FUSSY EATERS

[bonney]

I have a foal who is currently on haylege but wont eat any hard feed.I have tried even mixing chopped carrots and apples to try and coax it. He was eating small amounts of alfa a and sugarbeet but he will not touch either now.

Any suggestions would been greatly received as i am now getting to the the stage where i could pull my hair out.
I have tried course mixes you name it but nothing seems to take his fancy!

 

[AmyMay]

Do you add sugar beat? Don't give him succulants though.

 

[bonney]

i have tried addIng things to his sugarbeat but he refuses to eat it then and this could be the smallest amount of mix to the beat and he just walks away.

 

[prudunce]

most pony/pasture nuts swell up and go all mushy when soaked for 10 or so mins,try soaking feed for a bit b4 feeding.Calm&condition swells up to a mash if left and makes a tasty feed 4 fussy eaters?I wet all my feeds for 10 mins min(even if they dont need it)as it all seems to swell up loads if wet,this reduces the chances of colic!!good luck.

 

[bonney]

i have even tried that to no avail. i have never had a horse like him in all my time of owning horses.

 

[AmyMay]

Did he take hard feed when he was with his mother?

Does he actually need any? Maybe he's just not hungry....

 

[sarahwilkes]

Have you tried foal pellets - they are tiny, our foal was on them but she has moved onto normal pasture mix and molichop now with her mum.

 

[bonney]

thanks for the advice.who makes them?

 

[sarahwilkes]

Spillers i think, although most feed merchants will have them in, maybe even their own brand which will make it cheaper for you.

 

[Haniki]

I used to feed my horse yearling pellets when she was a youngster, I think Spillers call them youngstock pellets now.

 

[1275gta]

If he's recently weaned you could try mixing milk pellets with foal nuts as it can sometimes encourage them to feed. We have done this in the past with foals that have never had any hard feed.