Refusing hard feed after travel

[rlhnlk]

Has anyone had any experience of horses going off their hard feed after travel? If my mare goes out in the box for any length of time she picks a little at her tea and then ignores it. She still eats hay, grass and treats, but tips the hard feed out of the bucket. She's normally a good eater, she loves her food and I'd really like her to eat it as her weights quite good at the moment. It's the same after a short run round the block as it is if we do a 90 minute trip to and from a venue. Any ideas welcome!

 

[utter-nutter]

Mines the same, I think its because he's just desperate to go out and see his field mate and roll, I have to feed him by his field gate, or turn him out and then bring him back in again 10min ish later to feed him

 

[NZJenny]

I prefer mine to have hay or grass after travelling, and preferably, a drink as well before a hard feed. Less chance of colic, so I would suggest that your horse is onto it.

 

[rlhnlk]

It's not just when she's just gotten home though, she can come back, go in the field a few hours, come in and eat hay then be given her tea and still turn her nose up at it hours after we've come home? She's always back to normal the next day though.

 

[utter-nutter]

Have you tried feeding in the field?

 

[rlhnlk]

I can't feed in the field as there's other horses out so there would be carnage. I might try her with mint in herd feed and see if that tempts her.

 

[WandaMare]

I had a mare who did this too. I put it down to stress, I think they know when their digestive system might struggle. I guess its a bit like us losing our appetite before an interview or something that makes us nervous, sometimes the thought of eating makes me feel sick when I'm nervous. Although she might seem to cope with travelling ok it's not surprising that it might make her tense, leaving friends, being on the lorry etc. I would just let her eat when she's ready, as long as she's eating her hay and the grass she has something moving through her system.