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Topic:Feeding Practices
Feeding practices in horses encompass the methods and strategies involved in providing nutrition to equine animals. These practices are designed to meet the dietary requirements necessary for maintaining health, supporting growth, and optimizing performance. Key components of equine feeding practices include the selection of forage and concentrates, balancing nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, and considering factors such as age, workload, and health status. Feeding practices also address the timing and frequency of meals to align with the horse's digestive physiology. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of feeding practices, including nutritional requirements, feeding behavior, and the impact of diet on equine health and performance.
Relationship Between Feed Olfactory Exploration and Consumption in Horses. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between horses' behaviour during olfactory exploration and following consumption of the same food containing herbs, either previously exposed to the herb odour or not. Twenty horses' responses to 14 herbs were compared in a smelling test, when the horses sniffed a herb, and after 20 min a consumption test, when they consumed oats mixed with the same herb. Before the tests, the horses were exposed to the scent of seven herbs, whereas the remaining seven herbs were non-pre-exposed. The results show that horses consumed oats with herbal additi...
Transforming retraining: Supporting racehorses to have successful second careers. Optimizing long-term welfare outcomes for Thoroughbred racehorses following retirement from racing is a priority across the global horse racing industry. Following their racing career, horses are required to adapt to a markedly different lifestyle, involving substantial physical, behavioural, and mental adjustment. This study consulted experienced retrainers to identify factors that inform successful retraining and transition of former racehorses to promote positive lifelong outcomes beyond racing. An online survey of 100 global stakeholders experienced in retraining former racehorses explor...
Semi-extensive management system drives lower prevalence of equine orodental disorders. The prevalence of orodental disorders in horses kept under different management systems is lacking. More detailed knowledge is needed to support targeted therapeutic and prophylactic approaches, as these conditions play a crucial role in maintaining equine health and welfare. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of orodental disorders in horses raised, kept, and fed under extensive, semi-extensive, or intensive management systems. Unassigned: Sixty-nine clinically healthy adult crossbred horses with no history of dental treatment were examined, with 23 horses included in each study group...
The effects of diet on the physical characteristics of feces and fiber digestibility in healthy horses. Diet is a known risk factor for colic, but few studies have explored how diet affects fecal characteristics which are often altered in horses with colic. This prospective cross-over study evaluated the effects of two common equine diets on fecal characteristics and fiber digestibility in healthy adult horses. We hypothesized that horses offered a complete pelleted diet would exhibit increased fecal dry matter (DM) and decreased fecal particle size compared to those offered a forage-based diet. Twenty horses at Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine served as subjects in the study....
Choice for the horse is paramount: Owners’ experiences in facilitating friends, forage, and freedom in their management practices. Owned horses rely on people for their behavioural needs, such as access to conspecifics, constant access to low nutrient density, fibrous forage and freedom of movement; otherwise known as friends, forage and freedom (3Fs). Restricting the 3Fs prevents horses from achieving optimal welfare. We carried out 14 semi-structured interviews in the UK and Ireland to examine horse owners' experiences, attitudes and beliefs around the provision of the 3Fs. Most participants were female, aged from 25 to 65 years, resident in the UK and kept their horse at a livery facility. A reflexive thematic analysis...
Four Haylages, One Metabonome: Defining Diet Driven Metabolic Shifts in Ponies. Haylage is widely fed to all categories of stabled horses across Europe and New Zealand. Haylage can vary from high energy nutrient dense forage to low energy highly fibrous fodder, yet little is known about the impact different haylages have on metabolism in horses. This study provides the first direct comparison of feeding four different haylages: early cut (Lolium multiflorum), later cut (Lolium perenne) rye grass (R1 and R2); early and late cut meadow grass (M1 and M2), on urinary and faecal metabonomics, in ponies at maintenance. Using replicated Latin Square design, eight individually ho...
Unveiling wolf dietary specialization on free ranging horses using forensic genetics and field monitoring. Wolves occasionally specialize on free-ranging horses when they are abundant and alternative prey is scarce, potentially reducing horse productivity, triggering conflicts with owners, and hampering conservation of both species. Yet, ecological and demographic impacts of wolf predation on horses remain poorly understood. We investigated wolf-horse interactions in NW Portugal by combining wolf monitoring, diet analysis, spatial overlap between wolf and horse activity areas, and horse pedigree reconstruction from genetically identified individuals recovered from wolf scat remains, feeding sites a...
