Horse won't eat her evening meal

[Always-Riding]

As the weather is getting warmer the horses are out during the night and in during the day.

They all get a feed when they first come in and again before they go out but one mare wont eat her evening meal. Its exactly the same as the.morning.

Should I be worried? She's a poor doer so does need two meals a day - but can't add much more as she's barefoot and has has laminitis in the past.

 

[UKa]

Hi, I have one like that. Poor doer that won't eat her breakfast during the winter so I have had to manage her on one bigger meal a day (at night). Possible that your horse anticipates going out and is too excited. Same as mine in the winter mornings before going out. Mine has wintered ok on it. Bearing that one meal should not be larger than 2kg I feed Alfa A Oil with Baileys Lo Cal and Outshine - these balancers have the advantage that they supposedly contain all the necessary nutrients but are quite dense and you don't feed large quantities, so I felt I was giving her all required nutrients in one feed. The rest was hay and grass...

 

[tallyho!]

Do you take it out if she doesn't?

My filly stopped eating her evening feed, so, I just leave it. Always gone by morning.

They're probably not that hungry by the afternoon if they have been out all day, nibbling at grass thats coming through, you'd be surprised how much they may have eaten. Plus, sweet grass vs bland bowl of stuff...

 

[AmyMay]

Give it to her at lunch time.

 

[Carojo2010]

Try adding Mint to the feed, it helps with fussy feeders, so might just get her to eat it - failing that as was said before try giving it her at lunch time or leaving it with her all night so she can eat it when she feels like it. xx

 

[wiglet]

I'm having exactly the same problem with my poor doer who's barefoot behind and has had laminitis in the past.

I might try Carojo2010's suggestion of adding mint - hopefully that will encourage her to eat.