As an owner of any animal, we have the legal commitment to endorse their five essential freedoms, including the freedom from pain. Nevertheless, to maintain and manage their comfort levels, we must be able to identify the signs and behaviours when your horse is not feeling quite right. In people, it is much easier, as we can say what we’re feeling, but in our animals, it comes from careful observation.
What really is a normal behaviour?
To identify when your horse is not feeling well, you must know what is normal. Horses are herbivores - grazing animals that originally lived in herds and relied on flight as their primary defence against predators. To steer clear of predators, they relied on being extremely alert and living in groups of animals for mutual protection with a well-defined dominance hierarchy. To survive on poor-quality grassland, the horse’s gut developed to accommodate many hours of trickle-feeding low-energy valued roughage, while continually on the move to new areas of grazing
Although domestication forced horses to adapt, many of their natural behaviours persisted, which is a crucial element in assisting us in identifying when they could be in discomfort. For instance, even when in the stable, horses would frequently lift their heads when eating from the floor, providing a better line of sight to detect predators. In wild horses, pawing at the ground exposes the plant's roots, where nutrients are more concentrated. Horses naturally rest with their heads dropped and ears pointed ahead or to the side. They will often rest one hindlimb and may yawn or stretch at the end of a resting period. When not resting or feeding, horses tend to be alert or on the move.
Ask yourself why and what they might be trying to tell you if your horse exhibits behaviours that are out of character. There is an extensive range of situations where freedom from discomfort is a crucial factor in a horse’s welfare, so it may not always be straightforward. It could involve difficulties with their digestive system, skin stress, allergic sensitivities, seasonal disorders, and more.
Signs your horse may be uncomfortable
- Restlessness
- Reduced socialization with equine companions
- Decreased appetite
- Lowered head when not eating or resting
- Change in movement or resting position
- Decreased physical activity or unwillingness to work
- Reduced interest in their environment
- Changed facial expressions- Ears low or stiffly backwards; narrowing of eyelids; pronounced, or ‘locked’, lower jaw; the tension of nostrils, muzzle and chewing muscles
NAF Five Star Metazone
The new innovative, evidence-based, nutraceutical product from NAF Equine targets the support of natural anti-inflammatory pathways in all horses and ponies. The unique herbal complex of NAF Metazone is available in a palatable powder, fast-acting liquid or instant-use syringes that work in synergy wherever those triggers occur within the system.
Independently Trialled, Metazone has been robustly trialled by equine researchers at The Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, in a blinded, cross-over designed trial, and assessed by a panel of external vets to ensure we maintain freedom from pain in our horses and ponies. Real results include trials with leading riders and racehorse trainers, who have all seen the benefit of getting their horses ‘in the Metazone’.
