Fast Fibre - Horse wont eat it.

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Ilovefoals

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My 4yr old is only in very light work at the mo but I wanted to feed him a diet that was good for his feet and would keep condition on him through the winter. I was recommended Fast Fibre both on here and in the feed shop which I have added micronised linseed to with his Suppleaze Gold. The shop had an offer on so I bought 2 bags of the FF and he doesn't really want to eat it! He ate it the first few days and now he's only picking at it and it's going to waste. It seems a very bland feed to me and not particularly appetising looking :) Any advice on something more palatable that wont give him too much energy while he's in light work?
 
Will he eat it on its own without the supplements? Is he full of grass or hay so no particularly hungry? Some horses seem to prefer it wetter or dry so maybe experiment with consistency?

I always find adding a bit of dried mint helps my fussy cob when he won't eat it due to his supplements. I've never had probs with them eating it plain.

Is he well in other ways? Eating etc fine?

Good luck :)
 
What about trying Speedibeet instead, still low sugar and negligible starch. Fast Fibre is bulked out with chopped straw, which is great if you have a greedy good doer, but not very appetising for something that is a bit fussy and needs extra condition!

Will you be able to take the bags back? If not, you will have to see what you can mix with it to make it more palatable so it doesn't go to waste! Have you got any other feeds to hand that you could sprinkle a handful of so in to spice it up?
 
I wouldn't use apple juice to soak it!

as someone else said - try mint or something similar? Or even jut try it using warm water?

Don't fret over what it looks like - your feeding it to a horse not a human :)
 
My pony LOVES the stuff, although I know what you mean about how it looks! I make mine with hot water and it smells much better. I like the idea of adding a bit of dried mint. Might try that for my pony, hed love me forever! xx
 
Im fairly convinced it’s bogging tbh :( Mushed up cardboard, I wouldnt want it either :( The way I use it is a small amount as a carrier for the supplements, literally just enough slop to mix in it with. Then I use a good scoop of safensound chaff to add more interest and ‘bite’ as it has grass pellets in it too and smells lovely.

Id try that. Only use speedibeet if you want more weight on.
 
Thanks guys, I was following the instructions on the bag and feeding a whole scoop per feed! Seemed like a massive bucket of allbran that had been sitting fermenting all day! lol He's an ID in great condition so don't really need extra calories yet. I'll try feeding a smaller amount and perhaps adding in some chaff or mint. Many thanks!
 
stargirl88 said:
I wouldn't use apple juice to soak it!

as someone else said - try mint or something similar? Or even jut try it using warm water?

Don't fret over what it looks like - your feeding it to a horse not a human :)
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Intrigued to know why you wouldn't use apple juice? On other threads people recommend putting it in feeds to encourage horses to eat and previously having a horse that wouldn't eat it, I've used apple juice with huge success, so wondered if I inadvertently put my horse at risk and shouldn't do it again or whether it was personal opinion.
 
If you are feeding it dry, I would def use non-molassed S/B. You just try starting the day with a large 'shredded wheat' minus sugar or milk or a bowl of dry All Bran!! Yum Yum.

My horses are very fussy about supplements and oils. I only ever add a teaspoon of Linseed Oil to a large feed.
 
Squeak said:
Intrigued to know why you wouldn't use apple juice? On other threads people recommend putting it in feeds to encourage horses to eat and previously having a horse that wouldn't eat it, I've used apple juice with huge success, so wondered if I inadvertently put my horse at risk and shouldn't do it again or whether it was personal opinion.
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The sugar content ! Unless perhaps if you did a really tiny amount so they just got a whiff of it.

I use FF as a partial hay replacer, and she's on a diet so apple juice to tempt her would be counter-productive. Obvs fine for others, I just personally wouldn't recommend it when there are other alternatives! :)
 
I know a few horses and a greedy pony that won't touch it. My horse on the other hand thinks it's so tasty he'll eat just one mug mixed with supplements.

I do think it makes a difference whether you feed them in the field or a stable. If you feed them in the field then sometimes the grass is more appealing, whereas they don't have that choice in the stable.
 
stargirl88 said:
The sugar content ! Unless perhaps if you did a really tiny amount so they just got a whiff of it.

I use FF as a partial hay replacer, and she's on a diet so apple juice to tempt her would be counter-productive. Obvs fine for others, I just personally wouldn't recommend it when there are other alternatives! :)
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Thanks, that makes sense :)
 
Mine won't eat either FF or Speedibeet without other incentive, and he is a greedyguts! I've mixed the FF with some Spillers Meadowherb to make it palatable...the Meadowherb I think is a tiny bit molassed, but he gets only a very small amount.
 
If you need to mix chaff id use hifi molasses free ....
A scoop is quite a lot.maybe halve the amount?
Mine get one small scoop each and munch it down...even the fussy boy who hated lots of other feeds....
 
I gave him 1/4 of a scoop tonight mixed with some mollasses free and although he took ages, he did eat it. Think when this lot is finished I'll look for an alternative. Thanks guys.
 
Just started my 4yr old on it too and she wasn't very keen. Gave the remainder to the welshies and they inhaled it and nearly the bucket!!

I will just give her less til she gets the taste of it I think.
 
I try to give my boy a low sugar / carb diet and he ate it to start with now he won't touch it - he went off it after having antibiotics and I tried it again and he ate all the carrots out of it and then started neighing at me like I was trying to poison him!

He won't eat apples now either for a similar reason.

Now back on D&H hi-fibre cubes which he is currently relishing :)
 
I would try something like Dengie Healthy Hooves and a non mollassed sugar beet like speedi beet of fibre beet - i feed my youngster the calm and condition which is good along with molichaff calmer - i would feed her the Healthy Hooves but she cant have alfalfa as it brings her up in hives :( but if yours wont eat the fast fibre i would try the beet instead :)
 
Have you tried feeding it on its own without the supplements in it to see if it is the FF or the supplements he does not like.

I agree soaking it with apple juice would be sugary and you would need loads of apple juice maybe a whole carton which would end up expensive.

My pony loves fast fibre and he can be fussy eater. He is very very excited at breakfast and tea time scrapping the ground as he eats! However he does not like anything too processed and the only horse treats he likes are the mr johnson herbal ones, he does not like the sugary unnatural tasting ones.

However he does not like many supplements and would refuse to eat certain supplements are mixed in.
 
It's definitely not the supplements as quite happily ate them before. The reason I changed was he was getting alfa a but seemed very itchy on it. Someone suggested that alfa could be the reason so am trying to steer clear of it. Does the healthy hooves contain alfa alfa? Might try himon that with speedibeet if not. Thanks :)
 
Ah yes healthy hooves has alfalfa in it so does fibre beet thats why i cant give it to my youngster - try the calm and condition and mollichaff calmer thats what i have her on, neither have alfalfa in :)
 
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