Making feed more palatable - suggestions?

[SaffronWelshDragon]

My girl is currently having Pro Balance, a cup of linseed and about 250g of speedibeet. She's not hugely keen but will eat it if i stand and watch her. Just wondering if theres anything i can add to make her a bit more enthusiastic!

 

[cheeryplatypus]

Try fenugreek or mint? Fenugreek cheap from Chinese supermarket or similar for a big bag.

 

[Snowman]

I add a capful of schweppes peppermint cordial to my mares feed and top up with water. She loves it! Tastes like polos I suppose.

 

[SaffronWelshDragon]

Thanks, cheap is good, don't want to buy a bag of flavoured chaff etc.

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Hilton Herbs dried mint, works for my mare when she needed bute in her feed. Not expensive, and worked a treat.

 

[kellybee]

I put double strength blackcurrant cordial (sugar free) in my speedibeet water. They wolf it down

 

[Tash88]

When my horse had to have bitter-tasting antibiotics in his feed I added molasses and then he ate it, that was the only thing that worked after trying grated carrot and apple juice, as recommended by the vet. I paid about £7 for a big bottle of it and you don't need much at a time so I think it is quite cost-effective.

 

[BlackRider]

Maybe some high fibre cubes?

 

[ghostie]

I second the high fibre cubes. Mine will eat anything with a handful of the Spillers ones in, and they're quite low sugar

 

[Elsiecat]

Apple mix! Can cause a stampede among my lot

 

[Zargon_91]

Apple juice in sugar beet water, could also try fennel seeds- they are supposed to increase appetite

 

[Oberon]

My girl is currently having Pro Balance, a cup of linseed and about 250g of speedibeet. She's not hugely keen but will eat it if i stand and watch her. Just wondering if theres anything i can add to make her a bit more enthusiastic!

Unmolassed hay chaff
Fenugreek seeds
http://www.cotsherb.co.uk/culinary-herbs-and-spices/whole-seeds/fenugreek-seeds/prod_692.html
Fennel seeds
http://www.cotsherb.co.uk/culinary-herbs-and-spices/whole-seeds/fennel-seeds/prod_693.html
Spiller's High Fibre Cubes

The above are all safe to use and increase interest.

My Tank goes mad for Tesco's Curry Powder added into anything .

 

[Oberon]

Apple juice in sugar beet water, could also try fennel seeds- they are supposed to increase appetite

Fenugreek increases appetite. Fennel reduces bloat. Both give a strong taste though .

 

[Montyforever]

Apple juice can work if you haven't got a lami prone horse

 

[Zargon_91]

Fenugreek increases appetite. Fennel reduces bloat. Both give a strong taste though .

That's the one, I know my boy used to love it- was one of the only things that would make him eat! But I used to feed him aniseed rock sticks when he was younger so he probibly just liked the taste

 

[dalidaydream]

Fenugreek increases appetite.

Interesting, I hadn't realised that. I might have to stop feeding it to my porker then

 

[Wagtail]

I use hilton herbs dried mint for my mare to get her to eat her pro hoof. She eats it all. Won't touch it without the mint. I don't like adding sugar in the form of mollasses or apple juice etc, as although it works, she is recovering from laminitis and so I have to avoid feeding anything that could trigger it.

 

[Oberon]

Interesting, I hadn't realised that. I might have to stop feeding it to my porker then

Some people say it stimulates appetite, rather than increases it. My personal take is that it does nothing more than makes the feed smell interesting and more tempting.

They seem to like curry flavours

If you look at the ingredients of Verm X (which my horses went mad for when I tried it) - it's got cayenne pepper in it

Horses also appear to like turmeric (joint aid) too.....

 

[dalidaydream]

Some people say it stimulates appetite, rather than increases it. My personal take is that it does nothing more than makes the feed smell interesting and more tempting.

They seem to like curry flavours

If you look at the ingredients of Verm X (which my horses went mad for when I tried it) - it's got cayenne pepper in it

Horses also appear to like turmeric (joint aid) too.....

Pony definitely loves it, also likes turmeric and I suspect cayenne pepper too - we did once have a poo eating episode and someone suggested putting cayenne pepper on it. I was convinced it made it more appealing to him

Sorry OP, getting side-tracked. Fenugreek and dried mint had my pony gulping down his tea