Many horse owners see their equine companions as family; even as their children. Just like children, horses can be very stubborn eaters. Finding a diet that’s nutritious and stimulates the horse palate can be very challenging. Here are a few simple tips that you can use to get started when dealing with your stubborn eaters. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.
Again, just like us, horses have specific preferences for the tastes, textures, and smells of the things they eat. However, nervousness can also play a large role in your horse’s picky habits. This presents a whole new set of challenges. First you must find what is causing your horse’s nervousness. Is it a physical problem? Issues like ulcers or dental problems could cause a horse to turn away from specific foods. If your horse is not nervous, then it could just be your horse’s preferences coming into play. For example, when it comes to grain some horses prefer pelleted feed. Other horses prefer their grain to be more textured.
And there’s more than just texture your horse might be fussing about. Did you know that many feed manufacturers add aromas and flavors to their products? Though these additives are meant to entice your horse, it could be doing the opposite. The answer here is to sample different products to find what your horse prefers. Horses often chose sweet flavors over sour ones, such as lemon and orange. In some cases, some horses have been known to not like grains at all. Nothing says your horse has to eat grain, but they’d have to make up the rest in forage. Remember, an average 1,000-pound horse requires 15-25 pounds of forage every day. If you are having issues with a stubborn eater, always check with your horse’s clinician for nutrition options.
