• When did the horse start refusing hay?
• Is it a new batch of hay?
• Are other horses eating the same hay?
• Is the horse drinking water?
• Is the horse eating its feed?
• Is the horse exhibiting any other unusual behavior?

Let’s address the first three questions. If hay refusal comes on fairly suddenly, especially if it coincides with a new batch of hay, then it is likely that the hay itself is the issue. Especially if other horses are showing the same behavior.

Horse Sensitivities

Horses may refuse to eat hay that is old, moldy, coarse, stemmy, or full of weeds, so check to make sure that your hay is “clean”—that is, free of mold, dust, weeds, trash, and other impurities. Horses are sensitive to odors and can easily detect off-putting scents that humans cannot and sometimes this is enough to cause refusal. More sensitive horses back off forage intake simply when a change is made to a different type of hay, as some grasses are more palatable than others.

One additional consideration involves access to pasture. Hay intake often corresponds to pasture conditions. For example, some horses may reduce their hay intake when pasture grass is readily available and high quality, but will return to hay when pastures dry out due to drought or season.

If other horses are eating the hay as usual or if no change of hay has been made, the final three questions in the list become more relevant.

The question of water is an important one. Clean, fresh water should always be available. Without sufficient water, a horse will quit eating. Check to make sure your horse’s water source has not been compromised in function or hygiene, such as a broken automatic waterer, a leak in a water tank, or contamination from manure or a decomposing bird or animal.

Health Issues

Once you’ve verified the hygiene of the hay and water source, other causes of hay refusal should be investigated. Common causes of inappetence in horses include dental issues, such as painful chewing due to uneven wear, split or broken teeth, missing teeth, and infection of the teeth, gums, or other oral tissue. Sometimes it could be as simple as the horse eating hay containing foxtail seed heads, which can lodge in the gums and cause pain and infection if not found and removed.

Moreover, dental condition often depends on age, as teeth deteriorate as horses hit their late teens and twenties. When this happens, it can result in a gradual or sudden decline in hay intake. Regular dental care for horses throughout their lives can help address dental issues in a timely manner and ensure that horses are able to comfortably consume hay for as long as possible. When horses reach the point where they no longer can chew hay, there are several alternative forages and fiber sources appropriate to help maintain weight.

Other health issues that can affect a horse’s appetite for hay include colic, ulcers, and choke. In addition, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and generalized infection or disease. In any case, a call to the veterinarian is most likely in order. Determine if there is a significant health condition. As well as the best options to help a horse regain its health and appetite.

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According to Clarissa Brown-Douglas, Ph.D., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research, the first step in creating a high-quality, cost-conscious diet is to clearly define the scenario and the goals. Do you manage a herd of broodmares? Ride competitively; is the horse exercised lightly or intensely? Do you care for a single retired pony?

Diet Evaluation:

Once the feeding goals are clearly understood, a nutritionist should perform a thorough diet evaluation. Carefully collecting information about forages and concentrates, and how much of each is fed to the horse. Moreover, the nutritionist should inventory the supplements that are fed, making note of why each is added to the diet. Other pertinent information may include turnout time, pasture quality, and palatability preferences.

In addition to determining nutritional adequacy of diets, ration evaluations reveal any shortages or overages of specific nutrients. “Eliminating nutritional double-ups is the simplest way to shave off some expense,” said Brown-Douglas.

Optimizing forage intake is another source of potential cost savings. “Pasture can provide a lot of nutrition, sometimes year-round. Maximizing time on pasture is one way to reduce the use of other forages, such as hay or bagged forage products such as cubes, pellets, or chaff, all of which tend to be expensive,” she explained.

Sourcing Hay:

While it may be impractical to eliminate hay from a diet, sourcing local hay often reduces forage costs. Further savings may be achieved if a local grower can be identified and hay can be picked up from the field, as this reduces handling required by the grower. Transportation outlays can add considerably to the cost of hay.

When evaluating feed expenses, the nutritionist will often verify that horses are receiving the most appropriate forage for their age and lifestyle. While premium-quality hay engages the human senses favorably—imagine how beautifully cured alfalfa looks, smells, feels—few horses require it for optimal health. Mid-quality grass hay works well for many horses. For those prone to obesity, even this may be too rich, so owners should be on the lookout for mature hay that is free of dust, mold, and weeds.

“Be conscious of not wasting hay,” Brown-Douglas warned. “Some horses are clever at using hay as bedding, and this isn’t economical. To avoid this, get out the scale, and feed 1.25% to 2% of the horse’s optimal body weight per day in a haynet or feeder.”

