Help with Feeding - fussy

[Daytona]

My new 4 year old us proving difficult to feed. He has lost condition and is underweight. He was stressed when he arrived at new yard but has settled in now.

He comes in at night and gets ab lib haylage, he is out in day time.

He is currently not being ridden/worked as needs to mature and fill out.

I tried him on Alfa A / A Oil and he does not like them, picked around it and just leaving most of it.

He is on full livery and the yard would rather you dont use feeds that are required to be soaked as it's awkward for them to make up.

So tried him today in Spillers Conditioning Fibre but he did not appear to keen on it but going to try at least a week.

So he on the same twice a day:

300gr Top Spec Balancer
750gr Top Spec cool condition cubes
1 Stubbs scoop of the chaff ( hoping to move up to two but not sure if it's too much per feed and if I will get him to eat it)


Any one got any ideas..??? He is not looking great and really want to get the weight on him :-(

 

[Firewell]

Teeth?
We got our new horse seen by the dentist recently. We were told his teeth had been done less than a year ago but the dentist thought he hadn't been done in about 4 years! He had really sharp teeth that had cut all along the inside of his mouth!

Poor boy, he's so much happier now. We have been told it will take around a week for him to get used to his new teeth and learn to eat properly again.

Maybe something to think about? Like you we were concerned as he seemed really picky and wouldn't eat up his grub, now we know why..

Otherwise make sure worming ect is up to date and he's not in pain..

I find horses like apple cider vinegar, you could try that in his feed .

 

[Daytona]

I was told his teeth just done when I bought him, but yes I think I will get them checked again. He seems to have a good appetite as scoffs carrots and turnips down now problem, love his nuts too it just seems to be the chaff he not keen on. He was wormed last
month.

 

[be positive]

I would think he may prefer a soaked feed, such as speedi beet to be added to his chaff and cubes, it only takes 10 mins to soak or could be made up at any time during the day, how difficult can it be for the yard to do, you are paying for a service and your horse needs to eat something he enjoys if he is going to put weight on.

 

[Daytona]

Well yes if he won't take the spillers then yes I will speak to YO, she is nice and has horses best interests at heart so I'm sure we can arrange something. He was on fast fibre when I got him and he did eat that. But I rang the company that makes it and they told me it is designed to be used as a hay replacement for older horses and is not of any use to a horse like him, you ment to use large large amounts socked up instead of hay etc. A bag should last about four odd days they told me. But he did seem to like it but I guess I was bulking out his feed with a no calories so no point using that again.

 

[TGM]

If he doesn't seem to like chaff-type feeds, why not just increase the amount of cubes he is fed - he doesn't sound like the type to bolt his food so chaff not probably essential.

 

[Daytona]

How much can you up cubes etc too..?? Anyone got any idea..?? And will that alone be enough to increase his weight..??? Should I try him on something different, was looking for some ideas for fussy eaters who need weightgain