Foal arrived, any tips on getting her to eat anything from a bucket?!

[Kacey88]

My little lady arrived safe and sound. She is an absolute dream so far, just very naturally chilled out and friendly. She was weaned a week or two before arriving and wasn't on any hard feed. I just want to give her some Pro Balance in a small bit of something else, she is not at all interested in anything.

Ideally she'd have it in a small mash/chaff with some linseed. She is happy out with grass and hay. My last weanling was one I had bred and she was well used to bucket feed by this time from copying her mum I imagine. She is currently with a very gentle mare but once she's vaccinated etc will be off with other weanlings too.

I assume she'll pick it up from her nanny mare eventually?

Picture of herself:

 

[Gingerwitch]

Look at those ears, can't wait to see her grow into those x

 

[maya2008]

So cute! Ours learned by copying/stealing from mum and nanny mare. I am sure yours will copy her new friend soon, if you feed them together.

 

[DSB]

If she's eating hay,just make a small pile and put a small amount of hard feed on it.Won,t take long for her to learn.

 

[eahotson]

She is lovely.

 

[southerncomfort]

When Bo arrived I stood him next to my mare while she ate her food and he soon copied her.

 

[SpotsandBays]

I agree with above, mine learnt through copying! He was in a stable next to my elderly pony, and he would see her get excited about food. I’d pop her bucket in first so he could see and then popped his in afterwards. He got it within a couple of days!
(However, my old pony paws when waiting for dinner and now my youngster paws whilst eating his dinner so bear that in mind!)

 

[Kacey88]

Thanks for advice everyone, hopefully she'll just copy her friends. I just expected her to wolf it like every other cob ?

 

[Jess1994PM]

My filly was weaned quite early at 5 months (not by me) and when she arrived I was trying to give her a bit of some hard feed as she looks like she hasnt done quite well off mum. im assuming they havent been feeding the mum hard feed as usually the foals learn to eat a little of the bucket with the mare and then they get a taste for it when weaned. I left some hard feed in her bucket and she had no interest, i ended up giving a small taste of it via hand (i dont usually do this as encourages biting but one off) and once she tried that brought the bucket to her and she couldnt get enough! she now throughs her bucket at me if i dont feed her fast enough in the morning!! ive been giving her a taste of carrots too, she wouldnt eat them whole or in chunks so i used a peeler and sliced thin bits off the carrot over her feed and she loves it

 

[dorsetladette]

She looks lovely.

When our Reggie arrived he didn't have a clue what a bucket was (he doesn't really have a clue about life in general tbh). My OH stood with him for a few days hand feeding him out of the bucket, then holding the bucket for him and then eventually put the bucket on the floor. He's a bit special, but he figured it out after about a week.

 

[Gloi]

I would get your foal used to feed in a bucket before putting the pro balance in it. Even my very greedy pony gets put off his feed by having it in which is a nuisance.