Horse doesn't want to eat his hard food

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Christmas Crumpet

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I'm struggling a bit trying to get my horse to eat his hard food. He always used to be waiting for me in the morning, whinny and demand his breakfast. His routine was fed at 7 and mucked out. Left an hour or two and then exercised.

Now because I'm at a different job I either feed at 5.30 a.m or after exercise before he gets let out for the day where he munches very happily on grass all day.

He is now on haylage which he seems to enjoy. Could it be he is full from eating all his haynet - not sure that's really the answer though!!

He was on bute for a while which he wasn't keen on but now is off it. He has a scoop of mix, scoop of nuts and some mollichaff. At nighttime he has liquid cortaflex, msn/glucosamine and apples added. He appears to have gone off polo's!!

Any ideas? I'm getting rather worried because we are autumn hunting now and not long till proper hunting and he needs to keep the weight on.

I also wondered whether it was because I had bought the feed merchant's cheap pasture mix and nuts. I am going to try going back to Dodson & Horrell.

Would be really grateful if anyone has any ideas or solutions!!
 
It could be because he's full at the time you want to feed him but it could also be because of the change to a different feed!
Years ago, my first foal after weaning was on Bailey's Stud Nuts (the first year they made them so a while ago!) supplier ran out and I had to go onto Spillers Stud Nuts - he wouldn't touch them for weeks; as soon as Bailey's were available again he was tucking in like a good'un!
 
I think a change to the posh stuff is a good idea!!! He's probably cross about eating the "Tesco Value" range of horse feed!!

They have been cubbing over us as well all week and that's got him quite woken up. He looks fantastic at the moment but then we're not really even close to the opening meet and we hunt till beginning April so he's got a long way to go if he doesn't eat his food!!

Thanks for advice.
 
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They have been cubbing over us as well all week and that's got him quite woken up. He looks fantastic at the moment but then we're not really even close to the opening meet and we hunt till beginning April so he's got a long way to go if he doesn't eat his food!!

Thanks for advice.

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You've answered your own question - he wants to be out there too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bet once he's started, he'll get his appetite back and you won't be able to keep up with him!
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He's been out cubbing the last 2 days - the eating thing has gone on for a while though and he won't eat it all at nighttime either. His teeth etc are all fine so its a bit of a mystery but hopefully with cubbing a couple of times a week etc he'll get pretty hungry!! Change of feed tonight though.
 
You're also feeding him quite a lot. If it's a round plastic scoop your using your feeding him about 3kg in one go which is 1kg more than they can physically cope with.

I'd use a better quality feed and a bit less of it. Just something to think about but he's not got an ulcer has he? that sometimes makes them reluctant to eat. the new winergy feeds are good for that.
 
Its not a round scoop - its one of those thin narrow ones which holds a lot less than a round scoop. He gets a double handful of chaff, 1 scoop nuts and 1 mix.

I hadn't thought of an ulcer - he was fine eating during the summer but then there wasn't so much grass then and he was out 24 7. He's out during the day now and in at night.
 
How odd!!! Then I guess he's just fussy ;o)

Agree with the others, try something else. Still think the winergy feeds are fab tho and worth a go.
 
Last winter I was feeding my horse Top Spec comprehensive balancer in granule form which has an apple flavour apparently. He was ok with this then suddenly went off his feeds when I started to feed haylage. I was at a loss and phoned top spec who said he had probably developed a sweet tooth because of the haylage and that his feed with the suppliment probably tasted a bit sour in comparson. I changed to the pelleted suppliment and he was fine.
 
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