Does your horse randomly go off food?

Yes but my solution won't help you because it was a mare 🤣 She would only eat when she was regularly coming into season and had to be given oestrogen all winter. The vet had never heard of another case.


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Yes 28 years ago a TB mare who also coliced regularly so suddenly changing feed was supposed to be a no no, but what else can you do with a skinny horse that will no longer eat X.
I expect she had ulcers but that wasn't a thing back then. I kept her out as much as possible but spent a fortune on various feeds that she rarely finished a bag of.
 
The only one of mine that has ever been fussy was when my tb got old and his Cushings was getting worse - he lost his appetite on the increased prascend and was just like yours. It’s a pain.

There is a 5* horse on the yard I’m on that when he gets really fit goes right off food, they have to chop and change and get him on the best reserved grass. It’s not that uncommon in fit stressy horses.

Have you tried having 3 feeds on the go, and only ever giving him one at a time and rotating meals between the feeds - maybe it’s a boredom thing?

Wish I got bored of food 😂
 
YES! It's infuriating!!
I'm very limited to what I can feed so finding something that I'm allowed to feed (low sugar, lowish starch, no soya, no alfalfa are the main issues) but also provides the additional calories, energy and protein that my lean, fit, barefoot and in work ISH needs is difficult enough without throwing a fussy eater in the mix.
At the moment she is enjoying eating speedi-beet, micronised linseed, equimins advanced complete powder, FlexAbility Pro and Spillers shine+ conditioning mix but I feel like I've been through everything and she's eventually refused it. Sometimes the ratio and which order I add things makes a difference, I know I have to put the sugar beet in first and add the dry stuff on top, if the 'wet' goes on top of the 'dry' she leaves some, weirdly.
Though she normally goes through a gradual phase over a few days of leaving some, then leaving a bit more and so on until she point blank refuses to even touch it. If she just suddenly went off it overnight I might wonder if the feed went off, maybe damp or rats got in?
 
No, I can't say I've ever had this problem. I am a great believer in simple feeding generally. I would go right back to basics. Cut hard feed right back. Perhaps up the quality of the forage instead. If he is hungry, really he will eat assuming there are no teeth or health issues. How often do you have his teeth done?
 
I wish! When God was giving out leptin he missed my lot out! Mine only have a cupful of antilam and some unmolassed chop and is gobbled down at great speed with much grunting. Really appreciated by the whole herd!
 
I have had cats like your horse! The only solution I found to work with them is to end up with 3 or 4 brands of feed that they like and alternate between them. Perhaps switch to a different brand every time a bag is finished.
My ponies have always eaten everything put in front of them, so, when the older one went off his food when he was put onto Prascend, I found it completely alien and a worry - I can appreciate your situation.
 
Leandy said:
No, I can't say I've ever had this problem. I am a great believer in simple feeding generally. I would go right back to basics. Cut hard feed right back. Perhaps up the quality of the forage instead. If he is hungry, really he will eat assuming there are no teeth or health issues. How often do you have his teeth done?
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The majority of mine have been simple to feed, eating pretty much anything they have been given, hungry or not, the few that were fussy would probably starve and lose a huge amount of weight rather than eat something they decided they did not like, fickle horses are a nightmare to deal with when they stopping eating enough they drop weight so quickly it can take months to get them back into decent condition.

I think I suggested racehorse cubes previously and would give them a try as they are high energy and the good ones such as Red Mills are ulcer friendly, I would also try leaving him with a tub of something overnight that he can pick at, not his main feed but something to add variety to his forage given after he has eaten his proper grub.
 
Leandy said:
No, I can't say I've ever had this problem. I am a great believer in simple feeding generally. I would go right back to basics. Cut hard feed right back. Perhaps up the quality of the forage instead. If he is hungry, really he will eat assuming there are no teeth or health issues. How often do you have his teeth done?
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He gets ad lib hay and haylage. If I cut hard feed right back on a horse that’s hunting every week he will end up like a hat rack... I would love to do that to break the cycle of being fussy but it’s not fair to expect a horse to work that hard on nothing. His teeth are done every 6 months and he eats fine, it’s just fussyness.
 
be positive said:
The majority of mine have been simple to feed, eating pretty much anything they have been given, hungry or not, the few that were fussy would probably starve and lose a huge amount of weight rather than eat something they decided they did not like, fickle horses are a nightmare to deal with when they stopping eating enough they drop weight so quickly it can take months to get them back into decent condition.

