Good doer not finishing hay

[starry94]

My horse is a good doer and will eat anything you give him, always completely finishes his hay net over night and hoovers up all the scraps on the floor. but the past few days he hasnt been finishing it, and last night he ate his dinner but wouldnt touch his hay, i put a few handfuls on the floor and he ate that though.
he's never normally fussy when it comes to food & i've been giving him this hay for about a week. could it be that he's just full up from the new grass that's coming through, or do you think he just doesnt really like the hay?

 

[AmyMay]

Did he eat any hay overnight at all?

 

[Littlelegs]

Is he eating the bed instead? And is it the same bale he's previously ate?

 

[Gracie21]

My horse has barely been eating any because of all the spring grass-still scoffs his dinner down though!

 

[flying solo]

Best friends horse usually eats two nets per night and the past week hasn't even eaten one net. It's due to the grass in his case. He's now out 24/7 for summer and is much happier.

 

[starry94]

yes he ate about threee quarters of his net and there was some scraps on the floor. when i left the yard (about 6.30) he had eaten his feed and was just looking out of his stable but he's obviously picked at it over night

 

[AmyMay]

I suspect then he's just eaten what he wanted and was full enough.

 

[georgiegirl]

I think theres more spring grass coming through than you realise!

Mine have been taken off their hard feed (as were becoming a bit jolly) and have also stopped eating as much hay - they must be getting it from somewhere!

 

[Honey08]

My horse has barely been eating any because of all the spring grass-still scoffs his dinner down though!

This. Ours are good doers that scoff just about anything, but at this time of year they're not interested in their haynets so much. Imagine if you'd eaten dried or tinned fruit all winter. You like it, and its fine, then someone offers you fresh juicy fruit and you eat loads. Then you go home and there is more dried fruit on offer - would you fancy it that much!

Unless their are other symptoms or the horse is losing weight, I wouldn't worry about it..

 

[BorgRae]

Imagine if you'd eaten dried or tinned fruit all winter. You like it, and its fine, then someone offers you fresh juicy fruit and you eat loads. Then you go home and there is more dried fruit on offer - would you fancy it that much!

^^^^

I love this analogy!!!

 

[Littlelegs]

If that's the case I'd put it down to more grass.

 

[3Beasties]

My TB is leaving hard food this week so I think it's just the grass coming through!