Kat
Well-Known Member
My girl has been barefoot for 7 months now and for that time has been on speedibeet, pro hoof, micronised linseed and salt. I top up the mag ox and copper in the pro hoof too.
This was fine and I was very happy with her feet and her weight all winter.
Unfortunately she has now gone off her feed and I can't get the pro hoof down her. I don't think it is the taste of anything specific ad I have tried eliminating all additives and reintroducing them one by one. I have also tried altering the consistency. I also tried adding fenugreek, and mixing with a chaff. I have tried feeding her before I give her haylage and when she already has haylage but she just isn't interested.
The problem is she is inconsistent, some days she will eat others she won't. It seems to be that she is disinterested rather than doesn't like her feed. She is eating haylage, but really needs a feed both for her suppliment and her weight (she is a bit of a poor doer).
I see that I have three options.
1. Try adding something to her feed that is tasty enough to tempt her (if so what?)
2. Change her from pro hoof and speedibeet to a suppliment that can be fed by hand as a treat like formula 4 feet (how does this compare to pro hoof? Are there other alternatives?)
3. Give up trying and see what happens if she is on just grass and haylage.
Any advice or suggestions?
This was fine and I was very happy with her feet and her weight all winter.
Unfortunately she has now gone off her feed and I can't get the pro hoof down her. I don't think it is the taste of anything specific ad I have tried eliminating all additives and reintroducing them one by one. I have also tried altering the consistency. I also tried adding fenugreek, and mixing with a chaff. I have tried feeding her before I give her haylage and when she already has haylage but she just isn't interested.
The problem is she is inconsistent, some days she will eat others she won't. It seems to be that she is disinterested rather than doesn't like her feed. She is eating haylage, but really needs a feed both for her suppliment and her weight (she is a bit of a poor doer).
I see that I have three options.
1. Try adding something to her feed that is tasty enough to tempt her (if so what?)
2. Change her from pro hoof and speedibeet to a suppliment that can be fed by hand as a treat like formula 4 feet (how does this compare to pro hoof? Are there other alternatives?)
3. Give up trying and see what happens if she is on just grass and haylage.
Any advice or suggestions?
when presented with a bucket of uninteresting stuff plus icky minerals at this time of year. He's got lots of yummy spring grass in his field and doesn't see why he should waste time eating boring stuff.