Horse refuses to eat hay

WesternRider88 · 03-05-2013, 11:00 PM

Interested to see why she doesn't want her hay. The only thing my horses would refuse to eat is their psyllium, because it get really sticky in their mouth but if I mix a handful or two of oats in it they eat it just fine.

Horselady7777 · 03-05-2013, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaG

Yes, but what is in senior feed, exactly? Is it corn, oats, etc.?

Its tripple crown senior feed

Horselady7777 · 03-05-2013, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WesternRider88

Interested to see why she doesn't want her hay. The only thing my horses would refuse to eat is their psyllium, because it get really sticky in their mouth but if I mix a handful or two of oats in it they eat it just fine.

ya I thought she was spoiled, because if I don't give her grain she eats her hay. Idk why she stopped eating hay when I started feeding grain.

WesternRider88 · 03-05-2013, 11:04 PM

Yeah, it is possible that her tooth is hurting or something, but I have no idea what else it would be from. I hope you find out tomorrow! :)

Horselady7777 · 03-05-2013, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WesternRider88

Yeah, it is possible that her tooth is hurting or something, but I have no idea what else it would be from.

When the vet did a check up a few weeks ago he checked her mouth, ill have her mouth checked again but I don't think that's the problem.

She spends most of her day grazing on the acre, but there isnt much there she ate it down to nothing so I don't think she is getting enough food, although the grass is growing pretty fast this time of year.

WesternRider88 · 03-05-2013, 11:12 PM

Hmm, one time we got some bermuda grass and my mule didn't eat it at all it but then we got different bermuda and he loved it. But I read that you already tried a different hay so I'm really curious to see if she's just spoiled or is it something else. :)

hemms · 03-05-2013, 11:12 PM

Any idea how much weight she's lost, and in what timeframe? I'd be photo documenting at this point.
Posted via Mobile Device

LisaG · 03-05-2013, 11:17 PM

So, Triple Crown's website says their senior feed can be fed as the sole ration. It's not actually a grain, but contains alfalfa, beet pulp (which is a good ration), etc... So it's possible that she just finds the senior feed more palatable.

However, if you have to rely only on the senior feed, she'll need more than what you're feeding her. And it would have to be fed in several small meals throughout the day.

Anyway, you'll probably still want to talk to a vet and try to get her going on hay again.

Horselady7777 · 03-05-2013, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemms

Any idea how much weight she's lost, and in what timeframe? I'd be photo documenting at this point.
Posted via Mobile Device

Ill have go borrow a camra, I have a weight tape, when I weighed her last summer she was FAT and was 1270 acording to what I wrote down, when I weighed her last week she was 1089. She is about a 4 on body scale. You can slightly see ribs, sort of like a thoroubred in training when you can see a bit of ribs.

Left Hand Percherons · 03-06-2013, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horselady7777

Ok thanks! I usually wait til she is out in the pasture an put her grain down but today I went to water her, I was about 4 feet behind her and she started backing up and shoved me into the corner and started attempting to kick me. This is the first time she has gotten like that AFTER she gets the grain.

Even if I refuse to give her food she starts pawing and shoving the door with her nose and once when she tried to attack me I smacked her and she reared up and hit her head on the roof and that scared me really bad.

So you're saying her behavior is escalating? There's nothing physically wrong with her. She has been slowly ramping up this behavior and you haven't noticed it. Horses will take an inch, take an inch, take an inch... and when you don't correct the behavior all of a sudden they attack and it appears out of the blue when in fact it was far from that. You need to get aggressive with this behavior before she puts you in the hospital or send her packing.

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