Here we go again - autumn fussy feeder

[Noodlejaffa]

Can anyone shed any light on why our big hunter starts to go off his food about this time of year? He starts leaving a little bit in the bottom of his feed bucket, which over the weeks gradually increase to quite a lot left in his bucket.

We've had him checked over by the vet who found nothing, his teeth are done regularly and his work load, stabling etc haven't changed at all (he's out during the day and in at night all year). He's a horse who gets bored of hay and we have to switch between hay and haylage to keep him eating. He's 14 yr old ID x TB and 17.1hh so I am paranoid about keeping the weight on him.

He has had low blood counts in the past so is fed a blood supplement, as recommended by our vet.

Other than that, am I just pandering to his every desire (he really does rule the roost!). My other two are such gannets they just eat anything that's put in front of them.

 

[miamibear]

It may be because the grass has had a spurt and it is new sweet grass, they stuff themselves on grass and therefore arent as hungry and then the food doesnt taste as appertising as the grass anyway.

Have you thought about adding something tasty to his feed, like a bit of molasses (if he doesnt get hot or fizzy)

Otherwise just experiment with hard and soft feeds and see which he prefers - you have probably done this though.

How about cutting some carrots small and putting them in - so he cant pick them out, he has to eat it to eat the carrot - i used to grate my carrots.

Im sure someone reccomended apple juice for fussy feeders and you can get some sort of supplement too - its a herb to encourage fussy feeders but i cant remember what its called!

Im afraid with the roughage i have no idea, i think you are doing right swapping between hay and haylage to keep interest, thats what i would do anyway! You could supplement the hay with a hay replacer chaff but i think that gets really expensive especially when you have a big horse like yours!!

Hope that helps a bit!

 

[AmyMay]

We find that one hunter in particular will start leaving certain parts of feed after a few weeks. I'ts not that she doesn't particularly like it - we think that she doesn't 'need' it - so leaves it.

Have you tried feeding a smaller feed, but with more frequency??

 

[Noodlejaffa]

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Have you tried feeding a smaller feed, but with more frequency??

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Yep, we try that too, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. He's such frustrating horse!

Will maybe try the apple juice. Occasionally do molasses which he loves but he gets very fizzy with it.

 

[Nari]

My ID is just the same & it drives me mad. All I can do is try different feeds (limited because he can't have any barley) until I find something he likes. For the last few months he's been happy on Tiger Oats, Happy Hoof, Luciebix & Outshine & I just vary the propertions & amounts depending on what work he's doing. It also has to be fed wet (but not too wet of course!) & he rarely eats a whole feed in one go but it's all gone in the morning. The last few days he's been leaving some breakfast though because he wants to get out to the grass.

Other things I've found that help are:
- always scrub buckets before feeding
- if he's starting to pick at a feed change it before he goes right off it, that way he may eat it again next week. I'm lucky though because I have a dustbin on legs (sec D) that will eat anything that Jim goes off so at least I'm not wasting tons of feed
- sometimes changing to a different shape bucket helps, not worked out why though!
- if I tie his haynet at the top & bottom so it doesn't swing about so much he eats more hay but he won't eat it off the floor unless he's starving. Also tying it by the door helps as he can eat & be nosey!

 

[Accy]

When my boy was being a bit fussy i popped him onto Meadowsweet from Baileys worked a reat, maybe worth a try

 

[Nic]

Topspec Dr Green is a good supplement for encouraging fussy eaters.

 

[hannah1982]

The herb that miamibear was talking about is called fenugreek. It's a bit like curry powder and was on BBC news a couple of weeks ago.

Spillers have just bought out a mollasses free mix that already has it in so that might be worth a try?

Otherwise if he looks well and is going well, just make sure he has ad lib hay and a vit and min supplement. You can only do your best!

Have you tried ringing a manufacturers care line? Spillers were really good when I rang about this funny mix.