Foal gone off feed

[Shadowboy]

I have a 7 month weanling colt. He was eating Spillars happy hoof molasses free and Dodson and horrell mare and foal concentrate. Only a small amount. Today though he came in, went to take a bite and instead stomped his hoof in the bowl and left it. Tried making up another batch and nothing… the others are happy to eat their feed so the feed isn’t off. Unusually too he pooped after - I don’t usually see him poo, he must usually poo after I leave in the evening. I can’t decide if he’s unwell or decided he doesn’t like the feed for some reason?

Is he eating forage ok?

Seems to be grazing and eating his hay OK. Just been in to check on him, he was fast asleep flat out in his stable. Pooed again when he got up when I saw him.

But he seems happy in himself, and alert when up

Newly weaned foals often develop ulcers. That's what it sounds like to me. You should get advice from your vet asap.

How long have you had him? Agree gastric ulcers is most likely your answer - a staggering amount of weanling foals have them, so one exhibiting symptoms is almost a sure bet, IMO.

I would clean and soak his feed bowl too, just in case - people are quick to check for mouldy feed, but often forget about the feed bowl, which may have been peed on by horse or rodent etc.

It’s probably ulcers though, sorry - talk to your vet, get him on grass as much as possible, and leave off the hard feed for now.

Sorry forgot to come back and update. OH tells me the feed was the same but from a fresh bag, so feed perhaps smelt different.

He may well have ulcers but has been eating back to normal since that night… fingers crossed he will be ok.

He had been with us a month prior to going off his food for context- I should have said.