Hive mind - the fussy git is driving me bonkers!

[Auslander]

I'll answer as many as I can remember in one go!
Sticky mix with dry bute is the most tolerable, and I'll try putting thr bute in the fridge. He's the same whether it's bute, danilon or nothing, so I think it's not related to the bute.
I'm going to try giving him grated carrot with bute before his hard feed, then he can eat his hard feed or not-up to him
Copra is a good call. He has it in winter and it's the only soaked feed he likes. Won't touch pink mash.
I'll get him some fennel seeds, and I've got some brewers yeast on order, as he likes that.
Interesting thought about the B12. He's always been fussy, but he seems particularly bad as he gets older!

 

[EternalVetBills]

Have you asked your vet if you could try Prevacox instead? My mare is exactly the same with bute, so my vet recommended the Prevacox tablets instead. I give her one everyday in a stud muffin, so much easier than bute and works just aswell for us. Might be easier than having to swap around feeds

 

[Trouper]

I guess it doesn't matter how many different foods you try if you are going to get the same reaction - bored after a few days.

You may have to resign yourself to having a "selection" of feed bins and changing the base every day and the mix of additives too. Just think of it as a three-dimensional chess game to outwit the old fella!!!

 

[Alibear]

Is it worth trying a travel puch of Saracen Recovery mash to your options list, I can see he's not keen on soaked feeds. I've yet to see one complain at recovery mash.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Powered mint or adding hedgerow herbs get mine to eat most things.

 

[Auslander]

Is it worth trying a travel puch of Saracen Recovery mash to your options list, I can see he's not keen on soaked feeds. I've yet to see one complain at recovery mash.

I've got some. He likes it if it's drinkable, rather than mash-y, so that's a good call!

 

[Auslander]

I guess it doesn't matter how many different foods you try if you are going to get the same reaction - bored after a few days.

You may have to resign yourself to having a "selection" of feed bins and changing the base every day and the mix of additives too. Just think of it as a three-dimensional chess game to outwit the old fella!!!

He's very lucky that I love him enough to pander to his whims! All the others are on a "clean" diet, and eat what they're given, but not him!

 

[Jambarissa]

I always put bute in a peanut butter sandwich for my old man

 

[Marnie]

Years ago you used to be able to get bute for dogs in tablet form, I think each one was 200mg so 5 were equal to a sachet of bute. With my vets agreement, I used to give them to the horse I had then who had navicular syndrome as he would absolutely not touch the powder in anything and it got too stressful to syringe it in to him. He would eat the 5 tablets in his feed without noticing them. They may not still be around and may not be in an appropriate form anymore but it might be worth a look.

 

[Peglo]

Spillers super senior mash has a nice apple smell. My oldies were getting rowan & Barbary readymash extra as well and even Flo the fussy would eat her bute in it. Fortunately she didn’t get bored of it but one or both might be worth a try until he gets fed up.

 

[Auslander]

I always put bute in a peanut butter sandwich for my old man

I've never thought of trying peanut butter!

 

[Annagain]

Monty used to be the same with bute. Adding it to feed was a total no-no as he wouldn't touch his food for weeks afterwards he'd be so suspicious. The only thing that worked with him was a tiny handful of mix with danilon added then rolled into a ball bonded together with molasses so he'd think they were treats. I'd have to wear gloves to do it it was so messy. I'd give him 3 'treats' so first one was clean, 2nd was laced and 3rd was clean so he didn't remember it tasting a bit funny. I'd have to give clean ones to Archie too to create a bit of competitive eating between them. M always wanted what A had. A's so easy in comparison, danilon in a bucket with a few cubes and he'll lick it clean!

They both loved Marmite sarnies too - I just used to give them to them as treats but you could try hiding some bute in one.

 

[Auslander]

Spillers super senior mash has a nice apple smell. My oldies were getting rowan & Barbary readymash extra as well and even Flo the fussy would eat her bute in it. Fortunately she didn’t get bored of it but one or both might be worth a try until he gets fed up.

I'll add that to the list of mixes to add to the loop!

 

[Auslander]

They both loved Marmite sarnies too - I just used to give them to them as treats but you could try hiding some bute in one.

It'd have to be vegemite - I'm a kiwi, so it's the law...

 

[Annagain]

It'd have to be vegemite - I'm a kiwi, so it's the law...

I used to like you.

 

[Parrotperson]

Molasses?

 

[Jeni the dragon]

The Top Spec mashes for my bunch! Can mix anything into them and they love it!

 

[twiggy2]

I know people who have had success with marmite sandwiches and also a banana cut open bute in and sealed back up, fed with skin on

 

[Surbie]

I soak Baileys Hi-Fibre nuggets for anything my horse turns his nose up at. It's the only thing I've got his additional wormer into (too hefty for just one tube...)

 

[WelshD]

I work in a feed shop and we have never had a failure with Spillers Speedi Mash - it smells of apples!

I have also heard that tinned custard works well on some horses

 

[julesjoy]

I second ready mash extra. They would even eat ghastly wormer in that. Although, for just the bute, maybe mix with some fruity squeeze baby food like Ella's kitchen? That worked for one of mine.

 

[Unicorn]

Spillers super senior mash has a nice apple smell. My oldies were getting rowan & Barbary readymash extra as well and even Flo the fussy would eat her bute in it. Fortunately she didn’t get bored of it but one or both might be worth a try until he gets fed up.

Seconding the Spillers Senior mash. My fussy lad loved it. Though we ended up with a mix of sugarbeet, custard and grated apple when he needed antibiotics. Was the only thing he would eat it in.

May not suit Alf though, if he's not keen on sweet things.

 

[Auslander]

And this is the difference between bored Alf and new feed Alf!

Scoffed the lot in half the time he took this morning, and licked the bowl clean! Cheap competition mix...

 

[asmp]

just a thought - does he get extra grass after his feed? I strip graze and mine will leave some of his feed (with his expensive supplement) as he just prefers fresh grass. I should leave him with it for a while but I’m always in a rush.

 

[Auslander]

just a thought - does he get extra grass after his feed? I strip graze and mine will leave some of his feed (with his expensive supplement) as he just prefers fresh grass. I should leave him with it for a while but I’m always in a rush.

no - he's got the run of about 10 acres.

 

[Snow Falcon]

I feel your pain. I am currently trying to get antibiotics and bute into my mare twice a day. Failing miserably. Won't touch any feed now, even a clean bucket with "normal" food in as she's suspicious. Won't take it from my hand either. Tried her favourite Baileys high fibre nuggets, cheap pony nuts, apple juice, sugar beet, different chaff (smells fab), squash. Only day 2 and I'm going to have to go shopping for all the things I don't allow her to have.

 

[quizzie]

I have finally managed to get my very fussy idiot to eat unpalatable things in soaked sainfoin pellets from simple systems.....He licks the bowl clean and has shown no signs of getting bored with it....It is so nice to come back to a licked clean bowl!

 

[criso]

The game changer for my fussy one was Agrobs musli. I stretch it out with other cheaper feeds but I can't take it out. He has Copra as well which he didn't like at first but now he's used to it, I can't stop it.

He's different to Alf though as he doesn't like new, so anything I introduce has to be snuck in slowly.

 

[Auslander]

I'm fairly sure that his favourite thing in the world is oats, so I might buy him a bag of tiger oats to add in when needed

 

[webble]

I've no help but just wanted to say you're not alone, my fussy boy won't eat anything and it's hard work!

A lady on my yard syringes bute in mixed with a bit of icing sugar. That's OK as a one off but not great as a regular solution