Nutrition is no exception and feed merchants have an array of feeds and supplements for customers to choose from. There are several factors which all interact to influence performance. Nutrition and management are fundamental in determining the health and behaviour of the horse but equally the health and behaviour of the horse may influence the feeding and management regimes used. Understanding the interaction between these factors is important if a problem occurs as it is necessary to look at the whole picture, not each factor in isolation. Most people can feed the straightforward horse but it is coping with individuals with problems that is the real test.
Problems can be physiological or psychological in that they can affect the horse's body or mind.
The usual reason for a problem occurring is that that the horse has been removed too far from his natural diet or lifestyle. Dressage horses competing at the highest level have constant disruptions to their routines, spend long periods travelling and those that compete abroad also have to deal with changes in climatic conditions. Even when they are at home, dressage horses are often considered to be too valuable to turn out as the risk of injury is too great. This combines to create a lifestyle that is very different to that of a horse in its natural environment. If the diet and management are not adjusted to try and counteract the effects of high level competition, problems can occur.