Anyone else's horse not like eating supplements?

georgiegirl

georgiegirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 August 2004
Messages
2,458
Visit site
Been out and bought some James hart v calm after hearing rave reviews about it and was recommended to give it to my horse who is on box rest. Tried last night and she didn't want to touch it (it's pretty pungent stuff to be fair!) tried mixing in some garlic and she are a little bit but still only picked at it and left some in the bottom.

Does anyone have any ingenious ideas for covering it up?
 
I bought a big tub of TLC for my horse a little while back and he hates the stuff! I added the tiniest bit to his feed (albeit it does stink) and he refused to eat it. I then tried adding garlic, mints, carrots, apples and everything else I know he enjoys and he still turned his nose up! In the end, I just had the throw the feed away :(

Hopefully your horse won't be as fussy as mine; try adding apple juice instead of water :)
 
Take a tube of extra strong mints - blitz in the food processor until it becomes a powder and sprinkle sparingly on top. Don't mix in though as in my experience it just gets muddled with the 'horrid' stuff. I've been doing this for a few days now to get a balancer down my boy. I shall wean him off the mint powder though over the next couple of days. Another bit of advise is to put the mixture in a large flatish feed bowl as the smell dissipates easier. Good luck.
 
One of our ponies will eat completely round the powdered calmer and leave it at the bottom of the bucket. I now mix the calmer into a dollop of speedibeet with (blush) a few cheerios mixed in! He will do literally ANYTHING for cheerios .
 
Another vote for apple juice or squash. My mare refused to eat the speedi-beet I got her so I now make it up with double concentrate apple squash. She goes mad for it now and clears every little bit up. (I got that tip from HHO!)
 
I recently brought a tub of mint. Originally thought this would be like ground up Polos of something but was actually the dried plant! Think it smells like Mint sauce. Might help to cover! Hope all goes well.
 
why not feed the supplement?
Horses are trickle feeders, therefore the feeding rule little and often. Fat and fibre is the best option for a hind gut fermenter. Therefore to avoid stress, feed ample hay little and often this could be using small holed or double haynets. Break meals up into two or three portions. Opt for a low or unmolassed chaff and an appropriate feed balancer to ensure all vits and mins are included. If weight is an issue add oil or a conditioning non heating mash. Thus saving on expense unnessacary supplements and one relaxed horse.
 
I struggle with some but my horse is super fussy! I find dried mint helps & I also introduce supplements in really tiny amounts literally a pinch then build up,if he starts getting fussy I have to drop right back down then build it up again. Weirdly it's the ones I don't think smell of much he fusses most about! He happily munches down feed with boswellia in which the smell of makes me feel sick ! Also recently introduced lifeforce which smells very strong but he doesn't seem bothered. I've also used fenugreek for years which has a very strong curry smell but he loves that & it does help disguise other things .
 
Lol my boys love black currant squash over apple juice. Only found this out when one knocked a bottle of mine over in summer and proceeded to lick away and go bonkers for it ever since! Since then I pour some in their water when its colder to keep them drinking.

Just another alternative :)
 
Hi guys, quick update I used the supplement on the barest minimal I could put in there literally a couple of Mls and have slowly increased the dose so she can get used to the taste and glad to say she is wolfing it down - it has had an amazing effect too resulting in a very chilled soppy girl so smiles all round.

4april - she is on box rest so on ad lib hay and two feeds a day consisting of dengi hi fi, speedi beet and a gp supplement so bases all covered from that point of view thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top