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Original poster

My old boy won't eat his feed. Any advice?

18 replies

Mia400000 · 22/12/2021 12:42

My 23 year old Irish cob has stopped eating his feeds. Which means he isn't having his nutrients plus it's a struggle to get him to take his medication for Cushings and his arthritis supplement (powder).

He was having Happy Hoof and nuts but he went off them. (This was before the medication and supplement).

I then tried Top Spec. Due to his Cushings and being prone to laminitis, they recommended Top Chop lite and anti lam balancer. He ate this for a few months and stopped again. I've tried mixing the feeds with apple juice but it makes no difference.

Can anyone recommend a really palatable feed for a good doer prone to laminitis. Or something low sugar that I could add to his feeds to encourage him to eat.

Thanks.

OP posts:
RatherBeRiding · 22/12/2021 15:44

Pink Mash? My oldie eats this but doesn't like any other kind of low-sugar wet feed that I can mix his supplements in. It's expensive but worth it because he likes it! He's not a good doer but he is lami-prone so I have to avoid cereals and anything high sugar.

BTW Top Chop Lite was one of the very, very few feeds my fat greedy mare turned her nose up at, so i don't think it's all that palatable!

HelenRose1111 · 22/12/2021 15:57

Cushcare (Dodson & Horrell)
D&H Healthy mash (small amounts as very tasty and tempting)

thelittlestrhino · 22/12/2021 16:18

Adding some fenugreek can help appetence - or spearmint. Otherwise it's just trial and error - can you ask around to see if anyone has anything you can try? Or most of the feed companies will send samples out, though if yours is like mine he'll eat something for a while then go off it (also as a result of prascend for PPID).

Just be careful not to have too high NSC - for example the D&H winter health mash is over 20%.

Alfabeet, cushcare and the simple systems forage replacers (couldn't eat long stem forage or chaff) in varying amounts kept my 30+ yo going strong.

thelittlestrhino · 22/12/2021 16:19

Though actually given that yours is laminitic prone, I probably wouldn't advice the cushcare either, as it is a conditioning feed first and foremost.

Woodmarsh · 22/12/2021 17:19

Peppermint? Has he had his teeth checked recently?

Cecillie · 22/12/2021 17:27

Has he recently started pergolide? That can make them go off their food

mayblossominapril · 22/12/2021 17:29

I would get his teeth checked first as they might need a bit of filing

Original poster
Mia400000 · 22/12/2021 22:52

He has his teeth done properly by the vet under sedation every 6 months so it's unlikely to be his teeth. His next check is January so I'll ask the vet then anyway.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mia400000 · 22/12/2021 22:53

He's on prascend for the Cushings. I think some of the issue is related to the prascend but it started before that so isn't the whole reason.

OP posts:
Mydogsnotfat · 23/12/2021 00:10

Saracens releve or maybe fast fibre

Bahhumbugtoyoutoo · 23/12/2021 00:14

Mine all like Fast Fibre , I usually mix a tiny bit of chaff through too but just a lami safe one

ChiefClerkDrumknott · 23/12/2021 00:20

My 21yo started to go off his feed (D&H light balancer and pink mash, with added Equine America Cortaflex) when I had to start adding bute. He’s gone off the senior D&H balancer before, not sure if they changed the base of it as it changed colour, so I swapped the balancer to the Spillers light balancer. He was better but still picking at it so I added powdered garlic and now he eats it no problem.

It’s a bit of trial and error sometimes to find what they like. Only problem with garlic is you can’t use it if they have sweet itch as it boosts their immune system so makes it worse

ChiefClerkDrumknott · 23/12/2021 00:25

He also has apple cider vinegar, as does my youngster, and they look amazing on it. That might also help mask the smell of supplements. My old boy has had a touch of laminitis in the past but he’s a good weight on a small amount of the balancer and pink mash, with the supplements

VeganVampire · 23/12/2021 00:26

Have you tried soaking his nuts? Either in warm water or I suppose you could use apple juice if you think it might help.

plominoagain · 25/12/2021 01:14

My 43 year old loves a bucket of fast fibre over and above everything else . Could you make up a small amount of that ? She has been laminitic for years and thrives on it

ThePlumVan · 25/12/2021 19:41

Can you give meds on a jam sandwich so you know he’s had it ?
Molasses are good for tempting fussy eaters.

Fredstheteds · 25/12/2021 19:45

Definitely try the mash- odd year we have so much grass here but I realise yours needs his meds

CountryCob · 27/12/2021 11:53

Simple solutions balancer plus is working well with me, my pony has issues with teeth and not enough left. Make sure the dentist is paying a lot of attention to the horse’s ageing mouth and not just doing the usual float as over floating the teeth can also make it worse, be loath to take teeth out but do where necessary. I have dentist recommendation if you wanted to pm

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