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  Discussion on Getting them to eat
Author Message
New Member:
eclaire

Posted on Saturday, Dec 25, 2010 - 2:48 am:

hi, I have two old ponies who are both cushiongoid and on 1mg pergolide daily. One is 30 and the other is probably about the same from her dentals. I have owned one all her life and the other for 4months since she was diagnosed.
Both were easy keepers when younger but now I am having trouble keeping weight on them. Posh particularly is very picky and will eat a feed for a couple of days then turn her nose up. Currently they are on unmolassed beet, soaked conditioning nuts, half a cup of sunflower oil,barley rings, alfalfa chop all mixed into a mash as they have very little in the way of teeth.
Both are rugged and it is colder here at present than it has been in recent years - we have had temperatures below freezing for the last 3 weeks.
BB is often wet along her belly in the mornings but this happens if she is rugged or not, I have tried several weights of rugs or no rug but I think it is where she lies down in the stable. If I give them bigger feeds they just leave them, particularly breakfast when they want to go out.
I am interested in any suggestions as to how to get them to eat.
thanks
claire:-}
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Dec 25, 2010 - 10:36 am:

Welcome Claire,
Are the remaining teeth causing pressure on the opposing gums when they chew? If so making sure they are ground flatter may help. Since the eagerness to go out interferes with eating perhaps setting food out in the pasture might help. Lastly try finding a flavor they like. Apple cider vinegar was found in one survey to be a favorite horse flavoring.
DrO
New Member:
eclaire

Posted on Saturday, Dec 25, 2010 - 11:42 am:

hi, thanks, her teeth are checked every 6 months and there are no problems apart from the fact they are worn out and dont meet so she cant grind food.
She cant eat in the field as the others would take it off her. we did try grazing her on her own but she hated it even though she was only over the fence!! tonight we have fetched in and she ignored her bucket and went straight to the hay.
will try the cider vinegar - thanks for that tip!
claire:-}
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Dec 25, 2010 - 2:03 pm:

Merry Christmas Claire. I have found that the older horses get very finicky at times. What has worked best for me is small, frequent feedings instead of two main meals. I've also left a variety of hay for them to nibble, though figured their mash as their main feed source. Some days one of my old girls would prefer alfalfa stems (not the leaves) other days the leaves not the stems; some days she would only eat grass hay and not even her mash. The mash I feed is soaked beet pulp, bran, and senior pellets plus corn oil. Our vet gave one old girl Vit. B shots, which did increase her appetite. After that I kept her on a vit. supplement with high vit. B in it. I do think that helped her some and might be worth a try. Like some old people, I sometimes think some old horses kind of loose their taste buds and just don't have big appetites any more.
New Member:
eclaire

Posted on Saturday, Dec 25, 2010 - 2:45 pm:

hello Sarah, its good to know I am not alone!! I work full time so they only get breakfast and tea. She is the same - one day its the best thing and the next day she turns her pretty little nose up!!
Just reading about the apple cider vingar that might increase appetite so i will see if she will eat it .....might work for a few days!!
cheers
claire:-}
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