“He just doesn’t like to eat very much. Just the way he is. Nothing wrong with him though.”
I cringe whenever I hear a comment like this about a horse. To me this is a flashing neon sign screaming something is wrong. Horses are designed to spend 18 to 20 hours a day eating. So for a horse to not like to eat, well something isn’t right somewhere.
If your horse has a lack of appetite or isn’t eating, have your horse checked by a veterinarian there could be something seriously wrong such as colic or a stomach ulcer.
At the rescue I run, we have horse after horse come in that just picks at their feed. They show no enthusiasm in eating, but eat because they have to. In general I’ve found these horses are suffering from upset digestion caused by stress, medications, or other factors. The other reasons I’ve seen for a lack of appetite are pain and teeth problems.
If the lack of appetite is digestive in origin putting a horse on a probiotic can help immensely. There are many herb mixes on the market specifically for digestion. They usually contain herbs such as peppermint to stimulate digestion. Chamomile is good for digestion while also calming nerves. Marshmallow is very soothing to the stomach. That is marshmallow the herb, not marshmallows that one would use in hot chocolate or to make s’mores. It can often take a month or more to really see a difference in their appetites.
If you compete with your horse and wish to use herbs to treat him, always check with the ruling organization under which you compete as some herbs are considered banned substances.
Pain, whatever its origin may be, dampens the appetite. Just think about how you don’t feel like eating when you are in pain. The same is true of your horse. They will usually continue eating, even if just picking at their food, as they know their survival depends upon it.
If you suspect pain is an issue, have your horse checked by a veterinarian. If they rule out major health problems have a chiropractor, massage therapist, or acupuncturist check the horse. Don’t just treat the symptom, i.e. the pain; you need to find the cause of the pain and treat that.
While Bute may be recommended for pain, if your horse is already suffering from digestive problems, Bute will just exacerbate any digestive upsets. Check with your vet about alternatives such as white willow bark, devil’s claw, or meadowsweet.
Make sure to have his teeth checked as they may need to be floated. Sharp points may be causing pain when he chews, or just make it difficult to chew. If your horse is dropping food or has wads of partially chewed hay in his stall, these can be indications of teeth problems.
Also check their diet. Most brands of horse pellets can be difficult on a horse’s digestion, especially if they have a stomach ulcer. Having a grass hay to graze on for a good portion of the day can be very helpful. Also smaller, more frequent feedings are better than one or two large ones.
