not eating up! Help!

JenHunt

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bit of background - Tom is 16hh, 18yo, hunting short days once or twice a week, hacking out once or twice a week. out 20/7 most of the time, only coming in overnight before hunting and if the weather is foul. Been doing this 'routine' for 4 years. He was eating up, until last weekend, and just started leaving more of his tea each time. Last night he left half of it - he picks out the carrots, and the meadowherb mix...
I always clean his trough out, and don't leave the left overs in it.

Feed - speedibeet, micronised linseed meal, spillers conditioning chaff, and a handful of meadowherb mix. 2 measures of boswellia and some carrots. It's not a big "meal" it amounts to 2 stubbs scoops full, and he's got plenty of time to eat it as he's fed at 6 and turned out again at 10.

The meadowherb mix was added only to encourage him to eat up, as he has been known in the past to reject sugarbeet once the grass starts growing in spring, and it's usually enough to get him to eat up.
I usually use alfa A oil, but the supplier hasn't had any the last twice I've been in, so I've gone for the spiller conditioning chaff. Can't say I like it, but they have both been happily eating it (up til the weekend, when Tom, but not Ron has gone off it).
I use speedibeet as Ron is sugar sensitive and I'm not buying 2 bags...

His teeth were done 5 weeks ago, and dentist said there was a tiny bit on one side but nothing major. He looks, and feels well, he's bright eyed, his temperature is fine, he's drinking normally, and his stable is its usual pigstye after half an hour of being it (no runs, and no constipation). His coat is amazingly shiny!

my only thought is that there's still plenty of grass in the field and he's not hungry? any other ideas?
 
try splitting it into two feeds and giving him one when he comes in and one before he goes out? Try reducing the quantity of speedibeet a bit if he is filling up on grass?
 
I'm in a similar boat myself and everyone has suggested mixing in some dried mint which I'm waiting to be delivered, whilst waiting for this to come I bought some fresh mint and mixed that in which encouraged him to eat more.
 
I am finding that my greedy mare is leaving a lot of hay and not showing as much interest as normal. Although there isn't much grass, I think that the weather is making a difference because it's really quite mild still.

Perhaps just reduce the amount down or cut out certain parts of feed?
 
thanks guys, all good suggestions!

I reduced his speedibeet right down to just a handful, and soaked some fibreplus nuggets in it as they're really herby smelling, and that seemed to do the trick. then last night he ate it all in about 5 seconds flat, so I'll increase back to where we were very gradually now the weather's changed again! :)
 
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