Once forage costs have been streamlined, the concentrate portion of the diet can be addressed. Many horses, especially growing horses, performance horses, breeding stallions, and broodmares at certain stages of production, require a concentrated form of calories. This is best accomplished through the provision of a well-formulated, fortified concentrate from a reputable manufacturer. Sometimes a savings can be had by feeding a ration balancer. For example, a feed that rounds out the protein, vitamin, and mineral requirements of a diet, at a lower intake.

Supplement Evaluation:

Finally, careful evaluation of all supplements should be performed. Oversupplying certain nutrients frequently occurs unintentionally when multiple supplements are fed to horses. For some horses that require similar needs, an all-in-one supplement might be appropriate and provide cost savings. These supplements might include high-quality ingredients that address hoof, coat, joint, and antioxidant needs.

To keep feeding costs in perspective, Brown-Douglas encourages horse owners to look at the cost of feeding a horse per day. This opposed to relying on individual product prices. Certainly, she explained, some bagged feeds can be expensive. That price is relative to how long the product will last. “Take a well-formulated ration balancer, for instance. If a 50-lb (23-kg) bag costs $25 and your horse eats 1 lb (0.45 kg) a day, then that single bag will last well over a month.”

Working with a nutritionist has many advantages. Nutritionists are certainly advocates for horses. After all, the goal is to ensure optimal nutrition. However, routine diet evaluations also protect horse owners from needless expense.

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Before exploring dietary options, take inventory of your broodmare. What breed or type is she—a fine-boned Arabian; a rugged, sporty half-Thoroughbred; or a muscly stock-type? Where would she place on the metabolism spectrum: is she an easy keeper, a hard keeper, or average in her conversion of calories to body maintenance and fat stores? What does she weigh when she’s in moderate body condition?

“Horses will generally consume 1.5-3.0% of their body weight in dry matter intake daily, with lactating mares at the upper end of this range,” explained Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research. “Forages would supply at least half of this dry matter but may provide considerably more depending on the mare’s phenotype and metabolism.” Identifying proper forage for broodmares is therefore paramount.

Hay Inventory:

As with all hays intended for horses, broodmares should be offered high-quality hay that is free of any dust, mold, or weeds. The texture of the hay should be soft, and the smell pleasant and appealing. Not only is high-quality hay more palatable, but it can provide significantly more calories than lower quality hay. Toss any hay that is refused or soiled.

The type of hay given—whether it is a grass or legume—depends largely on the mare and availability. Early and mid-bloom alfalfa, for example, provide more energy than many good-quality grass hays, even those harvested in early maturity.

“With this in mind, alfalfa hay or an alfalfa-blend hay may be appropriate for mares that require more energy to maintain body condition during lactation. Think of the hard keepers that put a lot of energy into milk production, like some Thoroughbred mares,” Crandell said. On the contrary, for mares that are known to be easy keepers, alfalfa may provide too many calories. A grass or alfalfa-grass mix might be more appropriate for them.

Depending on the mare’s foaling date, fresh forage might be available to lactating mares. The quality and quantity of pasture may vary from farm to farm. If mares are allowed access to high-quality, properly maintained pasture for much of the day, then this will go far in meeting a mare’s energy requirements but likely will not satisfy them entirely.

Because of their high energy and nutrient needs, mares cannot generally consume sufficient forage to meet their nutritional requirements. Mares in late gestation and lactation are usually provided concentrates to fulfill this caloric shortfall.

The amount of concentrate given will depend on the mare, but the general feeding recommendations supplied by the manufacturer provide a logical starting point. If the mare requires less concentrate than the manufacturer suggests, a ration balancer pellet can offer further nutrition. A ration balancer is a concentrated source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, typically fed in small amounts, such as 1-2 lb (0.45-0.9 kg) per day.

Other considerations when managing lactating mares:

