Possibly pregnant mare wont eat grain

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I bought this mare back in February of this year and ever since I've had her she either will only take a few bites f grain or only half of it. Shes dropped about 50 lbs and nothing I do seems to help.

I've tried over a dozen grains and nothing perks her appetite. She will eat some of her hay at night but not all and only seems to want grass.

She was pasture exposed to a stud last year but I don't know for sure if she is or isn't bred.

The woman I bought her from said she was skinny when she bought her, had her teeth floated and then gained some weight but her backbone and hips were still prominent when I bought her.

I talked to the vet and he seems to think worms or ulcers - she's been wormed regularly and hasn't been stressed while here.

Does anyone have any ideas? If I can't get her eating well I will have no choice but to sell her even though that's not what I want to do.

She is a 7 year old mare and seems happy otherwise (she will run and play and call to the others) and isn't lethargic. Her coat is shedding patchy and is dull as well.

Thanks for your help.

 

[bevann]

I would try the double dose Panacur worming for 5 days then go from there.Ask your vet to do a blood panel on her if that doesn't help.Crummy coat makes me think worms.I would also try some molasses soup with feed in it.IMO most horses can't resist the taste of molasses.Ask Dr Taylor for his opinion.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

She won't touch any wet feeds, at least with the dry she picks at it.

She's been dewormed regularly but I will do the panacur anyways, would worms make her appetite suppressed?

I've just never had horses not finish their grain

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Sorry i'm not really following your train of thought when you say you will have to sell her if you can't get her to eat?

Ulcers don't just flare when stressed, different foods and changing diet a lot can irritate them as can being stabled, which in itself causes stress. Worms should not effect diet unless she is so impacted that she physically can't eat any thing or shes full and colicy, and if she was you would know. she would have an extremely large belly and be very listless. If all she wants is grass i would be inclined to just put her on a good pasture and let nature put weight on her. Many horses won't eat grain in summer, i know my TB wouldn't really bother with it and my mare won't really eat her hay in summer. Always remember they eat grass to live, grain is human made.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I'm just thinking someone else may have a better chance to get her to eat, considering she was eating for her previous owner but I can't get that grain in my area so would sell her to someone who can. I can't make a 4 hour round trip just for one horses grain.

Unfortunately I don't have pasture right now, and won't for the next two years as we have completely turned over the pastures and put down seed, lime and fertilizer. So everyone is on full access hay and grain while being in dry lots.

That's what's concerning me is she's not big on hay or grain, according to her previous owner she had no issues.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Ok so when was she last floated, how many months ago? Are you able to rent a field at all? Have you tried soaking the hay so it isn't as dry? What feeds ARE available to you? Have you tried carrots and apples etc?

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Most of the fields available in my area are fenced with barbed wire, so likely not unless I travel 40-60 minutes from here.

I can get Purina and nutrena and the generic feeds (all stock type). I live in a rural area and do not have many options. I have tried every feed I could get my hands on with no luck.

Her teeth were floated about 6 months ago - vet looked and said they're fine.

I have tried carrots, apples, sugar and salt per vets instructions with no results. Hay is always soaked for everyone - she just doesn't care for it.

I have also tried beet pulp, alfalfa pellets and oats - wont touch them.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I just found out through a friend that I can get Triple Crown and Southern States feeds at a store about 45 minutes from me so I am willing to take suggestions on those feeds?

 

[AnnaC]

From what you first posted it doesn't sound as though her previous owner was actually having much luck keeping the weight on her (despite what she told you!) as you say she was thin when you got her. The first thing I would do would be to treat her for ulcers - before trying any other worming - as refusing grain and just picking at hay can be signs of ulcers. How long did her previous owner have her - has she changed homes several times in the past couple of years - could have caused a lot of stress and therefore ulcers?

Do you have any grass verges/safe road edges where you could lead her for some grass - if she was used to grass before you got her, the change could have stressed her system.

As far as I know Triple Crown has some good feeds - perhaps try a senior one for her as they are often more gentle on the digestive system.

Good luck!

 

[disneyhorse]

Can you give us more accurate information?

If you've only had her for 8-10 weeks but have tried over a dozen grains.... Pick one and give her time to adjust to its flavor or texture before changing it before the week is out.

If she was still thin when you got her, she may not have been eating as aggressively as the previous owner claimed. It only takes 2-3 months for a super dramatic change to be visible (I had to buy back a starved pony once myself).

