A new thing to make me worry!

[ThreeWBs]

My horses are usually out 24/7, supplemented with a net or two haylage every night, which is usually mostly eaten by morning.

With the recent storms, they’ve had to come in overnight to their lovely clean, warm stables.

And here’s where my 9yo starts becoming a worry.
He likes to come in, he’s happy to go into his stable and seems chilled. He’ll eat his usual hard feed and that’s largely it. He will barely touch his haylage over the hours his inside.
I’ve tried:
- 2 choices of haylage
- feeding from a manager
- hanging the net up outside his window where he likes to stand
- hanging his net further inside
- changing suppliers
Again, he eats the same haylage if it’s outside.

Secondly, he refuses to drink from his automatic drinker or a bucket on the floor. I think he got a spray in the face when he was younger and the drinker was faulty, and again scared himself years ago when he picked up the water bucket and soaked himself.
I’ve tried adding molasses to both waters, but no luck

If anyone has any suggestions or tips, I’d be please to hear them!

Thank you

 

[Patterdale]

Leave him out?

 

[Widgeon]

If he isn't used to coming in, I would try to get him used to it. Can you bring him and another horse in for the day regularly, perhaps once or twice a week? If they're in for the day that's a lot less time than overnight. If you keep doing that he will hopefully start to settle and eat and drink.

I definitely wouldn't panic yet, he might have left his hay because he was worried by the sound of the wind screaming around the buildings - that will sound very different to being out in a storm in the field. You might find that he settles faster if he's brought in on a quiet calm day.

The other thing I'd consider is, can he see and touch another horse from the stable? If not I'd try (if possible) to set things up so he can see and talk to his friend while they're in.

Personally I wouldn't try to avoid bringing him in because if he ever gets injured etc he needs to be happy with being stabled.

 

[Barklands]

Re drinking the only thing I can think of is putting apples in the water and encouraging to go apple bobbing and/or making very very sloppy mash feeds resembling soup. Start off in same bucket as usual hard feed then transfer to whatever bucket you're trying to use as water bucket. Should in theory get him not so adverse when there is plain water in there but also some peace of mind that he's getting fluids in with his feed.

We had one that retired and lived out 24/7 but had to come in on box rest - it took her a few days to start eating her haylage (she was quite happy to be in so not sure of the reason for this either) but since you've changed suppliers am I right in thinking this has been an issue for longer than that?

Edit: Can also try apple juice in water, won't change the colour of the water as much to make them wary of it but smells tasty - we use it for encouraging to drink out at shows on hot days.

 

[dorsetladette]

What @Widgeon said. and in the meantime if you need to bring in give him a really sloppy dinner to help him stay hydrated until he goes back out

 

[SEL]

I've got one who won't drink when she's in but I can soak some of her hay. Have you tried feeding him some hay or a different brand of haylage in case it smells odd in the confines of a stable?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Is the water source in the field the same as the one in the stable system? If not, try putting a bucket of water from the field water container or stream into the stable and see if he will drink that.

 

[Annagain]

I'd bring him in during the day with a calm companion, everything is less scary then. I'd feed some really sloppy fibre based mash feed and then when he's eating that well, put it on top of a small amount of hay to see if it will encourage him to eat the hay, maybe with some apples or something else tasty mixed in. Then gradually increase the amount of hay.

Once he's eating the hay, gradually make the mash sloppier and sloppier until it's mostly water. You might find there's a point at which he'll stop and you need to up the mash element again.

If he's drinking well in the field, could you replicate the drinking situation as far as possible? e.g use a small metal trough if that's what he has in the field or at least something that looks less bucket-like?

 

[poiuytrewq]

I don’t panic too much about not drinking inside (or vise versa ) I’d they are part in and part out every day. One of mine doesn’t drink in the field although it’s exactly the same water and. I’ve tried different troughs and buckets, he drinks a fair bit inside though and seems fine for it.
I push it out of my head as I feel like there’s too much other stuff to worry about with him!

If he’s ok out though I’d just leave him out. Even easier all round!

 

[dottylottie]

not sure what to suggest about water, but for the hay, could you take a net with you to catch him, let him have a nibble, then bring both in together and put the net up? if he’s already had a bite, and possibly tried to keep eating it on the walk back he might go for it.