hygiene, quality or the types of grass it is made from. Look for forage that is dust-free and is consistent in quality such as HorseHage. Forage made from timothy grass can help to stimulate the appetite as it has a different ‘nose’ to ryegrass.

Always make sure your feed is stored hygienically and is kept dry and away from contamination, rodents and insects. Feed buckets, bowls and utensils should be washed after every use. Water buckets and troughs should also be kept clean and fresh and in plentiful supply. Really cold water can put horses off drinking, which in turn can lead to a loss of appetite, so in cold weather it can be useful to be able to warm it slightly. Some horses also prefer their bucket feed to be dampened and it can make it easier for them to chew as well as the warm water making it smell more appetising.

Adding medication to a horse’s feed can taint it, so try to give any meds to your horse or pony separately from his feed times to avoid him making a connection between the medication and his feed.

For further information on feeding your horse, pony or donkey, please call the HorseHage & Mollichaff Helpline on 01803 527274 or visit www.horsehage.co.uk

Feed With Confidence

Get the seal of approval from your horse

Lower sugar content than a typical hay sample High Fibre and Timothy varieties suitable for equines prone to laminitis Can provide up to 100% of your horse or pony’s diet Dust-free No soaking required No chemicals or additives

@horsehageandmollichaff

N A T U R A L L Y O C C U R R I N G P R O H I B I T E D S U B S T A N C E S