Tempting Picky Eaters

We humans have a huge diversity of individual dietary preferences. Some have a raging sweet tooth, others prefer salty or spicy, love or hate specific vegetables, etc.

It’s not as complicated for horses.  Their instinctive taste preferences are geared toward survival.  Try as you might, you won’t be able to create an acquired taste for sushi in a horse.

Horses instinctively seek readily digestible calories.  Calories are the first priority in survival.  Every study on horses or other herbivores has shown preference is linked to simple carbohydrate content. High carbohydrate also usually means low fiber (thus high digestibility) and often high protein as well.

Simple carbohydrate, sugars and starches, are the most easily utilized calorie source.  Beyond this, there are factors of aroma and possibly texture.  Put a pile of freshly cut young grass next to one of straw and you know what the horse will select.  Alfalfa vs grass hay is also a predictable selection.

These preferences are virtually universal.  Find me a healthy horse that will turn down the offer of a freshly picked mature ear of corn, or a peach.  It won’t happen.

Since starch has virtually no taste or aroma, horses basing their choices on simple carbohydrate content are selecting for sugar.  The simple sugar content (e.g. like table sugar or fruit sugar) in grasses is relatively low but more complicated plant sugars with less intense flavors may also appeal to horses even though we don’t appreciate them.

Horses habituated to sweet feed may be difficult to switch to plain grains, brans or beet pulp.  Things that other horses find very appealing they will turn down because they have come to expect and look for the more intense sweet flavor.  The best way to deal with this is to very gradually replace the sweet feed with the new food item.

When a horse is just picky in general, suspicious of anything new, if a medical cause has been ruled out you can probably experiment to find a taste and aroma that the horse finds irresistible. Apple, banana, peppermint, cherry, anise and fenugreek are all favorites. Red beet root (not sugar beet) powder works for many.  Coconut oil has wide appeal but is solid at room temperature and difficult to work with unless you use the combination of soy and coconut in CocoSoya oil.  Even barn cats are drawn to this!

Liquid forms like CocoSoya are especially useful because they can also be sprayed in a light layer on hay or other foods. Another helpful one is “alfalfa tea”. Take alfalfa hay or a high quality, green alfalfa cubed hay  and put it in a gallon glass jar. Fill the bottom 1/4 then top off with water and put into a sunny window until an aromatic green tea forms.  Store in the refrigerator.

B complex vitamins can also stimulate appetite, especially in horses that have increased dietary needs because they are under stress, heavily exercising, are ill or recovering from illness or have not been eating well.

Horses have good instincts for identifying food items that are at least highly likely to provide them with easily utilized calories.  When you know the common preferences, you can utilize that to convince them to clean up foods they might otherwise think are not appealing.

Uckele Health & Nutrition, maker of CocoSoya, features supplements that tempt picky eaters.

B-Complex 3500 provides 8 B-Vitamins in a fast acting paste to support healthy energy metabolism, nervous system health, muscular function, digestive health, and the balance of stress hormones.

CocoSoya provides a healthy fat and cool-calorie energy source to build and maintain healthy weight while supporting healthy blood sugar levels. Promotes a healthy skin, a glossy coat and excellent body condition. Helps to keep hooves nourished and moisturized by supporting the waterproof barrier.

Equi-Sweet & Equi-Treats Delicious sugar free sweeteners mask the taste of medications or supplements, and bite-sized treats with no added sugar won’t disrupt normal blood sugar levels.  Sweetened with Stevia, they will not cause an insulin rise.

About Dr. Kellon

Dr. Eleanor Kellon, staff veterinary specialist for Uckele Health & Nutrition, is an established authority in the field of equine nutrition for over 30 years, and a founding member and leader of the Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) group, whose mission is to improve the welfare of horses with metabolic disorders via integration of research and real-life clinical experience.  Prevention of laminitis is the ultimate goal.  www.ecirhorse.org

Uckele Health & Nutrition, maker of CocoSoya, is an innovation-driven health company committed to making people and their animals healthier.  On the leading edge of nutritional science and technology for over 50 years, Uckele formulates and manufactures a full spectrum of quality nutritional supplements incorporating the latest nutritional advances.  www.uckele.com.