Keeping Horses Eating

can make it unpalatable and put a horse off its feed.
   Stress Stress caused by a change in routine or the loss of a pasture buddy can lead to reduction of appetite.
   Disease Work with your veterinarian to treat any illness that may be putting your horse off its feed.
   Pain Again work with your veterinarian to identify and treat any pain that may be preventing the horse from eating. It may also be wise to have a dentist thoroughly examine your horses teeth and mouth for any issues that may be causing pain.
   Vitamin B1 deficiency If your horse is eating plants that contain thiaminase remove the horse from the pasture and supplement the horse with oral vitamin B1 and provide plenty of good quality hay. If your horse was being fed whole or uncooked grains remove them from the diet and replace them with cooked grains i e. grains that have been micronised extruded steam flaked or thoroughly boiled or high energy fibres like sugarbeet pulp or soybean hulls. Also provide the horse with as much hay as he wants to eat. When loss of appetite is caused by hindgut acidosis the horse will often maintain its appetite for forage. An oral vitamin B1 supplement will also help to replenish depleted vitamin B1 supplies and return appetite to normal.
   Mycotoxin poisoning If you suspect mycotoxins try to locate the source of mycotoxin contamination. You can look for visible signs of mould which doesnt always indicate the presence of mycotoxin or send the feeds off for a mycotoxin analysis. Once you have located the source remove it from your horses diet and replace it with a clean alternative. If mycotoxins are an ongoing concern you can look at using products like Mycosorb that trap the mycotoxins and prevent them from being absorbed by your horse. Keep in mind that hay and chaff are common sources of mycotoxin poisoning.
   Unpalatable feeds Locate which feed is unpalatable for your horse and replace it with a palatable alternative. If you are unsure what is unpalatable simplify your diet back to one or two ingredients that you think your horse will eat and then as his appetite returns gradually add any additional ingredients one at a time leaving a few days between the addition of each new ingredient. If the addition of one particular ingredient stops your horse from eating again remove