Feeding a fussy TB

[Jim bob]

My horse is a big 17.hh tb. He has struggled a lot during the winter months with weight however generally eats forage and hard feed very well. There has been times when he has left some hay but either leaving it a few days then adding 'fresh' hay or jus adding more hay does the job most of the time!

He recently ( since August) has had a few issues with his intestines which is been treated. Generally he will eat any were between 8-12 kg of hay per night sometimes 13 or 14 kg. Around a month ago or so we started putting a round bale of hay out in the field for the herd and my boy was still eating that and around 9 kg of hay per night. At this time the hay he was getting was meadow hay. But I got half way down the bale and he wouldn't eat anymore nearly would another horse who eats anything! So I tried him with another liveries hay and he eat that fine, so bought that hay of them. This bale of hay was rye grass. He ate that no problem, continuing to get through 9-10kg per night. Bought another bale of the rye grass. However I have now come to around half way through the bale and he will hardly eat it. He went to the vets for a check up on the 2nd of this month and up until then was eating very well. Since the vets ( all they did was scan his belly, no scoping, sedation etc. Just twitched him) He has hardly eat the 'normal' amount for him. I am lucky if he eats 6kg. This is a horse that needs to put on weight and also due to his condition with his intestines, even more important that he does. I have given him another liveries hay. well her the liveries and half my hay and he turned his nose up at mine and has ate most of the other net.

What's the best way to get him to eat? I am going to try soaking and steaming my hay. I have tried mixing the hay to no avail. I cant decide whether to ask the other girl if she would swap bales? Or pop something like apple juice on the hay? Either get another new bale of hay yet I might have the same issue with that bale. Or get him some small bales from another supplier ( who is more expensive) Or try haylage? But there is a chance he might turn his nose up at the haylage and the rest of the yard are on hay.

I will be speaking to the specialist tomorrow about this anyhow.

I must stress he has never been this fussy in his life. He wasn't like this in training.

 

[MissieSFW]

I sympathise - it's a nightmare when they won't eat hay! Does he still eat his hard feed ok? If he used to eat well and has now gone off it I would imagine he's in some sort of discomfort - can the vet not scope for ulcers? Unfortunately the less forage he eats the more likely it becomes that he'll develop ulcers, so it's a vicious cycle
Do you have anywhere you could turn him out on some grass? Sometimes I think horses just get sick of hay, and if you can turn them out to pick on some grass it can stimulate their appetite and he might be more willing to eat his hay when he comes back in?