Eating Docks

coss

coss

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Really puzzled by one of my ponies... moved to a fresh lot of grass with another older pony. Had the older one up there daily for about a week so it was partially eaten down. All electric fence so have been expanding/moving to fresh grass but wanted them to eat it down a bit. There is butter cup but not as much as the previous grazing. There are quite a few docks (again, previous grazing had some) but now the pony seems to have taken a liking to docks? Didnt' seem to eat them before but now have seen him munching them quite a bit. And has randomly taken to chewing wood (but not crib biting). Bucket feed diet hasn't changed and the "new" grass is just a different part of the field so shouldn't be a big change in quality. Older pony's dropping haven't changed at all - he's just put on a bit of weight (the result I was after). Younger pony is now doing cow pats. Initially thought it would be the grass but it's not green cowpats - actually I'd say a healthy colour just wrong consistency. Are docks poisonous in large quantities? Are they known for this? Not had a horse eat them before and it's not like there's a shortage. Thought he'd eat the thistles before docks?
 
I have never known even the greediest pony eat docks even if there is no grass they don't eat them, that combined with the wood chewing makes me think his teeth could be causing problems and he is trying to find something tough to eat to help make them smoother, it obviously wont help but they do sometimes try gnawing on wood for this reason, the droppings being unformed also suggests he is not chewing well or something inside is going on which is preventing the food being digested properly, either way a vet check would be a good idea.
 
do they have access to some proper rough fibre? hay? Horses need it-if you watch them when they have the pick of forage they will eat grass, then rushes, then stalky dry grass, then thistles etc.
 
There are rushes and was out yesterday so he had hay in the trailer - over the past week he hasn't been in the trailer but usually is 3 or 4 times per week so could be that he's after some rougher stuff. Poohs seemed a bit better this morning - not quite so cowpat like. He's on equimins diamond omega so was hoping he'd have enough minerals.. plus free access to himalayan salt block
 
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