• While mares in late gestation may have a reduced appetite, lactating mares typically have normal, even ravenous, appetites. Because of this, mares should have access to appropriate forage at all times. Tall, large-framed broodmares (1,300 lb or 600 kg) may consume more than 40 lb (18 kg) of hay daily. If high-quality pasture is available as a forage source, hay may not be necessary, but many hours of grazing would be necessary for mares to consume sufficient forage. “Grass contains a great deal of water. Large quantities of pasture are needed to fulfill the forage requirement. Some researchers estimate that four acres of quality pasture is needed for every mare-foal pair,” Crandell said.
• Choose a concentrate formulated expressly to meet the nutritional needs of mares and foals. Use the manufacturer’s recommendations as a launching point, and adjust feed as necessary, staying mindful to keep meals as near to no more than 5 lb (2.3 kg) as possible. Most mares will typically consume 6-12 lb (2.7-5.5 kg) of concentrate per day. Divide into two or three meals. Because energy requirements peak in early lactation, more feed might be necessary then as opposed to mid or late lactation.
• Consider rebreeding efficiency. Keep lactating mares in moderate body condition. Maintaining mares throughout the reproductive cycle at higher body condition scores holds no advantage. In fact, maternal obesity has been linked to systemic inflammation, decreased insulin sensitivity, and an increased incidence of osteochondrosis in foals.^* Further, long-term obesity may predispose mares to endocrine-related disorders, such as insulin dysregulation, and increased risk of dystocia, according to Crandell.
• Mares that are unable to maintain moderate body condition should have their diets evaluated. If high-quality forage is provided in adequate quantities, attention should be turned to the concentrate portion of the diet. A concentrate that features various energy sources should be fed. Different energy sources include starch (as found in cereal grains), fermentable fiber (beet pulp, soy hulls), and fat (vegetable oil, stabilized rice bran). Add more calories to the diet by top-dressing fat. For example, oil or stabilized rice bran, onto concentrate meals. Fat is palatable so long as not too much is given at once. “As a concentrated source of calories, fat can be very helpful for increasing the energy intake without adding bulk to a diet that may already be maxed out in how much the mare can consume,” Crandell explained.

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^*Robles, M., E. Nouveau, C. Gautier, L. Mendoza ,C. Dubois, M. Dahirel, B. Lagofun, M. Aubrière, J. Lejeune, I. Caudron, I. Guenon, C. Viguié, L. Wimel, H. Bouraima-Lelong, D. Serteyn, A. Couturier-Tarrade, and P. Chavatte-Palmer. 2018. Maternal obesity increases insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation and osteochondrosis lesions in foals and yearlings until 18 months of age. PloS One 13(1):

A study at Cornell University was designed to learn a horse’s preference for loose hay or a complete pelleted feed. Horses were put on one of two treatments: free-choice loose hay or free-choice complete pelleted feed. Each horse could get a serving of the alternate product by pressing a plate. First, the horse learned to press the plate once for an alternate serving. The mechanism was then set to give the reward only if the plate was pressed an increased number of times.

Horses with free-choice loose hay did not progress beyond pressing the plate once for a serving of pellets. Meanwhile  horses with free-choice pellets learned to press the plate as many as 13 times for a serving of hay. In addition, horses with free-choice pellets spent 11% of the time nosing through their bedding, a foraging activity. Horses on free-choice hay spent only 1% of their time foraging, possibly indicating their need to chew and swallow fiber had been more completely met.

Owners of stalled horses are advised to provide some hay or turnout/grazing time if possible, and to split the ration of pelleted complete feeds into a number of small meals spaced throughout the day. This strategy may help to combat boredom and reduce the tendency of stalled horses to develop stereotypic behavior such as weaving, cribbing, and kicking.

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Picky eaters are very sensitive to feed quality. Be sure that premixed feeds and straight grains are within their printed expiration date. In addition, store feeds correctly to avoid mold or oxidation from exposure to air and moisture. In very hot weather, buy only enough feed to last a week or so. Prevent fermentation of grains and molasses in storage. Be a discerning customer when buying hay and chaff, and accept only clean, fresh-smelling forages that are free from weeds, dust, mold, and evidence of rodent infestation.

Forage:

In cases where horses are being fed a lot of grain, adding more forage to the diet can help to avoid problems such as gastric ulcers and hindgut acidity that may reduce appetite. Add forage as long-stem forage (hay or pasture) rather than chaff or other fiber sources. Offering at least 1% of body weight in forage per day is the best way to avoid digestive problems that may dull appetite.

The high glycemic index of grain feeds and the corresponding high blood sugar and insulin levels following grain meals can suppress appetite. As hard feed rations are increased, overall appetite is suppressed.

Horses find best-quality forage most palatable. The hay does not have to be prime lucerne (alfalfa) or clover hay; any clean hay that is free of dust and mold with plenty of leaf and not too much rough, woody stem that has been cured and stored correctly is preferred. Rough, stalky hay is retained in the digestive tract  longer than good-quality, leafy hay. This can affect appetite and intake of forage. Although this type of hay is unsuitable for picky eaters, it can be useful for overweight animals.

In horses that must consume concentrated energy, lucerne (alfalfa) or clover are good choices but are often better in combination with non-legume hays (grass, and cereal hays) than fed alone, where they can sometimes be too rich and cause scouring and further digestive upset.

