Why won't he eat all his food??

amiacat

amiacat

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Over the last week or so my TB has taken to leaving some of his feed, both breakfast and tea. Has anyone got any experience of this and why he might be doing it?

He's never done it before in the 2 years that I've had had him, I haven't changed any feed recently, his routine is the same, the only thing I suppose is that his workload has decreased since this awful weather. But then he's been on boxrest before in the past and not stopped chowing down! He's still eating haylage fine.

We are going to cut it into 3 feeds a day to see if that helps. Any other ideas please?! Thank you!
 
Hope its not a rude thing to ask but presume its not "off", reason I ask is that someone at our yard bought some HiFi chop and the bag must have been split. Horse wouldnt eat and it didnt smell as it should. Or maybe your horse has gone off it, maybe try an alternative.
 
Just posted something similar, probably a bit fed up of hard feed as he's still eating haylage. You can try a vitamin b supplement, I've used equine anerica. If he's not getting much grass, he won't be getting as much vit b, and this is what helps to stimulate their appetite.
 
My horse did this, I tried mint, you can buy it from tack shops its just in a powder formula not expensive I think around £4 - £5, smells really good which makes them eat it! Good luck x
 
I've had some 'off' Dodson and Horrell feeds recently.
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Could he possibly be not as hungry if his workload has decreased? Not sure, but if he's leaving about the same amount each time then could he just be full?
 
perhaps his long stem fibre (hay/haylage) is so nice he is full? is his weight and condition ok? is he fat and shiny? teeth? ? ? worming? etc blood counts?
 
My TB often leaves about a handful of feed in the morning and afternoon. The only thing I have come up with is that he knows when he has had enough, or that he is bored. I have changed his feed and nothing gets left. I just hope he does not lose any weight on it!!!!!!!!

Good luck, TB are fussy things
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my pony left a little bit of feed for about a week, when i went to check her in the morning she hadnt finished her tea, but had eaten all of her breakfast

so i scooped out her tea and fed it to her by hand, it wasnt much

if that doesnt work i normally add a bit more water and some more pony nuts; she normally eats the rest of it

maybe hes full?

or its off... how much does he leave?
 
Thank you for all your replies, cheers for the advice.

Luckily last night and this morning he ate every last morsal, phew! I think it was a case of him just not being hungry due to reduced workload. Last 2 days he's done a fair bit of work and could be why he's eating all his feed again.

He's on Pink Powder so getting the Vit B and all the other horses are eating their food so don't think the feed is off (YO buys all the feed so all eating from the same bag). And we have new haylage (which I think smells more yummy!) and with the turnout being reduced he probably has a stuffed belly full! Teeth checked not long ago and he's not quidding.

I'll be keeping a watch on him and may use some of your hints if he continues to leave some. Thanking you!
 
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