Horse Has Left Nearly All Her Feed?

ShowJumperBeckii

ShowJumperBeckii

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really sorry this is my 2nd post in just over an hour :o
but i went to see ebony and she had eaten most the mix and alfa a oils but i had at least half the alfa a oils and ALL the fast fiber, i known shes not really liked it but apple squash helped but now shes leaving it competely and i was thinking do i change it? i really cant risk it! if she drops weight i will not be able to get it back on til the summer and shes a tad under at the moment
i know iv posted silimer before but please could someone reccommed a feed that is good for weight keeping and tastes good quick!! cause ill run to feed shop before they close for bank holiday weekend, doesnt eat speedy beet either, thanks alot :)
 
Firstly... give her a chance to get used to the feed ! Swapping and changing could cause her all sorts of trouble... not least colic.

I would stick with the regime youve got now.... and keep adding apple juice to it to encourage her to eat.

If you decide to change... do it gradually over a period of say, a week.
 
Sorry but need to know more.

How much hay or haylage is she eating?
What mix?
Why is she having the fibre chop?

Does she have a history of laminitis?
How old.... basically fill us in before we can help.
 
s4sugar said:
Sorry but need to know more.

How much hay or haylage is she eating?
What mix?
Why is she having the fibre chop?

Does she have a history of laminitis?
How old.... basically fill us in before we can help.
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20lb per day
just a plain livery mix
alfa a oils
nope shes doesnt
and shes 12
she cant have hot food as shes mad enough without it :)
 
Fast fibre will not put weight on her, it will bulk her up (make her feel full up) but won't put weight on her.

AlphaAOil will help her weight gain, mine don't like too much of this in a feed however. I would continue to use this.

I would recommend sugarbeet, but as you say she is hot headed this is likely to make her more so. Therefore, try Speedibeet, it has less sugar content but some calorie content so will help her maintain weight.

As for the mix (I don't feed them so am not really up on the latest mixes), what about changing to Allen and Page Calm and Condition? I would ask at your local feed merchants what they would recommend as a weight gain mix.

Also, micronised linseed (available to buy in large bags from Charnwood Milling online), is great for weight gain.
 
Grrr,, fussy beggar:rolleyes: Have you tried her on sugarbeet?? does it blow her brains out?

Seems to me she doesn't like the mash type feeds,, I think you are best to head off to your feed merchants and pick their brains. Defo try the linseed though.
 
yes i tried it she came and her old older told me she starts too slowly not eat it? and it like i need a feed that she will eat all year round and that keeps her weight on a feed that she chooses if she wants today! she had conditioning cubes one and she tyed up :o cause too much iron ect so erm it hard to find feeds that dont blow her mind or do her muscles in and what not
but thanks alot :D
 
RudolphsRider said:
shes had it for a while now shes not just been put on it? :)
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ah apologies, I read your OP as if you had just swapped her onto what shes now leaving. Mine wont eat AlfaA in the dry form at all in this weather. I feed Simple Systems which is brilliant... and the soaked Lucie Nuts are a brilliant non-heating comfort food that full of good quality protein. I also buy Linseed meal direct from Charnwood Milling which is far cheaper than from most feed shops.

Plain old vegetable oil adds shine and condition. Its the cheapest way to feed and all of mine do really well on that regime.

I do now also add A&P Ride and Relax just for variety.
 
I would agree with previous poster that Fast Fibre will not help her with her weight. I'd try Calm and Condition - has been fab with my hot headed TB. He's been fed it for the last 4 years and I wouldn't change it.

You may have a problem if she's objecting to the mushy feeds though. I'd give one or two of the feed companies a ring, explain her type what she's like and see if they can suggest anything.

Do you think she doesn't like fast fibre cos it's mushy? I'd be quite surprised if it was the taste she was objecting to . .
 
