Wits end with anorexic horse, ideas please.

[Annagain]

Saracen Re Leve is the only thing mine will eat when the grass is tasty. Even though I think it smells of sick

It has added blackcurrant flavour (I presume to encourage them to eat it as it's sugar free) so maybe Ribena would be worth a try rather than buying a bag of Re-Leve?

I had trouble getting antibiotics down mine last summer. Baby food worked fairly well (for a few days at least!) Pear was the most successful but banana and apple were also acceptable to him. Everything we tried would work for a few days then he'd get wise to it. In the end, the smallest amount possible of Re-leve smothered in molasses was the only way - he wouldn't eat anything vaguely damp he'd got so suspicious of it! I'm guessing you'd rather avoid sugar but maybe it's the lesser of two evils at the moment?

 

[ycbm]

I forgot these:

Alfalfa nuts - he thinks it's evil
Grass nuts - just as evil
Timothy chop - meh.
Straw and alfalfa chop - if you must.
Molasses - pah!



Thanks for all the suggestions. Has anyone got any copra they could let me buy a kilo of? Buxton/Macclesfield way to save postage, or meet at Chatsworth Saturday?

I can't syringe the alcar, he will get wise to that in a couple of days and I'll never be able to worm him again. He's not interested in any kind of titbits. The others always end up with his share.

I can, if necessary, stick the vitamin e to his lips/teeth/gums and that will be my last resort if he hasn't eaten by the time I go to bed.

I'll probably try what I did with my mini when she wouldn't eat bute, and mix both the alcar and the vitE in Golden syrup and stick it to his mouth. Now I'm annoyed that I didn't by Golden syrup when I was out earlier : (

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Melted carob/horse chocolate?

 

[ycbm]

I don't know if this applies to horses but I had a Burmese Cat almost die, when he suddenly became anorexic. The cause was Potassium Deficiency which is not unknown in Burmese cats. Has your vet done a blood test?

Low potassium is fairly unlikely in a horse on spring grass, but it's a good thought.


He's out 15 ish hours a day on a big area of mixed grazing and he's a perfect three condition score. He would eat haylage if in during the day, just not a bucket feed of the same stuff he eats happily, if slowly, all winter.

He is driving. . me. . mad.

 

[Morgan123]

Where are you based? I have some copra you can try.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I feed my PSSM horse Copra, a tiny bit of speedibeet, Alpha A oil and linseed along with his Alcar, salt, Calmer/MgO and Vit E Oil and he gobbles the whole thing up. He is a fussy sod as well. But Copra he loves. Mix the sups in just before feeding.

 

[ycbm]

Between Macclesfield and Buxton and I'm going over to Chatsworth via Bakewell on Saturday. I'd be very grateful if I could buy a kilo or two.

 

[Wagtail]

Oh heck what a worry! I was going to suggest spearmint but then realised you'd tried it. One thing that I have found absolutely every horse I have tried it with loves is Alpha beet. They go mad for it. However, I stopped feeding it due to the mess and the fact that they all had sloppy green mouths. But worth a try if nothing else works. Good luck ycbm. They can be infuriating sometimes!

 

[ester]

agrobs is a million times better than any other grassy chaff for Frank but that doesn't seem to be a ubiquitous reaction, he goes nuts for pure feeds too (used to steal some of mates when I needed to get stuff down him). Copra seems to be good or bad depending on the horse, I've not tried it as he doesn't need it. Fingers crossed for you!

I know you said he doesn't do titbits is that everything? My last resort is to make a pear mash/sauce!

 

[palo1]

Two of ours are like this and my horse is also v intolerant to all cereals, Alfa and beet...Yours doesn't do grass nuts or Alfa which is a shame but you might try syringing alcar followed by a really good treat so that he doesn't become awkward (well, more awkward!! ) That worked for an elderly cushings pony we had who refused any and all supps or meds voluntarily. I was business like about it and she dealt with it well though I had to make a big fuss and make it a delish treat! (Satsumas, dates,malt loaf..)I know it's probably against the rules but...for our mare, we hide her vile zinc and copper in cool mix. Just a bit. We tried in desperation thinking that a very small amount of cool mix with minerals was better than no mineral supplement. We also add a little herbal chaff. Gets the job done. My gelding gets something a little different every day out of the v limited things he is prepared to even sniff. He doesn't get the full supplement dose and frequently leaves some in the summer but often he eats enough to keep me from being too ticked off to keep him!! Good luck.

