Tempting a poor doer to eat

wellsat

wellsat

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Gerry moved onto his winter grazing a week ago and since then hasn't been bothered with eating his feed. I'm glad that he's coming in nice and full from the long grass but worry that a poor doer really should be having some feed at this time of year.

Any tips?
 
Mint is good for apetite. and easy to get hold of.

Some prefer honey.

Or molasses may tempt him?

Mint is very good for digestion and to increase his apetite though so i would try that first if youu can.

My fussy eater also liked lots of succulent things eg apples, carrots in hers.
 
What type is he and what are you feeding him at the moment?

I know very few who can't be tempted by a bit of D&H pasture mix, but it depends what you're doing with him and how he'd react to that sort of feed.

Just seen Emily's reply - this mix has mint and yes, honey tempts some....
I also knew one who ate well when apple juice was used to dampen his feed rather than water
 
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He's a 17.2hh Westphalian 8yo. Currently schooled or lunged every night during the week and taken for a good hack both days at the weekend.

He does get loads of apples in his feed but however small I chop them he seems good at picking them out and then leaving about half his feed.

He's currently on a scoop of Alfa A Oil, half a scoop calm and condition, a good glug of oil, pink powder and apples. Too expensive to be wasting it every night!!!
 
wellsat said:
He's a 17.2hh Westphalian 8yo. Currently schooled or lunged every night during the week and taken for a good hack both days at the weekend.

He does get loads of apples in his feed but however small I chop them he seems good at picking them out and then leaving about half his feed.

He's currently on a scoop of Alfa A Oil, half a scoop calm and condition, a good glug of oil, pink powder and apples. Too expensive to be wasting it every night!!!
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It must be a Westfalian thing, until we moved Pablo from Germany to UK he was very picky about his food. A lot of his problems were he doesn't like a too busy yard/environment. Try some speedi beet or similar, Pablo cannot resist that!
 
Drop the oil, it can some times be a little unpalatable. I know that Alfa Pellets can sometimes be a little bitter not sure if this stands true for straight alfa a? Could you just not try to give him straight Calm and Condition. Squash apple or blackcurrent can make the feed smell a little different and just get his interest in it a little more. Try not to over face him with too big a feed could you try splitting his feeds up a little more, try giving him 3 smaller feeds a day.
 
wellsat said:
He's currently on a scoop of Alfa A Oil, half a scoop calm and condition, a good glug of oil, pink powder and apples. Too expensive to be wasting it every night!!!
Click to expand...

I have heard that the alpha a oil is not very popular. Know quite a few horses who dont really like it. Maybe try alpha a original seeing as your adding oil to his feed aswell?
 
Thanks, all interesting thoughts.

TBH if I was a horse I wouldn't eat Alfa A. Looks really unpleasant. If it wasn't for the calories I'd feed him Happy Hoof, never known a horse not eat that.
 
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