New hay, horses being fussy!

[Supertrooper]

On Friday we brought some hay from a different farmer. Nice hay, smells perfectly fine, bit finer than previous hay. All the horses are being fussy about it, leaving most of it and tonight they were standing at gate when we left rather than munching away as normal.

Could understand if it smelt off but it's fine, we're going down the keep feeding it to them route at the minute in the hope that they'll eat it when they're hungry enough. All have eaten their bucket feeds fine!

Have your horses done this?

 

[Sandstone1]

Try mixing it with the old hay if you still have some.

 

[Supertrooper]

We have still got some hay but it's right at the back under the new stuff. Stupid I know!! If they havn't eaten it by tomorrow we'll drag it out xx

 

[Ce'Nedra]

I just remember my old feeding rules, that all new food should be introduced slowly and this includes hay and grazing. I would suggest mixing the new hay with the old at a ratio of 60:40 with 60 being old. Then slowly reduce the levels of old hay and increase the new over a couple of weeks. Hope that helps.

 

[Sandstone1]

You could also try soaking it if you are sure nothings wrongg with hay ie dusty musty etc

 

[Wagtail]

I've had this happen before. Lovely sweet smelling hay that the horses won't touch. Turns out the farmer was a little too heavy with the weed spraying.

 

[Supertrooper]

Perhaps that's it? I'm not too worried as they're out 24/7 and although there's not much grass there is some and they have fast fibre/chaff twice daily. Did yours ever eat that hay, wagtail or did you just chuck it? We know the people that have supplied it as they're our farriers so i'm sure they'd swap it for us xx

 

[Wagtail]

Perhaps that's it? I'm not too worried as they're out 24/7 and although there's not much grass there is some and they have fast fibre/chaff twice daily. Did yours ever eat that hay, wagtail or did you just chuck it? We know the people that have supplied it as they're our farriers so i'm sure they'd swap it for us xx

No, they never touched it despite our perseverance. The farmer did take it back though and fed it to the cows.

 

[Mrs B]

We've just had something similar. All the forage is very good quality, made on the farm and stored in the main barn; we put our orders on the board each Friday and the bales are delivered to our pallets each Saturday.

Week before last, the hay looked and smelt lovely, finer than normal but several of the horses (inc my greedy piglet) only picked at it. I'm guessing all those particular bales came from one patch of field, which, for some reason has a mix of grasses they didn't find palatable. Fussy devils

 

[sunshine19]

I've just recently had the same problem. New batch of hay, looked lovely, sweet smelling and not dusty. My lot wouldn't touch it, they went as far as peeing and pooing on it!
I introduced it gradually, I even went as far as soaking/wetting it, nope they were not having anything to do with it. We ended up returning it to the farmer. My boys are out 24/7, I am now giving them 4 small feeds of Happy Hoof and they are all delighted with life. Little monsters!

 

[Supertrooper]

We're going to start mixing it with the old, see if that helps!!

 

[Supertrooper]

Also just checked with friend that sorted delivery out. The guys we got it from don't use sprays etc. Sounds like what others have experienced in that it's fine, nice smelling hay but they just don't like it! Will try mixing it etc

Thanks, you've put my mind at rest xx

 

[Marydoll]

One or two not touching it is fussy, the lot not wanting it, id think theres something wrong with it tbh

 

[Supertrooper]

Two out of the three are being fussy. The pony is eating it fine xx

 

[mymare]

Exactly the same thing happening with my two. The new bales have been put in front of the old, and I think the "new" stuff is 2010 cut. It's not dusty or mouldy and they have spent the last two days turning their noses up at it. Decided tonight, if they're hungry they'll eat it! And sure enough they were munching at it as I left!