I think I suggested racehorse cubes previously and would give them a try as they are high energy and the good ones such as Red Mills are ulcer friendly, I would also try leaving him with a tub of something overnight that he can pick at, not his main feed but something to add variety to his forage given after he has eaten his proper grub.
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I’m scared as to what boggle may do on racehorse cubes!!! That said he doesn’t really react to feed as is always the same level of hot/bit bonkers.

Any idea on what to put in tub? Tried readigrass and grass nuts.. threw both everywhere.

Sugar beet could be an option..?
 
Tarragon said:
I have had cats like your horse! The only solution I found to work with them is to end up with 3 or 4 brands of feed that they like and alternate between them. Perhaps switch to a different brand every time a bag is finished.
My ponies have always eaten everything put in front of them, so, when the older one went off his food when he was put onto Prascend, I found it completely alien and a worry - I can appreciate your situation.
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The cat is a dream. Thank god!!
 
ihatework said:
The only one of mine that has ever been fussy was when my tb got old and his Cushings was getting worse - he lost his appetite on the increased prascend and was just like yours. It’s a pain.

There is a 5* horse on the yard I’m on that when he gets really fit goes right off food, they have to chop and change and get him on the best reserved grass. It’s not that uncommon in fit stressy horses.

Have you tried having 3 feeds on the go, and only ever giving him one at a time and rotating meals between the feeds - maybe it’s a boredom thing?

Wish I got bored of food 😂
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So feed a scoop of each feed individually type thing?

Actually that’s got to be worth a try...

Three feeds is possible sometimes and not others, I always try and give an extra one where I can, it depends when he’s bought in/when ridden by sharer/general timings.
 
Michen said:
So feed a scoop of each feed individually type thing?

Actually that’s got to be worth a try...

Three feeds is possible sometimes and not others, I always try and give an extra one where I can, it depends when he’s bought in/when ridden by sharer/general timings.
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Yes or even alternate days when he gets it. Just so he gets something ‘new’ every day
 
Never met a horse fussy with feed.. mine will literally eat anything. Unless it has a bute in, then its a no go!

No help here, but he looks super OP
 
My spotty.

He has half and half hay and hayledge as he will eat one or the other or if the mood fancies both.

He won't eat anything else other than soaks grass nuts in the winter with grass chaff.

Anything else and he will starve himself 🙄
 
Beautiful horse - definitely doesnt look stressed about life!!! :D

My retired veteran does have a summer/winter menu situation - but I think they must like a bit of variety in their life! He like Gain Opti Care Balancer (soaked) in the Summer & Equerry Conditioning Mash in the winter!

My other lad I would have said isnt fussy until I changed his feed cause I needed some show condition on him & I was recommended Top Spec- could not get him to eat it! Cue me stressing but changed him onto Baileys No 4 & he LOVED it! Only other thing he has really ever gotten sick of decided not to eat was Alfa A Oil Chaff! Thankfully he is liking his less calorific feed these days aswell & happily munching away but you do wonder sometimes what goes on in their heads!!! :D
 
Michen said:
I’m scared as to what boggle may do on racehorse cubes!!! That said he doesn’t really react to feed as is always the same level of hot/bit bonkers.

Any idea on what to put in tub? Tried readigrass and grass nuts.. threw both everywhere.

Sugar beet could be an option..?
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The DE is not that high, some are fibre based, some oat based with varying levels of protein, the link gives all of the performance feeds, I cannot see him being any hotter than he is, the nutty racehorse was on them with no issue and his condition improved beyond all recognition when he went on them, his feet remained good and he ate up really well, he was getting 3 scoops a day but was in serious work, I added some alfalfa chop and linseed for interest but he was ore than happy eating them without additions.
I think we fed the horse care 10 which has the acid buffer/ probiotics

https://redmills.co.uk/Horses/Products/Racing
 
be positive said:
The DE is not that high, some are fibre based, some oat based with varying levels of protein, the link gives all of the performance feeds, I cannot see him being any hotter than he is, the nutty racehorse was on them with no issue and his condition improved beyond all recognition when he went on them, his feet remained good and he ate up really well, he was getting 3 scoops a day but was in serious work, I added some alfalfa chop and linseed for interest but he was ore than happy eating them without additions.
I think we fed the horse care 10 which has the acid buffer/ probiotics

https://redmills.co.uk/Horses/Products/Racing
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Super thanks very much BP! Will look into this :)

Neither can I re hotter, he’s an insane ball of spring at the moment... I actually thought he’d begun to mellow but now the fitness is back and his fun has begun... BAM!
 
