Feed question for fussy horse

[Ample Prosecco]

Lottie is on 2 supplements (joint and gut both vet prescribed) which she seems not to much like. So finding a feed to hide them in is hard.

I need a feed that is low sugar, good for ulcer-prone horses, aids performance and is highly palatable. Tried and failed so far are:

Pink mash
Saracens Releve
Speedi-beet
Ease N Excel

She'll eat a new food for a few days then decide to stop.

I've tried with and without chaff - with to dilute the supps in a bigger bucket and without in the hope that she finds mix more palatable than a mix of mix and chaff. But no dice. We have tried:

Honeychop Calm & Shine
Dengie Happy Tummy
Grass nuts

Alpha A Oil might be next in line. Or somethng like Graze on.

Or maybe a competition muesli if it does not send her loopy. Something very yummy and interesting.

Help!

 

[TPO]

If it's just a [double] handful to hide supplements I'd just get a cheap and cheerful molassed "yummy" mix.

One of mums is on vet med and wouldn't eat. He inhaled releve but I wasn't for sharing! He only gets a small double handful to hide thr drugs so it won't make any real difference to his digestive system or weight etc.

When I remember I also add a slosh of own brand cheap as chips apple juice to his feed.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Actually that's a good idea! Don't know why I ruled out cheap sugary feeds, as if the amounts are low it won't matter. Though she has 50g of each supp twice a day and a 100g of powder does go quite a long way. I'd need to see how much mollassed mix is needed to hide it. And then feed as normal afterwards I guess? A little sugary starter before her main?!

 

[shortstuff99]

Also could use beetroot juice, is good for them and is good for covering tastes as is quite strong itself. All of mine love it.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Where do you get beetroot juice from.! My OH uses beet mini-shots for pre race prep and they are utterly disgusting! And very expensive so I assume you don't mean those?

 

[shortstuff99]

Where do you get beetroot juice from.! My OH uses beet mini-shots for pre race prep and they are utterly disgusting! And very expensive so I assume you don't mean those?

No I buy these ones, and it lasts a while as you only put a little in at a time

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cawston-Press-Brilliant-Beetroot-Pressed/dp/B01LB70B18/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_pp?crid=3ASZHX0BSCDLU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.yocYljd6TMoJrBjgOmgv-inMwjDo2vyy2eDRt8ADvZvOsSnlNulm2Fm-InrdMTVAiIeD3JxaG46NHa9UJzyOtz6RQ-9sDcGep7kRn_P2P-NIX8YODRcxYv0PQFSzqAhYhGyV4lq5C161CfTXR8omJ1uQdIC19VG2cDId0JVKXp-oMM3ERHyINdv82MpH2RdiC4d9LEtGcEWZpYXQ_wN86A.JRhzh_dFuiOoKQeuUpq5qbOu6J3OHgozG730hd2fK6U&dib_tag=se&keywords=beetroot+juice&qid=1726216115&rdc=1&sprefix=beetro%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-3

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Thanks! I'll give both options a try.

 

[Roxylola]

Stick an apple (or whatever her fave is) or two in a blender and blitz it then add to feed - as it's long term that feels cheaper than apple juice would be.
Equally as mentioned already, a small amount of a high sugar chop added isn't going to make a huge dent in the sugar. I wouldn't bother doing 2 feeds though, just stick something nice in the one.
Pretty sure beetroot is what makes pink mash pink so if that hasn't worked I wouldn't be hugely excited for beetroot juice

 

[Zoeypxo]

my fussy eater loves allen and page care and gain

 

[P.forpony]

Speedy mash the apple flavoured one, usually works a charm for me.
Had to stop feeding it to the world's fussiest tb when he started threatening to come over the stable door to get to it if I didn't move fast enough!
It's now saved for special occasions like when I try and poison him with something for his own good.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Mine has been really fussy for supplements lately, I've started soaking the fibre nuggets I feed and mix supplements in when soft.
Has licked the bowl clean each time

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Thanks everyone. She doesn’t generally like mashes, preferring dry feed. Mixing meds with Apple juice didn’t help. A handful of Dengie Herb chaff is making her eat a bit more but still only about 1/2 a feed. Yesterday I just split her feeds into 3 not 2 but that’s not always practical. Molassed feed next …. As she likes texture I think a handful of sugary mix will be popular x

 

[Tiddlypom]

Dodson and Horrell pasture mix smells lovely, is pretty rubbish nutritionally, but is like crack cocaine for horses.

