Pony nuts and strange behaviour re water

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Firstly, as some of you may already know madam needs Danilon to help keep her stiff hocks comfy. With the vets blessing I put a drop of molasses into her feed to disguise it. But, this only works up to a point and atm she seems to be getting "bored" with her feed and either leaving half or slopping it out onto the stable floor. She is a good doer so I daren't give her anything too calorific. She has a tiny amount of speedi beet - would pony nuts do any harm? Anyone know if they are fattening? I was just thinking of adding interest to her feed! In the hope it would make her gobble it all up. I reckon I am only getting half the Danilon down her - so rather a waste of money and of course not good for her comfort.

Secondly, this past two months or so each time I enter the stable with her saddle she stops eating and makes a bee line for the water! She slurps loads of it down and I have to stand and wait until she's finished before I pop her saddle on. Tis a new habit! She's never done it in 9 years until recently. Any thoughts?
 
No idea about the water, that is odd!

Have you looked at Simple Systems feeds? I got the Lucie Fibre Nuts for Rubic to help mix supplements into her feed. I add water to them to make a mash and mix the powders in or I can feed the nuts dry as clicker training treats. You don't have to feed a lot for the feed to look large which is nice for Rubic as she gets so little. It doesn't have molasses or any other additives in it. it is just alfalfa but has little starch and sugar content in comparison to a lot of feeds. I do know some horses don't get on with alfalfa though. The also sell herbal spearmint which is quite good for encouraging them to eat (if they like mints that is)? I have a massive bag of it that will last me ages, I just add about half a teaspoon full of it to Rubic's feed sometimes. I can send you some if you want to try it?
 
Don't know about pony nuts but you could try fast fibre if you haven't already,that seems to be good at masking taste. As for the drinking thing, maybe she's a clever cookie and thinks while she's drinking your not riding and it won't take her long to realise that all she's doing is prolonging the inevitable.
 
Thanks all for the suggestions - I will trundle down to the feed place over the weekend and have a look. Rubic; I have heard loads of good things about Simple Systems.
I think I will buy a bag of the herbal spearmint - I am pretty sure she would like that!
 
High fibre nuts, softened to a mash with hot water, may be worth a try. They swell up to look a decent amount & fed warm seem tto be irresistable. Do chech the starch & sugar levels though because they can vary from brand to brand - I find Spillers are good, or Mole Valley (sold at Scats).
 
I always use the old jam sandwich method for getting medicine into horses ... would that work with Danilon? Another thought, re-reading your post, I wonder if it would help to give her a much smaller feed.
 
LindaAd said:
I always use the old jam sandwich method for getting medicine into horses ... would that work with Danilon? Another thought, re-reading your post, I wonder if it would help to give her a much smaller feed.
Click to expand...

Alas, during the summer she defied all pony logic and to the amusement of the vet refused both jam sandwich method and just about every other tried and tested! We became something of a challenge for the staff at the surgery. I thought the molasses and speedi beet had cracked it, but madam is apparently bored with this idea....
 
carthorse said:
High fibre nuts, softened to a mash with hot water, may be worth a try. They swell up to look a decent amount & fed warm seem tto be irresistable. Do chech the starch & sugar levels though because they can vary from brand to brand - I find Spillers are good, or Mole Valley (sold at Scats).
Click to expand...

I have seen high fibre nuts at our feed merchants - I will have a weigh up tomorrow.
 
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