B Vitamins:

In some cases, a deficiency of B vitamins can be the reason for suppressed appetite. Feeding plenty of forage ensures correct hindgut digestion, allowing adequate production of essential B vitamins in most cases. However, in horses that are working very hard, or those that are under stress or are scouring, B-vitamin production may fall short of requirements.

Supplementing B vitamins to horses with reduced appetite can stimulate appetite. Supplementation is best in an oral form rather than injectibles. For horses that refuse feed, mix powders with water, Give orally via a dosing syringe. Supplements should contain the full complex of B group vitamins at appropriate levels.

A course of daily supplementation for 14 to 20 days will help to stimulate appetite in horses that have gone off feed suddenly. Strategic supplementation prior to and at a show and competition can help to maintain appetite at these critical times. In some rare cases, regular supplementation seems to be required, with the horse going off feed as soon as the supplement is taken away, but correct nutritional and work balance can often alleviate inappetence enough that this is not necessary.

Oil and Fat:

In horses where no cause of poor appetite can be established, the owner or manager must come up with clever ways to get enough energy into the horse to do the job that is required in a safe way that will not affect the horse’s behavior or performance. High-fat feeds and fat/oil supplements can be a great way to get extra calories into the feed bucket in a relatively small volume of feed.

Oil and fat contains about three times the amount of energy as oats on a volume to volume basis. One cup of oil has about the same energy as 1 kg (2.2 lb) of oats. Adding oil or a high-fat supplement increases the energy density of the feed, making each mouthful more calorific.

Even if the horse only eats half of the supplemented feed, the calories taken in are significantly more than with grain feed alone. Appropriate oil choices are canola, corn (the most palatable), sunflower, or mixed vegetable oil. Choose only new oil. Avoid any oil claiming to be recycled or anything from the restaurant industry. This has been used for frying and has different properties from fresh oil.

Other high-fat supplements include rice bran, sunflower seeds, and soybean meal. These can be useful for horses with an aversion to oil. It can be used in combination with oil to reduce the overall volume of oil required. A regular amount is 1 to 2 cups of oil per day or a total of 1 to 2 kg (2.2 to 4.4 lb) of high-fat supplements with or without added oil.

Electrolytes and Salt:

Electrolytes and salt are very important in horse diets. Particularly in working horses. However, feeding too much can suppress appetite and reduce feed palatability. Generally, palatability is reduced once salt is included at more than 1% of the feed. With picky eaters, the tolerance level can be much lower than that.

In many cases, it is better to allow free-choice salt separately from the feed. Dose horses daily by syringe to get the right amount of salt and electrolytes into them. When adding or increasing salt in the feed, the best approach is to do it gradually. This will not always work with picky eaters. Yet, it can help to get the horse eating if no drastic changes are noticed in the feed.

In cases where it is imperative that the horse eats. For example, such as if the horse is sick and weak. If refusal of feed over a period of time while away at competition is affecting performance. If a horse is competing in a long-distance endurance event and is not eating well along the way. The smorgasbord approach can be very useful. Providing a range of different feedstuffs in an attempt to find something that the horse will voluntarily eat will help to satisfy the immediate requirement of getting something into the horse.

New Feedstuffs:

Do not offer new and strange feedstuffs to horses. However, in cases where the horse must eat something, this rule takes a back seat. Smorgasbord meals are usually small (around 0.5 to 1 kg or 1.1 to 2.2 lb per feed type). Once the horse has chosen a particular feed, the others are generally removed. Feedstuffs offered may include a variety of hay types. The preferred type may surprise owners who imagine that prime lucerne (alfalfa) must be the only hay they should try. Do not underestimate the palatability of fresh grass.

In terms of hard feed, the menu may include pellets. In addition, sweet feeds of different types (micronized, steam-flaked, and so on), and straight grains such as steam-flaked barley or straight oats. Leave additives and supplements out of the feed. However, additions such as carrots, apples, a little molasses, apple cider vinegar, or even fruit juice can sometimes be just the temptation the horse needs. The traditional bran mash can be a powerful tool in trying to tempt the picky eater.

A good helping of wheat bran or pollard with the addition of a handful of grain and perhaps some molasses and some carrots and/or apples soaked with warm water and fed fresh and warm can be to a horse as chicken soup is to a convalescing human patient. Bran mashes are often the first feed of choice in equine veterinary hospitals following surgery. For good reason: their proven palatability and as a great way of getting some vital fluids into a horse.

Dealing with picky eaters can be frustrating. The trick is to work out why the horse is not eating. Then, fix the root cause of the problem.

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Article by KER.