Differential shaping of equine gut microbiota structure and function by breed and feeding regimen. The gut microbiota plays an essential role in host energy metabolism and immune function. Horses are non-ruminant herbivores that rely heavily on hindgut microbial fermentation to meet their energy requirements. However, the relative contributions of host genetic background (breed) and environmental factors (feeding regimen and geographical location) to shaping the equine gut microbiota remain poorly understood. Unassigned: In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and functional prediction analysis were performed on 139 equine fecal samples to systematically investigate the differential effects...
Determining optimal practices for foal weaning – A protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Weaning is a stressful time in a foal's (Equus caballus) life. As humans artificially manage weaning in domestic horses, it provides an opportunity to safeguard horse welfare early in life, with potential long-term benefits. While numerous studies have examined the effects of different weaning and management interventions on foal stress, optimal weaning practices have yet to be identified. Overall purpose of the study: To identify which weaning interventions and management practices have the greatest potential to improve foal welfare based on physiological and behavioural outcomes. Research qu...
Short-term provision of moderate dietary starch alters fecal microbiota but does not exacerbate exercise-induced inflammation in yearling Quarter Horses. Energy-dense feeds commonly provided to equine athletes may be high in starch, which alter gastrointestinal microbiota and could promote systemic inflammation. Objective: To test the hypothesis that exercise-induced inflammation would be greater in horses receiving a starch- versus fiber-based concentrate. Methods: Quarter Horses (mean±SD 16±1mo; 337±30kg) received either a fiber-based control (CON; 7 fillies, 8 geldings) or an isocaloric, isonitrogenous starch concentrate (STARCH; 8 fillies, 7 geldings) for 24d. Fecal metagenomics were evaluated on d0 and 21. Blood inflammatory mediators w...
Fecal microbiota of weaned equine and mule foals grazing bermudagrass pastures. Weaning is a critical period in the lives of foals. After weaning, forage consumption represents a major challenge for both equine or mule foals. Objective: This study evaluated the fecal bacterial concentration, composition, diversity and differential abundance in weaned equine and mule foals under rotational grazing on Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) pasture. Methods: A randomized design was used with equine and mule foals grazing two rotations on three Bermudagrass cultivars (Coastcross, Florakirk, and Tifton-85). Pasture rotation occurred every 20 days. The first rotation was evaluated at 20, ...
Forage nutritive analysis in practical equine feeding: challenges and opportunities. Previous research has shown that forage nutritive analyses are not used to any large extent in equine nutrition. As forages differ widely in nutritional quality, knowledge of the nutritive value is essential to avoid under- or overfeeding of horses. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate how forage nutritive analyses were used among horse owners in Sweden, and to identify challenges horse owners encounter with such analyses. Methods: Data was collected through an online survey with questions about the respondent, access to forage analytical reports, if and how the respondent used ...
Mastication characterization of horses fed bermudagrass hay in a two-part field study. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) is a common forage in the southeastern United States but remains controversial in equine diets due to reported associations with impaction colic. Reduced fiber digestibility has been proposed as a contributing factor, however differences in mastication of fine-stemmed bermudagrass hay have not been studied and may play a role in digestive disturbances. Objective: To compare chewing characteristics, including chews per unit weight and chews per minute, in horses consuming bermudagrass hay compared to other common hay types. Methods: Two studies were conducted....
Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in horses in the district of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Gastrointestinal parasitic infections constitute a major constraint to equine health and productivity, particularly in tropical regions where climatic and environmental conditions favor parasite survival and transmission. In Côte d'Ivoire, epidemiological data regarding gastrointestinal parasites in horses remain limited, especially in urban and peri-urban settings such as the district of Abidjan. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, diversity, and associated risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites affecting horses in the study area. A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional st...
Plasma and urinary exposure of cannabidiol and cannabidiolic acid in horses following consumption of contaminated feed. Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) are non-psychoactive cannabinoids naturally present in hemp-derived products. While these compounds are prohibited during equine competition, horses may be inadvertently exposed through contaminated feed. Data describing systemic and urinary exposure to CBD and CBDA following such low-dose, involuntary intake are limited. This study aimed to describe plasma and urine concentration-time profiles of CBD and CBDA in horses after consumption of experimentally contaminated feed. Results: Twelve Standardbred horses received feed containing low doses (1...
