Horse on box rest gone off food!! :0(

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katiex2

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Hi guys! As title really! B has gone off her food completely! Eating some hay and not touching her breakfast or her dinner! She seems ok in herself if you know what I mean but not eating anywhere near as much as I thought she would!

Doesn't help that she has to have 1 feed a day with her medicine in!

Any suggestions to get her to eat?

Kate x
 
is her medicine one that could be put in a jam sandwich... some horses wont eat medicines in their feed as some how they can taste it no matter how little we think it smells & it can put them off for a while or they will just pick out the good bits! plus.... they all love a jam sandwich!

you could try mint in her feed... it comes as a supplement (not the big leaves) which will make it taste nice.... or garlic powder?

its the obvious thing to say but just as long as her hay is fresh and changed regularly she will eat at some point!

if you are really worried, depending on her fizzy-ness you could try some readygrass but you know if this is a good idea for your girl on boxrest!
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Thanks for that. I've tried molasses apples carrots treats!! A friend suggested a jam sandwich! Her medicine is a liquid so I suppose I could mix if with some jam and see how it goes! Can't syringe it in as she is an absolute cow about worming etc!

Could end up being quite a few jam sandwiches to get rid of 40ml of medicine but I can try!! ;0)
 
We tried golden syrup sandwiches for my pony. However, had to feed him powered meds and he soon realised we were trying to 'poison' him!!! If not a lot of med to feed then a sarnie may work.
 
for hiding meds;
doughnuts (put it in the middle using a syringe/ honey/ mint cordial/ golden syrup/ molasses/ treacle/ mint/ garlic/ sandwiches with any of the above in/ as its a liquid you could also try adding some peppermint essence (cooking ingredient) to the liquid then into feed.
for not eating feeds;
try adding pink powder or natural yoghurt incase her tummy is suffering a little bit from being stabled. Also try halving the amount for a day of two to make it more inviting.

Can you tell I have a fussy feeder
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x
 
My lad did this too and went off everything when he is normally very greedy. A treacle buttie worked for me every time, even when he was on 4 butes a day.
 
Thanks for all your replies! I have now got injections from the vet. Far easier! I am still adding some treats to a smaller dinner for her to see if she will eat it now! I do think she genuinely thinks I am going to poison her.

The only problem I have next is that once the injections are done she has to have the granules in her food so me thinks it could start all over again! I suppose it is the pleasure of owning a fussy pre madonna of a mare ;0)
 
A friend of mine used apple juice to disguise the antibiotics in her feed. My friend was sure she wouldn't eat it as she had tried everything but it worked really well.
 
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