It's not astonishing that horses should be food obsessed -
it's natural. It's more astonishing when they aren't. Horses have evolved to
see food as an absolute priority, essential for their survival and usually in
very short supply. You look at how driven the wildebeest are to go and find
nitrogen rich grass on the plains of Africa -
they throw themselves down steep banks and into crocodile infested waters to
get to food. Horses have to be as tenacious as that.
Whilst food might not be in short supply for a particular horse, they haven't evolved to the extent that they feel they can rely on that, although some get more relaxed about it. Put a few shortages into the equation, add in a bit of occasional exciting sugary food, intermittent food, or competition from other horses then you are back to what you have always had. A horse that NEEDS to be food obsessed. Add in owners that inadvertently reinforce unwanted behaviour around food - supply on demand, basically being a free vending machine, then you get a horse that is apparently more food obsessed but actually all he's doing is pressing buttons!
Ultimately what I am saying is that behaviour that looks like food obsession is normal and not an obsession at all. Horses that are pushy around food, i.e., they bang the door or nudge into you are not obsessed or greedy, they've been taught to do it by humans.
Whilst food might not be in short supply for a particular horse, they haven't evolved to the extent that they feel they can rely on that, although some get more relaxed about it. Put a few shortages into the equation, add in a bit of occasional exciting sugary food, intermittent food, or competition from other horses then you are back to what you have always had. A horse that NEEDS to be food obsessed. Add in owners that inadvertently reinforce unwanted behaviour around food - supply on demand, basically being a free vending machine, then you get a horse that is apparently more food obsessed but actually all he's doing is pressing buttons!
Ultimately what I am saying is that behaviour that looks like food obsession is normal and not an obsession at all. Horses that are pushy around food, i.e., they bang the door or nudge into you are not obsessed or greedy, they've been taught to do it by humans.
