Forage and behaviour

[Jessey]

Does forage consumption effect your horses behavior? It seems that it does effect Jess hugely and Hank to a lesser extent.

I had brought in various different hays this year, Unfortunately the rounds sent my allergies crazy (constant nose bleeds from irritated sinus' kind of bad). So last week I went back to the small bales as it wasn't worth opening another round as I had ordered more hay to arrive this weekend.

They ate the smalls no problem before, but this last week they were not impressed and their hay consumption dropped by 1/2. After a couple more days they were down to 1/3 of normal since then they have both been skitty, charging around and generally a bit wired, it was enough to make me extra cautious watching my back in the field.

My ride on Friday turned into an hours schooling hack as Jess was unusually full of it and her brain needed keeping busy. Saturday was a more relaxed ride until she put in a dirty 180 because there was........a branch on the floor! it hadn't been there the day before she actually took out a sapling/small tree with the spin. Yesterday I didn't ride as had the new hay coming and a bunch of other chores to do, but that gave me time to watch them, they were charging about on and off all day for no apparent reason.

Last night they had half and half of the smalls and the new hay, they ate a full quota of the new and left the old and this morning I am back to having 2 very chilled out, plodding around the field, ponies.

I always thought Jess' difficult, aggressive behavior when she was dieting was because she was hangry, but this time she had the option to eat perfectly good hay but didn't want to. Does lack of forage make horses jittery? or rather does a good volume of forage make them slow and dopey (like we feel after sunday roast )?

 

[carthorse]

I've seen this time & again Jessey

 

[Jessey]

I've seen this time & again Jessey

But is it Hangry horses or does forage actually cause something that calms them?

 

[carthorse]

At a guess I'd say a bit of both. I don't doubt there is a purely physical factor because horses produce stomach acid constantly, if they aren't chewing they aren't producing saliva to buffer that & if they're not taking in fibre there's no mat to protect the stomach from it's effects. How much of a problem that is depends on the individual, as does how they react. As for the Sunday lunch affect, well if I'm riding something that can be sharp I'd far rather ride it after an hour munching hay whereas something naturally very laid back I'd prefer not to have a bellyful first.

 

[Jessey]

I don't doubt there is a purely physical factor because horses produce stomach acid constantly, if they aren't chewing they aren't producing saliva to buffer that & if they're not taking in fibre there's no mat to protect the stomach from it's effects.

They were still out 24/7 and picking at grass, not a lot of grass admittedly, but combined with the hay they did eat acid issues didn't cross my mind. They were still eating as much hay as many horses get in their net in the stable, 4 slices a day, Jess will normally eat 8-12 slices a day and Hank 1-2 slices I would expect if there were physical 'harm' being done a horse would pretty quickly figure out eating the less appealing but obviously edible hay would solve the issue? however I do accept my diva could well have been acting the spoiled brat

 

[Kite_Rider]

Well I have noticed a total change in Belle, the difference? She's moved to a paddock of really old, weedy, tired meadow grass, there is loads of it but it's poor quality, she's pooping for England, but not gaining weight and is so chilled she could be asleep. Normally in winter, even with ad lib soaked hay she gets quite lively for her and I always put it down to the cooler weather, but this year, since she's moved to the new paddock she is totally chilled. I can only assume it's because she is full of forage.

 

[Trewsers]

Ours do seem more laid back when there's plenty to go at. I find particularly with Storm she gets quite grumpy if there's next to no grass on - or if the hayledge isn't to her liking (thankfully that's not often). They used to find foggage quite appealing but haven't been as keen this year.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I have just moved my boys onto the foggage. They aren't getting a whole lot at once, but their poo has almost doubled and they are very, very relaxed!

 

[chunky monkey]

I think it's both. Mine are definitely more chilled by having a fresh strip of grazing every day. They now have no fresh grass on the field and I have been putting out plenty of hay but they are definitely not content. I have seen Billy charging round the field more. I think my horses prefer to eat the grass over hay.