Nutrition and Feeding Practices in Relation to Prevention and Treatment of Equine Behavioural Problems

Nutrition and feeding practices in relation to prevention and treatment of equine behavioural problems

Behaviour problems and especially stereotypic behaviours are unfortunately common in domestic horses. Classically equine stereotypes are divided in oral, locomotion and miscellaneous stereotypes. Obviously oral stereotypes are often related to nutritional challenges and modern feeding practices, but will be worsened when there are also other challenges to fulfil equine ethological needs. There is evidence that having the feeding routine for a longer period can induce stereotypic behaviour, since stereotypic behaviours like weaving, stereotypic nodding and box walking are most prevalent before feeding time or before daily turnout. However, (oral) stereotypic behaviour around feeding mostly develops early in life around weaning, when horses are isolated, weaning is performed suboptimal and when the forage provided is insufficient. […]