Feed help Fussy Eater/Poor Doer

[Jellymoon]

Hi All,
A conundrum for all you fellow feed anoraks out there! He’s got me stumped.

15hh connie
7 years
Came over from Ireland 4 months ago, was wormed, teeth done etc, saddle fitted, physio. Vet been took bloods and all normal, and we don’t think he has ulcers, but that is a consideration...
He was very nervous and stressy to handle when he arrived but is getting better. He’s a very good boy to ride, seems happy in his work, very willing and forwards but not sharp or silly.

He much, much prefers living out and will eat more when he is fed in the field. However, I have limited grazing and he can’t stay out all the time at the moment. He currently goes out overnight, in during day, and will live out once grass comes through and field dries up. He is very well and expensively rugged!! He had a belly and bib clip last year which has mostly grown out.

I just can’t get any condition on him, and he’s a really picky eater. He hardly gets through any hay, and will leave his bucket feed.

This is what I’ve tried so far:

Hay, Timothy haylage, rye grass haylage
Top Spec Comp Balancer
Top Spec Cool Condition Cubes
Micronised Linseed
Grass Nuts
Allen and Page Fast Fibre
Allen and Page Veteran Vitality
Allen and Page Calm and Condition
Speedibeet

I have just discovered he quite likes D&H Fibergy as his chaff. So he is currently having a big double handful of that with half a scoop of Top Spec Cool Condition and their balancer 3 x a day and he sometimes eats it, and sometimes doesn’t.

He quite liked the AandP feeds but they make such a big bowl once soaked he doesn’t get through a full ration.

I can split feeds into 3 or 4 smaller ones but he won’t be fooled by that, he eats the first two ok, then goes on strike!

What I need is a fibre he will tuck into, and a small ration of high calorie food that is very tasty, so he doesn’t have to have big bowlfuls or lots of portions.

I also want it to be low starch as he could be the type to get ulcers and stressy.
I would quite like it to be non gmo as well!!

Am I too demanding??? Should I just chill out and wait for the grass to come through???

 

[be positive]

Chill, at least a little, he is still adjusting, it has been a rubbish winter and once he gets some decent grass he should pick up, once he is looking well and eating grass then find what will suit for next winter so he is not chopping and changing once the grass is going, if he doesn't drop off it will be so much easier to keep him well and his appetite will probably be better as well.
I think taking on a fussy poor doer mid winter is probably the most frustrating thing to deal with and experience has taught me to put up with it as they do generally pick up and the next issue is keeping the weight off!!