Horse isn't a fan of rice bran...

Well I decided to put my mare on rice bran for the winter since she has had some weight troubles in the past and isn't being blanketed as she was for the past two years. I got Max-E-Glo rice bran...didn't realize they made a pelleted kind until I got home but anyway...I sprinkle it over her grain and now she won't finish it. I wet it today and she ate more of it - but took FOREVER doing so! I ended up leaving before she finished but she didn't have alot left. So...made progress but still, I don't think she's a huge fan. Is there anything I can do to make it taste better for her? Or should I just give up on that and look for something else?

I started putting molasses in the grain. It has made a huge difference in my mare finishing all her grain. Its great for my filly who is on antibiotics. Put that in her grain and she can't taste the meds. I only put about 1/3 c. In it. Not much.
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My mom and I thought of that...but whenever we put molasses on her feed (very rarely) she'll put her nose in her bucket and then realize there's molasses and fling her head...resulting in getting the molasses stuck on her nose and flinging it and a bunch of grain at me...I usually end up with molasses all over me LOL so I don't know if that would help or not, but I can try it. Thanks

Applesauce. Works great.

Oddly enough I had the same thing happen today. Solution, flax seed oil, makes it cling to the pelleted feed I feed (I feed Total Equine) and good for the skin as well.
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What I do is wet the grain down and mix the molasses in the grain and water. Will make a mash if you use to much water but I guarantee your horse will eat.
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It has only been two days, one of it being wet?

I say give it more time.

She did not turn her nose up at it, she just did not eat it quickly.


If you want to add something I would start simple. Carrot bits, apple bits, apple sauce, a peppermint stirred in, etc.

But I am guessing it is just a new texture to her and with a little time she will be slurping it up (and that is best noise ever, them slurping up a mash).

I love that slurpy noise. I swear our horses look forward to winter - we soak both the beet pulp an the alfalfa pellets in hot water. They get a warm breakfast and dinner that is fairly soupy. Got in the habit of doing that when we had one horse that had a bad time eating the soaked feed that had cooled off too much - it was like it hurt her teeth or something. In the summer, we soak the beet pulp in regular cold water. The hot summer temps warm it up a bit, but they have a fairly cool breakfast and dinner.

Just give your guy some time to get used to the rice bran. I've thought about adding it to our horses diets (we have some hard keepers that I would like to put some extra weight on before the really cold weather gets here). I never worry if they take a while eating - it's actually better for them IMHO...

I was going to suggest apple sauce or apple cider vinegar. Start with just 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar for 3-5 days. Once she's eating it well, you can increase it to 1/2 cup, or leave it at 1/4 cup. ACV will cover the taste of almost anything!

When you run out of rice bran, you might consider flax. I haven't had any horses turn their nose up at ground flax. Horsetech.com will send you free small samples to see if your horse likes it, and they can add a flavoring if she doesn't (their web site prices include shipping). I just get cheap no-name ground brown flax from my feed store, as all of my horses like it just fine.

I'll give it a few more days before adding anything and see how she does- thanks!

I don't necessarily worry about how long they take to eat, it's just I don't like to leave before they finish because we feed them at night and they won't be checked on again in the morning so if one was to ever choke...I think I'm too paranoid? LOL

I think I'll try to get a free sample of that and see how she likes it, thanks! I thought it was only for a shiney coat which is why I didn't get that to begin with I feel like I'm never going to run out of this rice bran at the rate we're going LOL and I don't know anyone else that feeds it so I'm stuck with it!