My v fussy old TB likes Bailey's Top Line conditioning cubes & (touch wood) aren't making him too mad, which can be a problem for him on high energy feeds.
 
suzi said:
I would agree with previous poster that Fast Fibre will not help her with her weight. I'd try Calm and Condition - has been fab with my hot headed TB. He's been fed it for the last 4 years and I wouldn't change it.

You may have a problem if she's objecting to the mushy feeds though. I'd give one or two of the feed companies a ring, explain her type what she's like and see if they can suggest anything.

Do you think she doesn't like fast fibre cos it's mushy? I'd be quite surprised if it was the taste she was objecting to . .
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well i have no idea? its not even that wet if you get the water just right ;)
but she will not eat it, but people where suprised when she said she wont eat speedy beet too, fussy horses :o
thanks
 
My mare tends to be excitable and difficult to keep weight on during winter.
I researched lots of products and decided on Winergy Condition.
The improvement in her condition and weight was really impressive. I just add Top Chop Lite and a handful of pasture mix and she loves it. Now she is really well, I've switched to Winergy Light.
 
Was she eating ok before she had speedi beet / fast fibre etc?

My Connie is very fussy and won't eat anything mushy, doesn't like chaff, doesn't like cubes etc etc so I know how hard it can be to feed a fussy eater especially while trying not to waste money on feed!!

When you say she can't have 'hot' feed, what have you tried her on that she went mad on? This will help to establish what it is that having that effect on her and then you can rule out feeds with similar ingredients.

If you mix her feed well with chaff etc does she still object to the speedibeet / fast fibre etc?

If she needs to put condition on but doesn't want a heating feed then I'd still be tempted to sugggest calm and condition but it's not cheap and I wouldn't want you wasting your money if she's going to turn her nose up at it . . .
 
My exciteable/stressy pony has done really well this winter on Topline cubes. I cant recommend them enough and she loves them!!! Because they are high in calories, you can keep meal sizes relatively small. Baileys suggested I feed just 3/4 of a scoop in each feed (morning and eve) with a token of Sugarbeet to soften the cubes.

She is looking blooming marvellous!

If these arent suitable then another fantastic feed to try would be Spillers slow release cubes. Cereal free so shouldnt hot her up.

My pony will not eat huge feeds that are bulked out with chaff so I keep meal sizes small and if I have to add chaff then it is just a token gesture.

There are a few other tack shops not far from Widmer. PM me if you would like names and addresses etc :D
 
suzi said:
Was she eating ok before she had speedi beet / fast fibre etc?

My Connie is very fussy and won't eat anything mushy, doesn't like chaff, doesn't like cubes etc etc so I know how hard it can be to feed a fussy eater especially while trying not to waste money on feed!!

When you say she can't have 'hot' feed, what have you tried her on that she went mad on? This will help to establish what it is that having that effect on her and then you can rule out feeds with similar ingredients.

If you mix her feed well with chaff etc does she still object to the speedibeet / fast fibre etc?

If she needs to put condition on but doesn't want a heating feed then I'd still be tempted to sugggest calm and condition but it's not cheap and I wouldn't want you wasting your money if she's going to turn her nose up at it . . .
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yeah she eats fine just leave the bits she dont like at the bottom
nope not really tired her on any hot feeds but oats and took her off as got dangerous on them :o
yep its all mixed in fine and she will sieve though the bits she wants and doesnt want,
hmm thats the problem... i was lookign at the list and was thinking build up cubes? :o not that im any good at picking feed she likes ;) fussy moo
thanks x
 
Little_Donkey said:
My exciteable/stressy pony has done really well this winter on Topline cubes. I cant recommend them enough and she loves them!!! Because they are high in calories, you can keep meal sizes relatively small. Baileys suggested I feed just 3/4 of a scoop in each feed (morning and eve) with a token of Sugarbeet to soften the cubes.

She is looking blooming marvellous!

If these arent suitable then another fantastic feed to try would be Spillers slow release cubes. Cereal free so shouldnt hot her up.

