eating really really really slow and dropping weight

jazzyrider · 09-02-2008, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solon

hay can be different even from the same grower. We've got a couple of tons of just beautiful wonderful hay right now and the horses will NOT eat it.

I understood from the vet that you have to reach way into the horses mouth to feel the back areas an see if there are any sharp edges. Maybe a call out to the vet to double check that they didn't miss something?

I'd guess it had to do with the hay change. Try some different hay and see.

Also, could you be working her too much? Did you ease into the heavy work schedule? That might make a difference. Maybe she's too tired to eat?

yeah I eased her into the heavier schedule but even when I was riding her 5 days a week it wasnt usually for longer than 45 minutes unless we went on a trail ride.

Then over the last week and a half since I noticed her weight dropping a little she's been resting apart from about 3 days work but it was very light work. I go pretty easy on my horses really. Im not working towards showing greatness or anything so we just kinda cruise along. Im not going to show her anymore this year apart from an ODE at the end of november.

With her eating im pretty sure its down to the amount of water. Tonight I mixed her food how I was before and she was disinterested so I added more water and she hoed it down. I also sprayed her hay with molasses and she ate it. When we first got rhodes hay last year she didnt like it but I sprayed it with the molasses and she ate it so I tried that again. The other two like the hay it was just her :roll: she was and still is fine with her lucerne hay.

Ryle · 09-02-2008, 05:47 AM

Another thing to consider is the possibility of gastric ulcers. Since your horse is in work, it's a definite possibility. The most common owner complaint we saw at the equine hospital for horses coming in with ulcers was being slow or picky about eating feed.

Talk to your vet.

jazzyrider · 09-02-2008, 06:50 AM

I have spoken to him and reported my thoughts on the water being an issue. He didnt mention anything else and seemed the accept that to be fair enough. I guess if it were to happen again I might ask more questions but it seems to me that it is all isolated to feed with not enough water in it and new hay. All that makes sense too :)

NorthernMama · 09-02-2008, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzyrider

after all that, when I gave her her feed yesterday I wet it down a little more. Just to see if that could be it because I had cut back the amount of water I was adding. I also added a container of water to the yard she eats in. They are only ever in their seperate yards long enough to eat so I didnt think of it before but I remember when we were at the other place she would stop eating regularly to go and have a drink. Now with less water in her feed she might want to drink which distracts/slows down her eating. With the extra water she ate normally. I was making it like a just damp crumble but apparently she prefers a 'mash' :roll: once she finished her dinner she started on her hay after taking a long drink from her water :) she didnt finish it all but I think that was more because jarred and cougar had already left and were making their way back down the paddock and she hates it when he leaves without her. Sook! Lol

So for now I think she was just being little miss fussy pants :)

Well, hopefully it is just the missing water! Sounds like you got it figured out. Good for you.

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