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Relationship Between Feed Olfactory Exploration and Consumption in Horses.
Abstract: 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 additives, regardless of whether pre-exposed, significantly longer than oats alone. The possibility of changes in feeding behaviour should be taken into account in horse feeding management when introducing new feeds or herbal supplements. Times of sniffing and consuming a herb were not correlated, whereas significant correlations in specific behaviours between the smelling and consumption tests were few and weak (from -0.162 to +0.146). It may be suggested that horses' olfactory exploration of a feed has limited predictive value in relation to their subsequent consumption of it. The results should be treated as preliminary and considered a starting point for further research.
Publication Date: 2026-08-20 PubMed ID: 42652004DOI: 10.3390/ani16162599Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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Overview
- This study investigated how horses’ smelling behavior towards herbs relates to their later consumption of those herbs mixed with oats.
- The findings indicate that horses consume herbal additives regardless of prior scent exposure, and that smelling behavior does not strongly predict consumption behavior.
Study Objective and Design
- The primary goal was to explore the connection between horses’ olfactory exploration (smelling behavior) and their subsequent intake of the same foods containing herbs.
- Twenty horses were tested with 14 different herbs in two stages:
- A smelling test where horses sniffed the herbs.
- A consumption test 20 minutes later where horses ate oats mixed with the same herbs.
- Before testing, horses were pre-exposed to the scent of seven herbs, while the other seven herbs were novel (non-pre-exposed).
Key Findings
- Horses showed a significant preference for oats mixed with herbal additives compared to plain oats, regardless of prior scent exposure.
- The duration of sniffing a herb was not correlated with the time spent consuming the herb-flavored oats.
- Only a few specific behaviors showed weak correlations between smelling and consumption, with correlation coefficients ranging from -0.162 to +0.146, indicating minimal predictive relationship.
- This suggests that the way horses investigate feed odors does not strongly predict how much they will consume the feed later.
Implications for Horse Feeding Management
- Introducing new feeds or herbal supplements can alter feeding behavior, which should be considered in feeding management strategies.
- Since olfactory exploration doesn’t reliably predict consumption, managers should monitor actual intake rather than relying on horses’ initial sniffing behavior.
Study Limitations and Future Directions
- The findings are preliminary and based on a limited sample of horses and herbs.
- Further research is needed to better understand how olfactory cues influence feeding preferences and behavior in horses.
- Additional studies could explore other sensory modalities or longer-term feeding patterns linked to herb exposure.
Cite This Article
APA
Wnuk E, Janicka W, Łuszczyński J, Wojtyniak A, Jagusiak W, Stachurska A.
(2026).
Relationship Between Feed Olfactory Exploration and Consumption in Horses.
Animals (Basel), 16(16), 2599.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16162599 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 13 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 13 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
- Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Cracow, 21 Mickiewicz Avenue, 31-120 Cracow, Poland.
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 13 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
- Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Cracow, 21 Mickiewicz Avenue, 31-120 Cracow, Poland.
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 13 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
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