Taste Preferences of Horses in Relation to Their Breed and Sex.

The research article investigates the taste preferences of horses and assesses if these preferences vary depending on the horse’s breed and sex. The study finds that breed and sex can indeed influence a horse’s taste preferences, with varying choices observed in the type of industrially processed feeds or natural dried products consumed by these animals.

Research Methodology

• The study involved 48 adult horses of different breeds, including Arabian, Anglo-Arabian, Polish Konik, and Polish cold-blooded horses, with equal numbers of stallions and mares.
• They were given five types of industrially processed feeds, all based on oats, and natural dried products such as sour and sweet apples, carrots, sugar beet molasses, and barley with salt.
• These feed items were given to the horses in buckets over three consecutive days.
• The researchers studied horse behavior during the experiment, observing how they expressed their taste preferences, the order in which they consumed the pellets, the time it took for them to show interest in the pellets, and the time they took to consume each type of pellet.

Findings

• It was observed that the taste preferences of the horses were influenced by their breed and sex.
• Pellets containing molasses were more preferred by mares than stallions.
• All tested breeds favored feeds with the addition of apples or carrots.
• Purebred Arabian horses exhibited the greatest variety in pellet taste preferences.
• When other options were not available, horses should be given pellets with a sweet taste or slightly salty cereals. These were usually the last choices of the tested horses.

Additional Observations

• The study noted that primitive horses had a distinctive way of expressing taste sensations.
• Interestingly, it was observed that a horse showing interest in a particular feed is not necessarily an indication of its taste preference.
• Moreover, the first food chosen by a horse is not always the one it consumes most quickly.

Conclusion

• The research provides a breakthrough in understanding the taste preferences of horses, stating that breed and sex contribute to dietary choices.
• Such findings could help in improving feed formulations for horses, taking into account the preferred tastes of different breeds and sexes.