Reasons That a Horse Won't Eat or Drink

Horses are strictly herbivores, meaning they live off vegetation. As a horse owner, you must make sure your horse is getting all of the nutrients it needs from its feed, hay and grazing. Horses also need to have an adequate supply of water no cooler than 45 degrees. When a horse stops eating and drinking the food or water you have provided, it's cause for concern, and you should attempt to diagnose the problem quickly.

  1. Malnutrition

    • If a horse has been starved or fed poorly, its body will become thin. The enzymes in the horse's stomach will start breaking down the fats in its body for energy. The horse will then have difficulty breaking down feed, and will stop eating and drinking. The owner will need to introduce better feed and vitamin supplements slowly, until the horse regains its strength and appetite. This can take weeks or months.

    Mouth and Teeth

    • A horse with damaged teeth, an abscess tooth, a mouth infection, a sore tongue and other oral health issues will stop eating and drinking. Check the teeth, gums and tongue on your horse to see if there are any health concerns. Constant drooling, dropping feed, not finishing meals and having a foul oral odor are signs of common oral health problems. These can be treated by a veterinarian.

    Food Change

    • Changing a horse's diet may deter it from eating and drinking. It's best to slowly introduce new foods to a horse, so its stomach can adapt. This is especially important when introducing high-fiber feeds to horses. Gradually mix the feed, putting less of the original feed in each time. This process should continue for at least a week.

    Strangles

    • Strangles is an upper-respiratory disease caused by bacteria. The most noticeable symptom is swollen abscess lymph nodes. Fever, nose discharge, coughing, watery eyes, trouble breathing, depression and lack of energy are associated with strangles. A veterinarian can diagnose strangles, and will lance an abscess lymph node for relief. Practicing good hygiene and proper health care are solutions for this condition. Strangles is highly contagious, and if one of your horses has it, all of your horses should be checked.