My horse wont eat the hay it was eating ok before!

[janicesponies]

My supplier ran out of hay and after much searching I found some small bales of later cut hay - not dusty, just not as green as earlier hay. My horse was fine with it for 2 weeks, but now is being fussy. I feed lots of chop with my feeds - if I cut this back will that encourage my horse to eat the hay? How do you steam hay - would that help?

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Sounds as though he's being a proper little fusspot! I doubt steaming would make any difference but you could splash some apple juice over his haynet to make it more exciting and hide bits of carrot and apple and even cabbage leaves in it for him to find as he snurfles through it. Otherwise, be firm - he'll eat it if he's hungry! You could use a total hay replacer but that could get expensive if the only reason for it isn't ill health but pickiness!

 

[vicksey]

My boy has just started this, he is a real good doer and will scoff anything put in front of him, but the last week or so he is more interested in his feeds and getting out to the field. Hasn;t even touch his morning hey net past few days, just looks out of the stable wanting to get out.

I think it might be because there are lots of little new grass shoots coming through and he would much rather forage for that then eat the hay :s

 

[Delphidazzler]

I'm glad I'm not the only one - seems to be a real problem this year! My lot are being so fussy - but hay looks and smells good. Have used same supplier for 4 years but he can't understand what is causing it. Its driving me nuts!!! Sometimes they eat it soaked sometimes not! Any ideas only hay is so short around here not sure I can get an alternative stock

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

despite the craptastic weather, i think the grass must be growing shoots through as mine are fat as butter even though the field looks bare,and im only haying on snow days!

so the theory he's more interested in the grass could well be true.

as long as its not full of soil and dust, he will eat it if he's hungry so i wouldnt worry if he is well in himself, teeth up to date and he's got plenty of energy.