My pony will not eat huge feeds that are bulked out with chaff so I keep meal sizes small and if I have to add chaff then it is just a token gesture.

There are a few other tack shops not far from Widmer. PM me if you would like names and addresses etc :D
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thanks but she wont eat the cubes if there with soocken with sugerbeet :o
i know gommes and dennis? thanks :D x
 
Not sure if its been mentioned but most feed companies will send you samples of the feeds your interested in.

Just call them up or go to their website and find the "contact us" details or "request a sample" section....most of the major feed manufactures will have this on their site.

Why dont you contact some of the feed companies mentioned on this thread and ask them to send you some samples.

Much better than forking out for big sacks of 20KG feed that she may turn her nose up at :)

Sadiemay
 
Ooh she is a fussy moo!!

I once fed one of mine garlic and he sifted through it and all that was left in the bottom of his feed bowl was garlic granules!

I think it will be a case of 'trial and error' to a certain extent but perhaps try one of the non-heating conditioning feeds suggested by other posters?

Would also repeat my suggestion to call a couple of feed companies. Ok they will recommend products from their range but I've generally found them to be quite helpful.
 
Sadiemay said:
Not sure if its been mentioned but most feed companies will send you samples of the feeds your interested in.

Just call them up or go to their website and find the "contact us" details or "request a sample" section....most of the major feed manufactures will have this on their site.

Why dont you contact some of the feed companies mentioned on this thread and ask them to send you some samples.

Much better than forking out for big sacks of 20KG feed that she may turn her nose up at :)

Sadiemay
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Excellent suggestion!
 
this might sound a bit silly....

How long are you leaving the food in with her? 10mins, 30mins, all night??
with your worry (its only natural) - Are you standing over her watching her eat??

Just something to try in the mean time.

My old girl likes to be left alone, and she can take up to 1.5hrs to eat through her 2kg feed - -She just likes chewing! and looking out of the window!
:D
 
Happy Hunter said:
this might sound a bit silly....

How long are you leaving the food in with her? 10mins, 30mins, all night??
with your worry (its only natural) - Are you standing over her watching her eat??

Just something to try in the mean time.

My old girl likes to be left alone, and she can take up to 1.5hrs to eat through her 2kg feed - -She just likes chewing! and looking out of the window!
:D
Click to expand...

all night for night time and i feed just before i leave so shes alone
and morning gets feed about 7 and i come about 9-10 ish so good 3 hours
no im just worried about her dropping weight! shes competing at bn and disc level so burning alot of cals so i need to make sure i keep up with it!
thanks :p
 
Last year when Indie was very poor I put her on Baileys Top Line Conditioning Mix. She Loved it! Also put lots of weight on her. She won't eat calm and condition or anything with that texture, but the mix worked a treat
 
I have ordered samples of feed in the past (they are free) as my horse is very fickle about food and will randomly go off her usual feed :rolleyes:

The free samples have generally been decent sized (more than a handful!) and they arrived very quickly so you should have to wait long once you ask for them.

Also you will find more often than not the feed manufacturer will also include discount vouchers for their feeds in with the sample. So if you mare likes the sample and you decide to buy a sack then hopefully you will save a bit of money on your first purchase :D

Good luck! I know how worrying/frustrating it is when they wont eat!

Sadiemay
 
Sadiemay said:
I have ordered samples of feed in the past (they are free) as my horse is very fickle about food and will randomly go off her usual feed :rolleyes:

The free samples have generally been decent sized (more than a handful!) and they arrived very quickly so you should have to wait long once you ask for them.

Also you will find more often than not the feed manufacturer will also include discount vouchers for their feeds in with the sample. So if you mare likes the sample and you decide to buy a sack then hopefully you will save a bit of money on your first purchase :D

Good luck! I know how worrying/frustrating it is when they wont eat!

Sadiemay
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thanks :D
very just panic about her weight cause i know how easy she drops it :/ :p
 
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