Do Polish Konik Horses Find Soaked Hay to Be Palatable? Frequently, equine diseases necessitate the moistening or soaking of hay for the horses. It was assumed that this treatment would not reduce the willingness of the Polish Konik horses with low nutritional requirements to consume the hay. Furthermore, it was believed that moistening would increase the palatability of this feed. The aim of this study was to determine time and frequency parameters and the amount of unconsumed dry, moist, or soaked hay. The research material comprised 12 Polish Konik horses consuming either 1 kg of dry hay, 2.1 kg of moist hay, or 3.3 kg of soaked hay on three sub...
Farm Atmosphere: Calm Attention and Mobility Characterise Positive Horse Welfare. On-farm welfare assessment of equines is a challenge given the large diversity of management practices, especially in terms of housing and activities. In our study, we tested time budget measures as a complementary tool to more conventional welfare indicators (e.g., stereotypic behaviours, ear position while foraging, neck shape). We observed 174 horses living in eight facilities (in their home environment) for which data on management practices and welfare were available. Time budget was assessed using the scan sampling method (1 min scan sampling over 30 min; 33 scans), while welfare assessm...
Long-Read Sequencing for Species-Level Resolution of the Equine Gut Microbiota Reveals the Need for Improved Databases. Differences in gut microbiota composition related to diet have been reported in horses, but characterization of specific microbial taxa remains limited, particularly at the species level. The objective of this study was to use long-read sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to provide additional taxonomic insight into the intestinal microbiota in horses. Fecal samples were collected from 12 horses on pasture and from 6 of them after switching to a hay diet. Sequencing yielded low read counts per sample, and the analysis failed to detect statistical differences in alpha- and beta-diversity among diet...
Welfare Assessment in Equine-Assisted Service (EAS) Horses. Equine-Assisted Service (EAS) horses can be exposed to stressors that affect their behavior and welfare. Previous studies investigated behavioral and physiological indicators (PI) only during therapy sessions. This study evaluated the frequency of stress and pain behaviors (FSPB) in horses with different riders, while assessing welfare through housing, management, and PI. Ten horses were observed during EAS sessions with three rider groups: able-bodied, clients with significant physical impairment, and clients with no significant physical impairment, totaling twenty-six riders. Behavioral data...
The effects of citrulline on horse milk components and fecal metabolism were analyzed based on LC-MS and 16s amplicon. The lactation period in mares is critical, as it significantly influences foal health and subsequent reproductive outcomes. Developing a precise nutritional strategy for lactating mares is a primary research focus. L-citrulline, a bioactivenon-protein amino acid and precursor to arginine, has been shown to enhance mammary blood flow and reduce oxidative stress, yielding promising results in livestock lactation studies. However, research on its effects in Equus species remains limited. There is a notable gap in data regarding its impact on lactation performance blood biochemistry, and its role ...
The effect of form on equine salt intake. Sodium and chloride are required nutrients and are typically met using sodium chloride (salt) via compressed blocks. The objective of this study was to compare salt intake using block or loose salt. Sixteen mature horses were blocked by housing style and assigned to block salt or loose salt (form) for four 7-day periods. Salt intake was measured by weight at the end of each period and was not affected by form (P = 0.070) or period (P = 0.902). There was an effect of horse (P < 0.001). Horses consumed between 2 and 135 g of salt daily, however; over half of the horses in the study di...
Pasture Intake of Whole-Day Stocked Thoroughbred Foals With Growth. We investigated the changes in the forage and nutrient intake of thoroughbred foals on pastures with whole-day stocking with age. Twelve thoroughbred foals were used and were allowed to graze on a pasture for 21 h/day from June to September. All foals were weaned just before 5 months of age. The pasture intake of the foals was measured using the double-indicator method. During the suckling period, the total voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) of the pasture for foals was higher at 4 months (2.1 kgDM/day) than at 2 months (1.3 kgDM/day). However, VDMI of pastures per body weight (%BW) for foal...
Is managing horses ‘as wild’ beneficial for dung beetle assemblages and their associated ecological functions? In Europe, where livestock has largely replaced wild ungulates over the centuries, dung beetle assemblages have become largely dependent on livestock farming. The radical changes in livestock farming practices during the 20th century have therefore had a profound impact on these assemblages. Trophic rewilding with large herbivores is an important focus in European rewilding projects, and dung beetle assemblages appear to be good indicators of the success of rewilding. By comparing the composition of dung beetle assemblages and the rate of dung disappearance in three neighboring grassland habit...