I don’t think that senior mare has quite forgiven me for ditching it after I came on HHO and realised how bad it was . But a little to disguise meds and supplement in an otherwise healthy diet wouldn’t harm - needs must.

 

[meleeka]

Mine have Happy Hoof Molasses free, although they do a molasses version too. It seems to be the tastiest chaff as far as they are concerned.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Mollichaff with apple smells interesting to horses, and is a slightly sticky mix. It's also relatively cheap and is a good filler.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I feed dried mint if I need to get anything into mine who is fussy, always works on mine.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Arabi was fussy like that with feed since I've been feeding oily herbs I've not had to change and he eats it all happily, I did have to drop the powdered balancer as neither would eat it so the get spillers daily balancer now.

I add dried mint in the herbs as well.

 

[Peglo]

The only way to get bute or antibiotics into my TB was to melt extra strong mints in warm water. I would mix in the powder once cooled and then mix it up with a bit of chaff. She wouldn’t touch a big bucket of feed with a Danilon in it but a small bucket of minty chaff was fine.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I think I'll get some dried mint. She does seem to like mint more than anything else.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think I'll get some dried mint. She does seem to like mint more than anything else.

It's so cheap and might just be enough to encourage her to eat it.

 

[94lunagem]

I think I'll get some dried mint. She does seem to like mint more than anything else.

I have a small Welsh who randomly turns his nose up too. Mine are fed a handful of chaff with a scoop of general vit and min, and I just keep two chaff’s on the go and switch when he gets bored. My other one then gets whatever he doesn’t fancy.

I use Happy Hoof molasses free but then also Baileys Lite chaff which actually comes with mint in it. Saves faffing adding to it.

Don’t be put off by it being a 15kg bag, it’s actually so tightly packed I struggle to get it out. It lasts easily as long as a 20kg Spillers bag.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Mint on order! Thanks for all the advice.

 

[AandK]

my fussy eater loves allen and page care and gain

I second this, my fussy boy loves this and the sooth and gain.

 

[Chippers1]

Buzz is the fussiest horse I've ever known and the only bag of feed that i've actually managed to get him to finish is Spillers Ulca Fibre. I only use a small handful for supplements but it's the only thing he's not gone off after a few feeds!
I've even tried all the adding mint/apple juice etc suggestions but this is the only thing he will eat still.

 

[MinnieP]

Lottie is on 2 supplements (joint and gut both vet prescribed) which she seems not to much like. So finding a feed to hide them in is hard.

I need a feed that is low sugar, good for ulcer-prone horses, aids performance and is highly palatable. Tried and failed so far are:

Pink mash
Saracens Releve
Speedi-beet
Ease N Excel

She'll eat a new food for a few days then decide to stop.

I've tried with and without chaff - with to dilute the supps in a bigger bucket and without in the hope that she finds mix more palatable than a mix of mix and chaff. But no dice. We have tried:

Honeychop Calm & Shine
Dengie Happy Tummy
Grass nuts

Alpha A Oil might be next in line. Or somethng like Graze on.

Or maybe a competition muesli if it does not send her loopy. Something very yummy and interesting.

Help!

Have you tried adding a little fenugreek powder? Smells a bit like curry and is used to tempt fussy feeders.

Also, feed in a wide bowl as the smell of anything new will be dissipated more than in a small high sided bowl.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I bought the equimins balancer pellets Arabi won't touch them and Louis will eat a few mixed in his feed.

They do stink though almost like fish food nothing like horse feed.

 

[NocturneNoel]

If you find anything that works OP please update us. Here I was smug as you like, buying an irish bog pony thinking he'd guzzle anything and he's turning out the fussiest horse I've ever had.

 

[SEL]

If you find anything that works OP please update us. Here I was smug as you like, buying an irish bog pony thinking he'd guzzle anything and he's turning out the fussiest horse I've ever had.

My latest delivery from Simple Systems has some spearmint in a small packet. Made the delivery smell amazing and the label says ideal to tempt fussy eaters.

My lot don't comprehend fussy eating. If its in a bucket it gets eaten!

 

[Red-1]

My lot don't comprehend fussy eating. If its in a bucket it gets eaten!

This! I have two equine dustbins, and many more before them.

I have used sugar beet to disguise medicine, as well as a more mollassed mix. That has been for bute or antibiotics over the years.

 

[vhf]

My latest delivery from Simple Systems has some spearmint in a small packet. Made the delivery smell amazing and the label says ideal to tempt fussy eaters.

My lot don't comprehend fussy eating. If its in a bucket it gets eaten!

Mine wouldn't eat the spearmint!