horse refusing to eat hay

P

puss

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 October 2012
Messages
287
Visit site
I have a cob he 21 and gets away with murder because of his age our farm offered some haylage so thought i give him some for a treat. As allways giving him hay now he refuses to eat hay stands in his stable sulking. Iv tried overnight thinking hungry enough he will eat it no he wont Iv tried mixing it just eats haylage leaves the rest. He now started loseing weight which is not a good thing in winter hes very stubborn when he wants his own way since he got older. My fault because i let him get away with it. I need to change him back as his poos are like cow pats and the hay is lovely so no excuse. Any ideas I hate mucking him out at the moment
 
If you are sure he is just being stubborn I'd personally just give him hay and let him get on with it. Was he eating this hay ok before you gave Haylage or is it a new batch of hay?
 
Have you had his teeth checked? As he is older his teeth might not be as good as they were and he might be finding the haylage easier to chew.
 
Hi yes he was eating the hay no problems before how long would you keep trying for i dont want him to.lose to much weight
 
could you put some apple juice in a spray bottle and spray his hay? i had this problem with one of mine and it worked a treat:)
 
Get his teeth checked, and how good quality is the hay? Make sure its nice stuff. I would just leave him to it providing his teeth are fine and the hay is nice. He will soon get over himself and if he is really hungry he will eat it rather than starve.
 
Yes let him get on with it. My mare was exactly the same after I gave her haylage cause the hay had ran out. As long as he isn't on a straw bed as he may eat that instead lol :)
 
Thank everyone his teeth were done.two months ago and he was eating the hay well. Its since i have given him haylage he just refuses hay. tonight i hay just given him hay hadnt touched it when i left. He just stood there kicking seven barrels out of his door. I will just have to put up with his tantrum
 
Yes and every time you give in and give haylage he will remember his protest worked. I would just leave him to it. It might take a few days but he isn't going to starve himself.
 
LOL, I have one similar who can twist me round his little finger like your one is doing. If you really want him back on hay and are absolutely certain it is OK stuff , then you will have to harden your heart and hope he backs down and starts eating the hay before he destroys the door . Or you give in and learn to live with the cow pats. (They are still unpleasant, but easier to pick up on wood pellet bedding)

Perhaps this is a good reason why no-one should keep a horse for more than 2 years... That way, we don't know them quite so well (nor they us) and thus manipulation of humans is not so easy for them.
 
Oh pennyj your so right when he was young he wasnt allowed to get away with anything. Now hes getting old and i nearly lost him two years ago iv spoiled him rotten and he can wrap me round his hoof and he knows it. He will stay on hay even if i have to replace his door
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top