Poor appetite in horse

. It is very likely that the change will not be noticed if it is made gradually over a few days or weeks. In any case, changes in the ration must be made gradually for the well-being of the horse's digestive system. Time must be taken to introduce the new feed without the horse noticing. If, on the other hand, you opt for a change in the type or brand of feed, about 10 days are required. During the transition period, it is important to aid digestion by including complementary feeds based on prebiotics and probiotics such as Enterovet in the ration.

Separation anxiety caused by a move to another stable, the removal of a companion or simply travelling alone to a competition can lead to loss of appetite in some horses. Although it usually only lasts for a short period of time, the problem can have significant consequences if this period of time coincides with a critical time such as the time before a major event, when it can have dramatic effects on performance.

Performing periodic check-ups on the horse's teeth is highly desirable, at least once or twice a year. Some older horses or horses with poor mouth conformation require more regular interventions. Mouth discomfort is a common cause of poor appetite for all horses of all ages.

Gastric acidity is a problem that mainly affects horses on diets high in cereals. Acidity can cause generalised discomfort in the horse and reduce appetite. The first step is to reduce the size of meals and increase their frequency, if possible choose low starch feeds such as Fat Fiber (starch <12%)

In these cases, it is necessary not only to reduce the grain quota, but also to reduce workloads, facilitate access to the paddock and make hay available ad libitum. Complementary feeds that promote the healing of moderate ulcers, such as Trophogast pellets, whose effectiveness has been tested by the University of Milan, prove particularly useful.

Horses may show poor appetite because they can be finicky, in fact just like humans they have preferences on the consistency of feed: some prefer pelleted feed, while others prefer a flaked or crushed feed. In addition to texture, the smell of the feed is also important; if they don't like it, the horse will stay a few centimetres away from the bucket and not come any closer. According to one study, horses prefer sweet flavours, mainly because their source of energy is carbohydrates, which are nothing more than compound sugars. Bitter flavours are generally discarded by the horse because they are ancestrally related to plants that are toxic to this species and usually taste bitter.