Food insecurity in horses and how to help horses move on from food deficiency troubles.
What can food insecurity behaviour look like in horses?
It can look like a lot of things such as guarding food or water troughs or even fighting for their food even if they don’t need to. Another dangerous thing horses can do when they haven’t had food security in their life is to binge eat as they have experienced not knowing when their next meal is coming from. Horses are grazers, and not having access to grass or hay continually could create food insecurity behaviours. One of the most abnormal and shocking responses to food insecurity is eating manure and bedding. Cribbing which is chewing wooden fencing or stall doors is also exacerbated by not having access to grazing. Insufficient fibre in the diet contributes to not feeling full. Lack of chew time can also create anxiousness.
Food insecurity can also come from being a low-ranking herd member and being pushed from feeding areas by other more alpha horses. A horse that has experienced this might never settle down when feeding and may anxiously pace with tearing bunches of food with them.
After living in a neglect situation where food was scarce, an insecure horse can develop aggressive behaviors around feeding that can be very dangerous to other horses and handlers. Ears pinned back, nipping, squealing, stall-door barging, not respecting handler s space, and wall kicking can be typical dangerous behaviours.
How can can we help horses grow and move on from trauma about food?
The first step to take is to make a peaceful environment around feeding for them. What can create a soothing response is to put them in a large pen that either always has a bale to snack on or has lots of grass to graze on so they come to know they don’t have worry about when their next meal is gonna be.
Try to establish control over the horse through lots of groundwork to make sure your horse doesn’t encroach on your personal space without grain. Then progress with the same exercises when grain is delivered.
Another way to help – as long as the horse isn’t overly aggressive about food – is to put an older very calm horse in with them so they can have a calming horse presence especially after they may have been in an aggressive situation or herd before. Not only will it bring a stress free relationship for that horse, it will also show the horse that the older horse isn’t stressed about food and that it is okay to relax.
Having the grain waiting for a horse in their feeding stall can help them settle down to their meal, whereas if the horse is in the stall first and has to wait for the grain to be delivered the anticipation can make them nervous.
With patient and consistent positive reinforcement of good behaviours and creating a calm and comforting environment, difficult feeding behaviours can be helped and safety can be increased for all involved.