UPDATE: horse that would only eat grass *pics*

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catherine22

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I tried today some of my other horse's baileys number 4 soaked and she actually ate it with some carrots and parsnips mixed in. Altho when I tried to add some sugar beet she wouldnt. SO for the moment am giving her as much number 4 as she will eat!!

Have taken some pics today so you can see what shes like atm and will take some weekly probably too see the difference (if she keeps eating)
Hopefully the links will work first one is her side on
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/CatherineFaulkner/Image143.jpg

Then a close up of http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/CatherineFaulkner/Image141.jpg"

Then her from the back
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/CatherineFaulkner/Image140.jpg

What do you all think?
 
Awe poor thing. Don't you just want to cuddle her. Hope she keeps eating it. When I used it I mixed a bag of mixed flake with a bag of Bailey's number 4. Saw a big difference in 2 weeks and he had only just started to look a bit tucked and lost a little weight. So give it time have you ever tried mixed flake? Mine wouldn't eat sugar beet and I don't like to use it anyway but when I bought him the girl I bought him off used it so I reduced it gradually. I never had a problem again with his weight even through winter he stayed the same. But I think a lot depends on the breed and the work etc.

Keep us posted
 
she used to (unil 2 weeks ago) be fed 16+ sugar beet and molichaff then suddenly stopped eating it!!

What exactly is mixed flake is it a mixture of flaked barley/maize type thing? Any thing is worth a try, shes 27/28 and isnt worked now and shes TB x NF
 
THe oldies at my yard (33 and 37) basically get soaked fibre nuts, soaked flakes maize, with various feeds mixed in along side carrots/parsnips that have gone through a food processor
 
thanks for your support everyone. Theres nothing wrong with her teeth which is good (vet checked them last week) she munches carrots and parsnips easily (wont eat anyother fruit/veg tho!!)
Just need to get calories into her, she is having propell plus syringed into her everyday and veg oil for calories so hopefully there will be improvement soon
 
Hi Catherine,

What has the vet said? Are her teeth ok?
Have you tried garlic or mint? Does she like non horsey sweet things? Just trying to think of thing to put in her feed to encourage her to eat.

Hope she keeps eating her number 4.
 
My elderly mare was immensely fussy with her food, and I am not being facetious by saying I believe she had issues with food. However what she did love was Burgess Supa Barley Rings (I think they have been bought out by another company now) just softened slightly with warm water and a load of carrots. Perhaps you could persuade some feed companies to send you their little sample bags so you could try loads of different things without buying a whole bag.

Good Luck, I'm sure she is grateful for you trying!

Jo x
 
hiya,
Her teeth are fine. Vets arnt sure why shes not eating she has slight liver/gut damage which is prob just due to her age but they dont know why shes suddenly stopped. Have bought her some black treacle today as she always liked that so hopefully she'll eat that mixed in with feed as well. Shes not parlicularly keen on garlic, likes mint tho so could try that. Was going to try apple juice as well but as shes not liking apples i dont know if she'd eat food covered in juice?!!

Horses eh..!!
 
Just a quick thought, you say she is eating veg oil, but my vet told me corn oil has the highest calorific value.

Also simple systems have a powdered linseed oil feed to put weifght on. You might be able to pop that in as some extra calories.


Jo x
 
she never has been fussy at all until now she wont eat anything!!!
Good idea about feed sample bags will give that a try, dont mind buying most stuff as my other horse will eat anything!!! so it wont get wasted but as hes just coming back to work he cant have anything too high energy!!lol!!

Will give barley rings a try had some D&H ones before for another horse so thats worth a shot!
 
cool, thanks will change to syringing (rather than eating!!) corn oil then.

She did also eat some linseed cake today so am going to try adding that to the soaked number 4 tomorrow just for the calories!!!
 
Try feeding her small samples of each concoction and let her choose which she likes best? I fed our mare 'buffet style' and let her pick which she preferred. You might waste a lot by adding something which puts her off everything else.
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What about some NAF Pink Powder. Helps Oldies digest their food better and therefore get more goodness out of what they eat??!!

It costs about £12.95 for a months supply.

Sweetcorn also helps to put weight on if you can get it, normally dried!! Or the whole stalk!!!!

Good luck,hope she does well and keeps eating.
 
This might sound silly (ignore me if you think it is) but, you haven't changed her bucket to a different one?
Does it get washed right out after every feed? Some horses don't like stale food smells?

I heard of a colt who nearly "starved" to death (literally) and was saved as the owner suddenly twigged they'd changed their water trough from metal to plastic and it had tainted the water & colt was dying of thirst. Just a thought.
 
Can't remember if I said but D&H Yea Sac aids hind gut digestion (invaluable where there's liver damage) and is also an appetite stimulant. Also, I've seen a brilliant turn around when my pa's TB wouldn't eat his new feed and was losing weight like fun. She poured apple juice over every meal and now he sucks the bowl dry every time! Another trick is foal milk feeds or ordinary baby milk powder in the feed. x
 
Im sure you've tried everything, but how about something as silly as the consistency? One of mine refuses to eat his feed if its too wet for example! Whereas another doesnt like his too dry. Sounds odd I know.

The only 2 feeds I can think of which smell SO nice when soaked in warm water is Rowen & Barbury Mash - Id happily eat it on a cold winter morning! Or Ive hear that coconut stuff... whats it called.... its like dried coconut which you soak.
 
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