My 11.2 pony wont eat

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nikkigiles

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Hi can anyone help? I brought an 11.2hh mounted games pony at the end of September. Her previous owners told me that in the winter she doesnt eat anything with oil in and they gave her calf milk powder to keep the weight on. What an understatement, she wont eat any hard feed, she has lost loads of weight and looks miserable. I have had the dentist out twice and wormed her twice. I am syringe feeding her blue chip pro with calm and condition twice a day which takes over an hour. Once you put the food in her mouth she will eat it but wont pick it up. She whinny's and looks interested in the food but wont eat. I have tried every food on the market including simple systems. Vet coming tuesday but I dont hold out much hope. She had £600 worth of blood test last winter that came back negative. I forgot to say if I give her calf milk powder she gets the runs! Please help.
 
have you tried all the good old fashioned things like treacle? sugarbeet? apple juice? what a worry for you! does she have adlib hay and does she eat it?
 
Crikey, thats an unusual problem, poor you:(

Don't really know what to suggest as I'm guessing you have tried all types of hard feed. Does she eat the mushy type feeds - sugar beet, fast fibre or any type of mash. I'm thinking leave a large bucket full in stable overnight and see if she picks away over the course of the night? Does she eat hay? chaff? anything at all?
 
Does she eat when you are not there. Is it possibly insecuriity about putting her head down when others are around her?

Have you had her teeth and gums checked? One of my 4 gets sore gums in the winter when the grass toughens and the hay is more of the diet - it's like a bit of bleeding on the gums. I use a soft toothbrush and a sensodyne toothpaste and clean them for him every few days - and it works and helps him.

Have a good close look.
 
Is your pony drinking okay? Dehydrated horses will not eat due to their instinct that water is required for their digestion. Your pony could be not eating because it is not drinking and therefore cannot digest the food easily.
 
I would try to get her to drink more, as Lucinda suggests. I had a horse who had a chronically bad back and she wouldn't eeat when it was bad, although would nibble at haylage.
 
following on from that, if she's a games pony I'd get her back and poll checked out as a cause of pain...I have mine done by a Mctimoney chiro every 3 months as they do so much sharp stopping, starting, skidding and turning! If its poll, or tightness in the withers may be why she doesn't want to eat?
 
How old is she?
Is it possible she could have Cushing's? Does she have any other symptoms?

This time last year, my pony stopped eating and drinking and basically 'shutdown'. I was syringing mushy food (fast fibre) and water into her at least twice a day. In desperation, and because we thought we were going to lose her, the vet agreed to treat her for Cushing's. She turned the corner within days. If it is Cushing's then you would expect the pony to be at it's worst at this point in December when there is the least light. Just a thought as the previous owners obviously had similar problems last winter. I would also get her seen by a good dentist and rule out any pain issues such as ulcers and laminitis. Good luck,

Sue
 
I'm guessing, since she's losing weight, that she's not even eating enough hay/haylage. Have you tried different ways of feeding - floor, low haynet, middle heynet, high haynet, etc ... As people have suggested it might be a comfort thing. While I don't like raised mangers, as I think they can contribute to choke, it might be worth seeing if she's happier eating higher up where she can keep an eye on the world/doesn't need to stretch her neck.
 
I'd second what Sue says, especially as the same thing happened last year - although you say that the blood tests were all negative...

It'd be unusual for a 11.2 to not do well just on forage. Although she's been wormed it might be worth sending a poo sample off for analysis. Some worms have developed wormer resistance, she might need a really good clear out.

My other thought would be the same as others - pain. Is there something about eating in the winter that's different to spring - autumn? Some way she's having to eat now that might be painful / uncomfortable for her?
 
you have my sympathy as been there with a couple of games ponies in the past and had nonstop brainstorming on what to do next to get the little things to eat. if its any consolation the worst of the two came round after we had owned him for a second winter~~ie he had chilled out and settled in. now he is the fattest little dumpling~albeit retired, but we still stick to the routine and feeds he likes. the other pony like yours was labelled a delicate feeder when we loaned her for a season which meant 2 winters of worry. she too improved by the second winter. we went down the dentist and vet route and found nothing wrong and with hindsight am now certain it was a nervousness/insecurity problem with both. we have another slightly bigger (13hh) games pony who arrived looking like death,nervous,boxwalking and weaving and never still enough to feed properly.we worked away all summer with the help of good grass and find that the stable vices and nervousness is not evident and the weight gained in the summer is staying on.If there is nothing physically wrong just stick with it ,make sure pony is happy where she is stabled (our current delicate boy has to stay near his friend!). my friends games pony only eats when the donkey eats so she dare not seperate them at this time of the year. try as many different ways of feeding and management as you can until you find what she is happy with.
good luck
 
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