Weight gain

[magic104]

Suggestions (though after the dentist visit maybe ok) for feeding up a horse who is not really eating. She is a 16hh 12yo TB whol arrived week yesterday. She is in a paddock with a good covering of grass & is fed adlib haylage. She is eating the haylage but just does not seem interested in her hard feed. I was feeding her 3 small feeds a day, but that is now down to 2 as she was leaving or not touching the food. She is on Alfa A orginal, speedibeat, BSFS, D&H Conditioning nuts & 1/2 cup of corn oil. The dentist is due Thurs, & she has been wormed.

I am hoping it is a problem with her teeth & the dentist can sort it out because in all my years I have never come across a horse who would turn up its nose at food!

 

[vicksey]

Maybe try alfabeet instead of speedi beet???? Worked for my horse x

 

[AmyMay]

Alfa A Oil and D&H Build up cubes.

Magic (no pun intended

)

 

[helen75]

Try taking out some of the ingredients (ie one at a time) to see if she objects to any of them.

My boy loves his grub but can leave alfa A and a splash too much oil will put him off too.

Good luck

 

[magic104]

Thanks, it is a long frame to fill so cant afford for her not to eat. Started to walk her out in hand hoping a bit of gentle exercise might bring on a bit of an appertite.

 

[TGM]

I agree with removing the Alfa A Oil and the corn oil to start with, and perhaps the BSFS as well to see whether she dislikes those. Alfalfa can be a little bitter and some fussy easters dislike it for that reason, plus chaff can make the ration take longer to eat and some fussy eaters give up because it is too much hassle! Likewise a lot of horses do not like a lot of straight oil in their feed and this may be putting her off.

If she will eat the conditioning nuts and speedibeet on their own, then you can try reintroducing the BSFS. When you start to reintroduce the oil, try putting it in the soaking water with the beet as this distributes it more thoroughly and is less off-putting for the horse.

 

[rupertsmum]

I have an ex racehorse who would not put on weight. I switched him to top spec feed balancer -expensive but you only need a bit - hi fi and calm and condition. it has worked now for 18 months and i have to reduce his feed when he is confined to the stable due to snow! He also has haylage-not hay. He is very calm and well mannered on this diet too!

 

[sam4321]

i would take out the oil as mine really turn their nose up at their food if i put lots of oil in,

and maybe change from nuts to mix?.

with our tb's we found that they needed a whole bale of hay per day each to look in good condition over the winter (with no grass at all)