05/07/2022
CAN YOUR HORSE EAT AT NIGHT?
Horses are grazing animals that have evolved over millions of years to eat low value, high fibre food for up to 18 hours a day – browsing on bushes, trees and shrubs. It is critical for both their physical and mental health that horses have access to low calorie food round the clock. That includes night-time.
Some horse owners seem to believe their horse will spend much of the night sleeping rather than eating and so don't give them much forage. Horses often eat through the night, but of course they can only do this if they actually have something to eat.
A few years ago I analysed 100 of my cases and found that 42 of those horses with behaviour problems were stabled for more than 8 hours without being given any forage at all. This increases the risk of horses developing gastric ulcers, streotypies and a variety of behaviour problems. It also leaves them with absolutely nothing to do except stand waiting until someone comes to feed them or turn them out.
Barbara Hardman MSc from University of Edinburgh presented her research looking at the night-time eating habits of stalled horses at the ISES conference in Canada (2019).
Barbara observed the behaviour of four stabled horses – 2 geldings and 2 mares – when fed either loose haylage on the floor or from two types of slow feeder (the Harmony tricklefeeder and the Pacefeeder). A camera was set up in the stable and photos were taken of of each horse in each condition every 30 seconds from 3pm until 8am the following day.
A small sample size but nonethless the results were very interesting:
When the horses were fed from a slow-feeder, they spent up to 20% more time foraging than if they had loose haylage on the floor of their stall.
The horses ate more haylage from the slow feeders than when it was presented loose on the floor.
When the horses were given loose haylage, they spent 72% more time browsing in their bedding. This could increase the risk of them eating their bedding and having impaction colic as well as inhaling dust and dirt.
Despite the horses eating for longer with the slow feeders, there was no difference in sleep time (either standing or lying down) between the feeding alternatives.
One slow feeder was used as a scratching post and one pony curled up around it to sleep.
Very sadly Barbara reported that the horses stood staring at the stable door from 5am, despite the yard not being busy until 8am. Perhaps waiting for activity, turnout or their morning feed to arrive.
If horses do have to be stabled and/or fed restricted forage diets, this research is extremely useful. Slow-feeders could be used successfully to extend the time that horses spend eating, reducing the risk of them developing gastric ulcers as well as potentially preventing them from eating their bed and any resulting risk of impaction colic.
However, it is vital to ensure horses aren't frustrated by slow feeders or small holed hay nets, this frustration can lead to a number of behaviour problems including aggression.