Years ago I had a hunter that would lose his appetite for bucket feed when super fit. This was just at the start of people thinking about ulcers and scoping so looking back on it, he may have been a candidate although he looked well and still hunted a full season. He would ordain to eat readymash but only if the following happened-
He was fed in the field with his poor field mate who had exactly the same feed as him who he chased off and they swapped as clearly his field mate had better grub 🙄.
 
Mine eats anything - including feed with wormers or sedatives in it as he is a nightmare to administer to in the normal way - except Top Spec Zero which is an absolute no-no. Started chucking his feed all over the floor when he had it and, even now when he is on Gold Blend and a few token grass nuts or fibre nuggets, he still has to tip the whole lot out in case I've hidden Top Spec Zero in it somewhere. He does then eat it all, however.

I agree with others who have said try swapping him around a bit, sometimes variety is the spice of life. I know we're not supposed to change feeds suddenly but you can do a lot by adding and reducing proportions.
 
Michen said:
He gets ad lib hay and haylage. If I cut hard feed right back on a horse that’s hunting every week he will end up like a hat rack... I would love to do that to break the cycle of being fussy but it’s not fair to expect a horse to work that hard on nothing. His teeth are done every 6 months and he eats fine, it’s just fussyness.
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Maybe I wasn't clear, I mean't essentially that I would try upping the quality the forage (I'm assuming he eats that best) eg I would find the richest haylage I could and feed that. Then you will likely find you need much less volume of concentrates, and the concentrates I did feed would be high energy, or a low volume balancer little and often. I used to feed my competition horses a balancer and naked oats. You could add oil to that also, and ring the changes with some soaked sugar beet pulp, carrots, molasses for extra palatability if that is still a problem even with less volume.
 
JanetGeorge said:
lol, I'm glad you said that - I didn't want to be a gloom & doom merchant. As most of my horses are Irish Draughts, almost ANY case of not eating gets a vet call (unless I'm sneaking bute or antibiotics into a feed.) And that's the only time most of them get 'feed' other than grass, haylage and mineral licks. I would be a bt worried about ulcers - stomach or hind gut. The symptoms (and loss of appetite one of the first) can go up and down with stomach acidity.
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If any of my three ID ‘s rejected food I would call the vet .
With Tatts I don’t it’s always been One of his things stopping foods .
Michen I have never had a horse who looked ulcery but I have had horses with ulcers don’t think just because the horse looks great it not worth a scope
 
Leandy said:
Maybe I wasn't clear, I mean't essentially that I would try upping the quality the forage (I'm assuming he eats that best) eg I would find the richest haylage I could and feed that. Then you will likely find you need much less volume of concentrates, and the concentrates I did feed would be high energy, or a low volume balancer little and often. I used to feed my competition horses a balancer and naked oats. You could add oil to that also, and ring the changes with some soaked sugar beet pulp, carrots, molasses for extra palatability if that is still a problem even with less volume.
Click to expand...

He’s fed really good quality, rich haylage (and hay as an option if he wants it). There really is no more I can do from a forage perspective, he’s never without it!

He’s not keen on oats. Sugar beet doesn’t have much in it for weight gain I wouldn’t have thought though he does like it.
 
Goldenstar said:
If any of my three ID ‘s rejected food I would call the vet .
With Tatts I don’t it’s always been One of his things stopping foods .
Michen I have never had a horse who looked ulcery but I have had horses with ulcers don’t think just because the horse looks great it not worth a scope
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To be clear he’s rejecting food he’s decided he doesn’t like, not rejecting food- he’s still eating plenty!

I’m not sure if the benefit of scoping a horse because it’s a fussy eater that otherwise has no symptoms.. he will eat in whatever quantities something he wants. If I gave him a bucket full of cubes he would certainly get through them.
 
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