fussy eater

[serena2005]

Hello!

This is my 17 year old hannoverian mare.
Shes currently fed large scoops of 16+ mix, hi fi alpha and barley rings (which she usually leaves)
Ab lib hay (which she refuses to touch) and recently introduced haylage so not on a great deal at the moment.

Iv managed to maintain her weight, but getting her to put it on is proving a challenge. I hope from this photos taken a year apart there has been some improvement.
All usual things have been checked, teeth, back etc.

How do you think she looks and what would you advise I try to feed this fussy eater.

 

[splashgirl45]

if the unridden pic is the recent one she looks quite fat to me.so doesnt need any more food....in fact you could cut her down..... if the ridden pic is the recent one she does look a bit lean...how many feeds does she get and does she have any turnout.......you could start feeding fast fibre as that can be used as a hay replacer and will give her some bulk....i wouldnt feed barley rings if she leaves them, perhaps she doesnt like the taste?

 

[TGM]

When you say she refuses to touch her hay, do you mean she doesn't eat any at all? Is she now eating the haylage OK? When were her teeth last checked?

 

[serena2005]

if the unridden pic is the recent one she looks quite fat to me.so doesnt need any more food....in fact you could cut her down..... if the ridden pic is the recent one she does look a bit lean...how many feeds does she get and does she have any turnout.......you could start feeding fast fibre as that can be used as a hay replacer and will give her some bulk....i wouldnt feed barley rings if she leaves them, perhaps she doesnt like the taste?

Hiya,
The ridden pic is the recent one, the top pic doesn't really show quite how bad she really was.
Yes she is very lean I know �� she gets 2 feeds as she's out during the day, if Shes in she will get a lunch time feed too. Some days she will eat the rings and others she wont.

 

[serena2005]

When you say she refuses to touch her hay, do you mean she doesn't eat any at all? Is she now eating the haylage OK? When were her teeth last checked?

Since hiding haylage in her nets she eats as much as she has to to get to the haylage. I had her teeth done about 2 month ago.
She eats the haylage fine she loves it. She will eat it before eating her feed most days.

 

[whizzer]

Think I'd drop the barley rings, seems a waste of money if she won't eat them. Can she have just haylage & no hay at all? Again seems waste of time & money if she doesn't like it. I've a very fussy poor doer who also can't tolerate a lot if feeds & he gets very, very sharp on many things. He's on solution mash,dried grass,linseed,oats & top spec cubes, but it's taken me years to find things he'll eat that doesn't send him nuts! He also has brewers yeast, yeasacc, fenugreek & mint. I had him on hay for last winter & some of this as he's had ulcers in the past but by Christmas he was eating so little I caved in & put him back on haylage.