Posted 2008-12-01 11:47 AM (#95540) Subject: horse not eating
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Have a 5yo ssh mare that I raised and was always a slow picky eater. I fed 10% sweet feed with never a problem. If you added anything to her food she wouldn't eat it. I sold her and the girl thast bought her said that she won't eat anything but pasture and hay that she leaves her food.She took her to the vet, vet said she was healthy, teeth were good,She has loss about 100lbs. Vet told her to try some different feed to get the weight back on, but the mare turns her nose up to it or just picks. Anyone have any suggestions? I told her to try giving her oats and see if she will eat them. This mare always had swollen mammory(sp) glands. Think maybe her hormones are off and that does it? I asked the vet about her always swollen and she said it was ok not to worry. When i owned her i never had any weight issues with her. She has been with the new owner for a year now. I know that she is doing the best she can for her...I'm at a loss here....
Posted 2008-12-01 4:03 PM (#95550 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Member
Posts: 38 Location: Teutopolis, IL
I would get a second opinion from a vet is possible. There has to be a reason why her glands are swollen and she's losing weight. What about a stool sample or a throat culture? Just a thought...
Posted 2008-12-01 11:37 PM (#95575 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
Several riders at the endurance rides I go to add pro-biotics to their horses feed regimen. I think you can give it in paste form. It is supposed to do wonders for their gut. My ride partners horse gets a nervous stomach with all the traveling we do, and he is eating better than he ever has now that she's added pro-bio. I am not sure it'd help your old horse but it might be worth a try.
Posted 2008-12-02 5:30 AM (#95578 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Thanks for the ideas. This mare has always had big mammary glands and she has always been a picky eater. When she goes into season she is the nastiest mare i have ever seen. With my pal mare you hardly know it. I do know that part of the weight issue is that the girl that bought her boarded her at a freinds place and she would trough feed them, in which I know this mare didn't get her full ration. But for her to turn her feed down totally isn't right. She just recently moved her, So maybe she is fretting over that, But she has always been laid back and nothing excites her. I haven't seen her so i'm only going by what the girl told me. She did say that she will eat hay cubes but has choked on them. I told her to soak them before you feed it. This mare also has seasonal allergies and gets off her feed. I will pass on your suggestions..Thanks!!!
Posted 2008-12-04 7:26 PM (#95745 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
Aside from the moing, has she changed anything? Like feed buckets or type of feed? I've got an old mare that is extremely picky and would not eat out of anything but her old falling apart feed pan and only if it was where she thought it should be. If I am late, or early, feeding sometimes she will not eat. She likes her routine and if it is thrown off thats it. If we go on an overnight ride I can expect her to not eat until we get back home.
She's bee with us for almost 7yrs now and in the last year or so she has gotten better about it.
This old mare likes her hay cubes, but I soak them..... I had 3 horses colic this spring. One ended up in sugury and she said that she thinks a part of the problem was that the hay was extremely dry. It sucked all the moisture out of the gut. I switched to the hay cubes this summer and now they all get soaked hay cubes.... Never hurts to have that bit of extra water.
Posted 2008-12-04 10:40 PM (#95765 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544 Location: Claxton, Ga.
If you can get Seminole feed in your area get a bag of Calm and Cool. It is a low starch feed with alot of herbs in it. It smells great, I have even tasted it LOL. If she won't eat that then something is wrong.
Posted 2008-12-04 11:40 PM (#95768 - in reply to #95765) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
My old mare didn't like the Calm and Cool but she loves the Triple Crown Sr feed. Which really suprised me because it's full of beet pulp and she wouldn't touch beet pulp when I tried her on it.
Posted 2008-12-06 9:13 AM (#95837 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Veteran
Posts: 247 Location: NW
I would see if you can get some Fastrack Microbial to get her on .... would be great for her system, & will also help get their appetites back. My choice would be to give her some of their gel to start - for that added boost - then follow thru w/a bag or bucket of the Fastrack powder. That stuff can do wonders.
Posted 2008-12-30 5:11 PM (#96708 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Veteran
Posts: 105 Location: parker, co.
It could be a number of things but a good Probiotic can only help, especially if she has been on antibiotics for anything. I give mine Dyna Pro after worming, antibiotics or if they are even a little "off". If she is stressing from the move Rescue Remedy, which is a Bach Flower Essence, could help with the transition. i would also get a second opinion, anything swollen is not normal.
Posted 2009-01-02 4:27 PM (#96826 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Well sorry I haven't posted any more on this mare because I found out that she was being fed trough style and she isn't agressive and eats slow so she was getting cheated. So her owner took her to another farm and said that she is back up to her normal weight and well. I never had a problem with her from birth till I sold her at 4. So the rest of the story came out.
Posted 2009-01-02 8:38 PM (#96834 - in reply to #95540) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342 Location: MS
If she is that nasty in season, you may be dead on about hormones and maybe some kind of cyst or tumor. If she were mine, I would have her ultrasounded and a full blood workup. You can't tell just by looking, even if you are a vet.
Posted 2009-01-03 2:26 PM (#96858 - in reply to #96826) Subject: RE: horse not eating
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544 Location: Claxton, Ga.
Originally written by mingiz on 2009-01-02 8:27 PM
Well sorry I haven't posted any more on this mare because I found out that she was being fed trough style and she isn't agressive and eats slow so she was getting cheated. So her owner took her to another farm and said that she is back up to her normal weight and well. I never had a problem with her from birth till I sold her at 4. So the rest of the story came out.
It's funny how sometimes it is the simple stuff that will cause issues. Glad she is going better.
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