 

[scats]

I feel your pain, I have a fussy mare who needs supplements. She is about to go on metformin also, and I can already envisage the battle I'm going to have getting it in her.

I have fast fibre and Saracen shape-up Balancer if you would like me to send you some over to try? The Saracen has cinnamon and most seem to like it.

 

[Merrymoles]

I can get anything down mind with Fibre Nugget porridge - ideally quite wet so he can make a real mess when he dribbles down my arm afterwards. I know you said he thinks grass pellets are pants but it might be worth trying different types.

Mine is currently not eating his tiny handful of chaff (which he has to get his salt down him) - he will eat a bare lipful and then graze beside the bucket in preference. But he needed bute this morning and guzzled it down in maybe quarter of scoop of soaked nuggets.

 

[foxy1]

My fussy horse won't touch anything agrobs (amongst many other feeds!) but loves Saracen re leve. I soak a handful of Spiller's hi fibre nuts, mix the vit e and Alcar in, then add the re leve. Works a treat

 

[ozpoz]

Not the cheapest option but the turning point for my fussy one was Agrobs Musli

This. It smells delicious and mine gallop to the fence at teatime when I feed this. They really love it.

 

[ycbm]

Re-leve and Copra both ordered. Agrobs next if neither of those do the trick.

Bottle of wine to everyone who has suggested something he will actually eat!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Another vote for Baileys Fibre Plus Nuggets. Got some in for the diva Cushing's mare recently after a recommendation on here, after she became depressed and inappetent again after her meds were increased.

 

[ester]

Re-leve and Copra both ordered. Agrobs next if neither of those do the trick.

Bottle of wine to everyone who has suggested something he will actually eat!

If you go the agrobs route I would prob opt for the museli, F gets the aspero as I told him he wasn't old enough to need flowers! Good luck!

 

[criso]

If you go the agrobs route I would prob opt for the museli, F gets the aspero as I told him he wasn't old enough to need flowers! Good luck!

Agreed. I got samples before I bought, Tigger was a bit meh about the Wiesencobs, loved the musli but decided he'd as soon eat the plastic bag it came in as eat the Aspero.

 

[Cobbytype]

I read years ago that marzipan is irresistible... I'm not even sure if horses should have food containing almonds, so maybe someone else can advise on that point. Maybe a ball of marzipan with the meds squished in it?

 

[ycbm]

I read years ago that marzipan is irresistible... I'm not even sure if horses should have food containing almonds, so maybe someone else can advise on that point. Maybe a ball of marzipan with the meds squished in it?

He might find it irresistible, I hate it

 

[Tyssandi]

Mine are big big fans of soaked grass nuts, they are a great carrier for all sorts and quite strongly scented. Does he like grazing when he's out?

And Saracen Re Leve is weird but apparenlty nice smelling and appears tasty enough to even get Millie the highly suspicious fuss pot to eat bute... also got Kira onto the lorry when she was in her absolute refusal to load period.

if you're prepared to go for the commercial feeds option I bet most manufacturers would send out samples for you to try... if he is one that likes novelty then having lots of different ones to try could be a way forward.... :wink3:

Ditto grass Nuts
soaked hay brick
ready grass

Make the meal more tempting: a splash of molasses, a scoop of soaked sugar beet or mixing in apples and carrots are all things that can help to make the meal more tempting. You could also offer less food per meal and feed more meals per day.
• Increase your turnout time. It’ll help your horse to relax and he’ll be able to pick at grass when he’s turned out.
• Vary the food that you offer. Your horse will increase the amount of time he spends eating if different forages are offered in different locations around the stable.
• Find something they do like: changing to a low-energy, high fibre cube has been shown to work.
• Add gorse to your feed bucket. An old wives tale that does actually appear to work! Adding a stick of gorse to your feed has been shown to improve appetite… weird!..
• Vitamin B is commonly used as a ‘pick me up’ or can perk up an appetite. Feed your horse a B-Vitamin supplement! It may help with your fussy eater!
Added vitamins: Vitamin B12 injections are often used as a pick me up, and to perk up a jaded appetite. B-vitamins are produced by the hindgut so if there is anything amiss with its function, a course of B vitamins may help.
https://www.millbryhill.co.uk/blog/2015/05/horse-care-feeding-fussy-eaters/

