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Horse Behavior and Training

Horses don't know when to stop eating???

By:
Horse addict (From the good old USA)
Date:
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

I have a question, I know a person who has a horse, and he says that horses don't know when to stop eating. Much like a dog. He said they will eat until they're dead. Is that true?

Kleinne - Utah, U.S.A.
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

No, my horse has been on pasture all summer and he often is just standing under a tree not eating because he's full.

Mel - Ramsgate UK
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

Horses trickle feed throughout the day so that might seemthey are continually eating and dont know when to stop, but they are quite regular with thier eating habits, sleeping and resting habits. So no they wouldnt 'eat until they're dead.'
Mel x

Kicki -- Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

I'd say that is a misconception, based on atypical behavior.
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Typically, horses eats until they are full. With free access to food, (pasture, big bales, large nets) they will nibble away all day, or at their leisure, with rest or play in between.
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If they have restricted access to hay/grass, they might eat every last straw just because they don't know when they will see food again, or have the experience that it will be a very long time in between feedings.
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Also there are horses who got loose in the stable, gained access to the oats and got colic after gorging themselves.

cheryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

My Canadians love to eat.I use slow feeder hay nets to slow them down when they are not on pasture.Last winter I experimented with free choice[always hay available in slow feeders] but one gained so much weight I was afraid she would founder. I find I have to restrict her hay intake as Canadians are very easy keepers. I have also upped her exercise.The vets here have been doing workshops on metabolic syndrome and diabetes in horses. I have seen a horse suffering and dying from severe founder and I hope to never witness that again.I am also very careful about slowly introducing her to grass in the pasture in the spring,starting with small amounts of time and gradually building up to longer, again to prevent founder.
and yes ,both my horses have their daily routines where they eat ,play and rest but being Canadians,they are like some people who gain weight just by looking at a chocolate, they gain weight just by looking at a blade of grass.

Certified Instructor Ann Lindberg/Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed

Let´s give that statement a second of thought..horses are "frementators" the bloodplasma comes to a certain level together with how many times the horse has chewed - when we give them hay they will chew about 3500 times per kilo ( 1.8 pounds) and with concentrate only 1500 times - horses digestive system has not changed just because we have been involved with them and with breeding the past 7000 years - they are trickle feeders and should eat little and often 16-18 hours a day. Now, things get pretty complecated when we put them in pastures, stables and ride them.
Feed little and often - 5 times a day is ideal together with a pasture with grass all year around (!) ( I know, I live in SWEDEN!)
Horses with bad teeth, ulcers, poor digestive system, old horses need special treatment. These horses might stop eating and drinking.
The horses stomach has the size of a football - if too much food is given in concentrated form, non breakdown protein will go into the small intestine lowering the pH further the fermentation "goes wrong".
THIS IS A VERY SHORT explanation! You will find loads of BOOKS on the subject.
Just wanted you to get the idea that Yes, horses might eat too much due to the chewing part - look at your horses while grazing (if you have seasons you put the horses on grass pasture - they will eat for about 2 1/2 hours, rest, go drink, eat 2 1/2 hours, and so forth. Horses graze about 50% of the time between 01.00-04.00.
Geldings are not occupied with HORMONES - they might be that "oh - you - just - think- of -food - horse:)
Warmest Ann Lindberg
ps This is things we learn on the INTRO course! Only 530 pages actually:)

Horse addict (From the good old USA)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Thanks guys for your answers they've helped.

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

Thanks Anne for you clear explanation. It does seem that some horses can eat too much and suffer from overweight and associated problems which at the extreme could be fatal. I think the statement also depends upon the horse. I believe that my warmblood, Ouyen, could eat until she has excessive weight issues. She is a guts and is prone to over weight so I am continually having to shut her in a diet paddock or put a muzzle on her. I guess my shetland, Chester too would eat too much if allowed and hence his founder issues. So at the extreme I do agree with this statemment Horse Addict - some horses could eat continually until they have health problems that could be fatal - particularly so if they are allowed free access to pasture during spring.

vicci - UK (North Wales)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

Like me, they will eat whats there! I have two Welsh Mountain ponies and they are designed to live on rough, mountainous terrain where they have to wander 20 miles a day to pick out the bits of food available. Their constitution allows them to make the best use of the food and survive in this environment. A thoroughbred, for example, could not survive. Unfortuanately, I dont have a 20 mile mountain and they are in a field so I have to regulate their grass intake while keeping their environment as natural as possible. Free access to grass for them means they end up like me with free access to chocolate!!! Not good! :-)

Kicki -- Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Excellent explanation, Ann! Thanks!

Horse addict (From the good old USA)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Yeah, it was a good explanation!

Mel - Ramsgate UK
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

We need a like button :D nicely explained.

Certified Instructor Ann Lindberg/Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed

Haha lovely Mel! You guys have sooo much good going on here on the forum! Love to read everything! Keep up the good spirit and KEEP ON EQUUS ALL!
Warmest Ann

Mel - Ramsgate UK
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

Love being on here Ann, it feels good to know we can communucaite properly with our horses, and not have anyone judge us or think we're a bit mad for even thinking such a thing :D

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