Physiological and nutritional adaptation of broodmares during the transition from late pregnancy to early lactation: Digestibility changes and the role of uNDF as an internal marker. Nutritional management of broodmares during late pregnancy and early lactation is essential for maternal health and foal well-being. This study evaluated a targeted dietary adaptation during the transition from late gestation to early lactation, monitored nutrient digestibility, and applied undigested neutral detergent fiber (uNDF) as an intrinsic digestibility marker. A prospective nutritional study was conducted on 11 clinically healthy Trotter broodmares (3 primiparous, 8 multiparous) monitored under standardized conditions. Mares received a forage-based diet with controlled starch intake a...
Impacts of flavor and aromatic palatants on consumption behavior in nursing foals. Palatability research in horses has primarily been conducted in mature, non-lactating horses and has typically investigated gustatory rather than aromatic preference. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the gustatory and aromatic preferences of nursing foals. Methods: Stock-type mare (13.25 ± 4.40 years) and foal (6 ± 3 weeks) pairings (n = 4) were utilized in multi-preference testing for treatments including apple, anise, peppermint and control (no palatant). Mares and foals were placed in assigned split stalls for 1800 seconds and provided unrestricted access to a...
An investigation into the impact of the inclusion of a commercial fiber-based feed, designed for both hydration and nutrition, on the equine hindgut microbiomes. It is more evident that horse health is linked to the gastrointestinal tract and microbial community structure (MCS) as affected by diet. There are many marketed feeds available to enhance nutrition for horses, however the effects of these feeds on hindgut MCS are largely unknown. Objective: The aim was to test the effect of a complementary forage feed (FF) on the fermentation profile and MCS in contrasting basal diets. Methods: A 2×2 factorial design was used to assess the effect of basal diet, forage only (FOR) or forage/concentrate (MIX), and presence/absence of FF on fermentation paramete...
Epidemiological study and risk factors of equine (Equus ferus caballus) gastrointestinal helminth infections in the north and northeast of Iran. Understanding the epidemiology of gastrointestinal (GI) helminth infections in equines is critical for investigating drug resistance patterns and developing effective strategies to control and prevent these infections. There is a lack of data regarding horse GI helminths and risk factors in the north and northeast of Iran. Hence, the present study aimed to identify GI helminths in horses in these regions and determine their risk factors. A total of 340 fecal specimens from horses of north ( = 141) and northeast ( = 199) Iran were coprologically examined for GI helminth infections. The poly...
Finishing Performance, Meat Quality, and Economic Efficiency of Retired Thoroughbred Versus Belgian-Cross Geldings Under an Identical Total Mixed Ration: A Pilot Study. This study evaluated a 181-day finishing system for horses entering the Korean meat chain by comparing retired thoroughbred geldings and Belgian-crossbred geldings under identical management and an ad libitum forage-based total mixed ration. Ten geldings ( = 5 per group) were individually housed, with body weight and feed intake recorded monthly. After slaughter, carcass traits and meat quality grade were assessed, and longissimus thoracis et lumborum samples were analyzed for proximate composition. Belgian-crossbreds consumed more dry matter (18.68 vs. 13.60 kg DM/day), corresponding to 2.3% ...
Assessment of the Welfare of Working Horses: Combining Clinical Evaluations with Indirect Indicators. Assessing the welfare of the working horses is crucial for identifying health and management issues and implementing effective solutions. This study evaluated the welfare of working horses in South Darfur, Sudan, by integrating clinical examination with indirect indicators through owner interviews. A total of 400 horse-owner pairs were included. Most horses (61.7%) worked every day, and 77% of owners reported using whips to encourage movement. Clinical assessment revealed that 29.0% of horses were thin, over half had dirty coats, 50.5% harbored external parasites, 43% had abnormal discharges, ...
Clinical nutrition in equine colic: a scoping review from an equine nutritionist’s perspective. Colic represents one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in equine medicine, with nutritional management recognized as a key modifiable factor influencing postoperative recovery. However, guiding principles for nutritional enteral support in horses after colic remain limited, and current practices are largely empirical. Objective: This scoping review aimed to (1) examine enteral nutritional support protocols reported in literature through a scoping review to map the available evidence on equine clinical nutrition in the context of colic, and (2) propose a physiology-based interpre...