 

[ycbm]

I was going to thank you for all that typing, even though most of it has either already been tried or doesn't apply, as I've explained in the rest of the thread. You really did ought to acknowledge sources like this Tyssandi.

http://www.equestrian.com/equestrianbuzz/tips-advice/feeding-fussy-horse

He doesn't have a jaded appetite, he just doesn't want any hard food.

 

[Doormouse]

Copra has sorted all my fussy feeders except my old Cushing pony who is a nightmare to feed and refuses anything sloppy even though he has no teeth!

Baileys Ease and Excel he adores and will eat that with anything in it!

 

[Cobbytype]

He might find it irresistible, I hate it

I hate it too, but if it works it'll be a cheap way of getting the meds down him. Not sure if you're feeding the Vit. E in free flowing oil form (I guess you probably are because it's the cheapest way), but maybe natural tocopherol capsules would be easier to disguise in his food - they'd squish very nicely into the middle of a little ball of marzipan?

 

[Ladyinred]

Honey? as opposed to molasses.
And try grated apple and carrot added to feed so he doesn't scoff the bits and leave the rest.
The marzipan sounds like a good idea.. grit your teeth and remind yourself you're doing it for him
Mix Fast Fibre or similar with warm water, the smell changes completely and ours go crazy for it.

 

[GirlFriday]

Is he getting grass, and what's his condition score? Does he need feed as a supplement carrier only, or to keep his condition. What does your vet say, is there something metabolic or with his GIT going on?

This.

I mean assuming condition score 3/10 as OP said...

Horse telling you to save some money on supplements?

 

[ester]

Err the horse has issues that means it needs to have oil/alcar.... the horse does not know what is best for it!

Why would you assume condition score 3/10? that wouldn't be a 'perfect 3' a perfect 3 would be on the scale of 5. I'm not aware of an out of 10 scale either, the Henneke system is out of 9...

 

[wench]

Will he eat cheap molassed mix? Dodson and horrell equine sensitive is good as well

 

[ycbm]

This.

I mean assuming condition score 3/10 as OP said...

Horse telling you to save some money on supplements?

He's two and a half or three out of five, the standard way of scoring by my physio, not ten.

Horse will die without supplements. He is unable to carry his own body through muscle weakness.

 

[Boulty]

Agrobs mash (soak in warm water, smells v nice) muesli, chaff or grass cobs (all of which they'll send samples of if you ask them), Copra (it's a love it or hate it but can be soaked warm or cold or sprinkled on stuff dry), alfalfa or grass pellets (soaked or dry but if dry beware of feeding on their own in large amounts due to choke risk). When I've been desperate I have been known to pick handfuls of fresh grass and add it to feed (success varied I'm afraid!).

As an aside although expensive if done long term you can get Vit E oil as a liquid from Holland and Barrett which could then be syringed in (I reccomend the 15ml rabbit recovery syringes from supreme science as being a nice size for such tasks... they're what I use for my dissolved Prasend tablets!) I used this when I was having issues getting hold of the powder for some reason and palatability seemed to be ok. May be a short term way to get that in at least?

Re the Alcar will that dissolve in a little hot water and apple juice to be syringed in or not really?

Mine can be an absolute arse about eating things when the grass flushes. (I tried every trick that people far better qualified than myself suggested including all that you've described) The only thing that worked for him last year was putting him on box rest so he had no access to grass (He was on the verge of laminitis hence the boxrest, the starting eating again was a nice side effect!) and then when he DID go back out he wore his muzzle!