How long did the previous owner have the horse? Who bred it in malnourished condition? Has bloodwork been done?

 

[sfmini]

My guess is ulcers as well. When they eat the grain they make more stomach acid, it hurts more, and they associate eating with the pain. Put the mare on Gastroguard, give her Pepto about 1/2 hour before feeding to coat her stomach until the Gastroguard starts working. Don't give the Gastro around feeding time since the stomach will be coated and can't absorb the med.

Listen to your vet, he/she sounds dead on. Horses with ulcers will prefer grass and hay to grain.

Stop switching grains, stick with what you have and treat the poor mare's ulcers.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I'm going to try and answer all the questions....if I miss something I'm sorry.

She was previously bought last fall by the woman I bought her from. She just moved 200+/- miles. The woman who owned her before the woman I bought her from is the one who bred her - so two owners ago.

The vet said I could give her Prilosec once daily for the ulcers - has anyone here used it? He also wants me to do a panacur 5 day treatment as well.

Vet didn't suggest blood work, said unless things get worse just to do the ulcer treatment and deworming and to keep trying different grains.

I've had her since February, and I've tried so many because she will either immediately munch on it for two or three good bites and then let it go stale or just not touch it at all. Doesn't matter if I bring fresh grain out the next few days or not, she sniffs it then walks away.

 

[chandab]

The disinterest in grain sounds like ulcers to me too. [sounds like she's interested in the new feeds, but has ulcers, so hurts when she eats, which she associates with the particular feed, and so won't continue to eat it.] The ulcers and stress may have started before she even got to you. Some horses are very sensitive and prone to ulcers til they settle in and relax. What' the active ingredient in Prilosec? I know there are human meds given to horses for ulcers, but I don't know which ones by name brand, mostly just active ingredient.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

According to my vet he said its the same active ingredient as ulcer guard...? Started with an o I believe?

Maybe with her moving homes so much has caused it?

I do have a small paddock with only oats in it, no fescue (we plant the garden area with oats over the winter to help the soil) so if it would be okay on her stomach I will turn her out in it tomorrow?

 

[Carolyn R]

I don't know if it has been mentioned but yes, it sounds like ulcers and my biggest suggestion beyond the ulcergaurd is to skip the grain for now, offer her grass and soaked alfalfa cubes and a hay with a good alfalfa ratio in it. Beyond its bad rap for being rich it does amazing things for horses with ulcer issues due to its calcium content. Grain and ulcers do not mix and this is probably her way of telling you that. The multiple homes and new stressful situations probably complicate things too.

The scenarios in which I have seen issues with grain consumption were resp or viral with a high fever, worms/digestive issues after worming ( came to me like this), and a particular instance when a full size foal was weaned way too early. Similar ulcerlike issues develope when a horse has gastro enteritis (sp) issues. In All of these situations , i would pull the grain and offer the above choices, just what i have seen help in my instances or instances i have witnessed. Any horse can develope ulcers under stressful situations,

 

[JAX]

I believe your vet is talking about Omeprazole. Yes this would be good but please make sure to find out what the correct dose for her would be and make sure that it is treatment dose and not just preventative dose. I also definitely agree with the soaked alfalfa cubes, I believe this would be much easier on her system than any grain.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Im not sure if you have specific dentists over there, but here in the UK there is a huge mistrust in vets doing teeth, because they usually do them wrong. This leads to the horse being unhappy eating hard/dry food such as hay and grain. Along with ulcers this poor pony will just not know what to do.

 

[stormy]

This little mare has moved twice in a very short time period, that can be very stressful to a horse....I also would be looking at ulcers first. Other things I would check...blood work would show if she is dealing with kidney or liver issues, Lawsonia might also be an issue....is she alone or does she have a buddy....some horses worry all the time when they are alone.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Is not giving her any grain while she is possibly pregnant (due may-june 2014 - she's slightly bagged but kicks when you try to feel for foal movement) going to be okay?

I've tried alfalfa pellets, cubes and hay and she doesn't care for it. The only stuff I can get her to at least munch on throughout the day is coastal Bermuda hay.

She does have buddies to be with, I don't believe in single horse housing. She's in with other mares and two yearlings. I catch her and the yearlings grooming often.

My vet has been taking care of my horses for the past 15 years and has kept my horses teeth looking good so I don't have any worries about his abilities there.

 

[secuono]

You can feed oat hay, so I don't see why you cannot feed her fresh oat pasture. Just switch her to turnout slowly. Eating at all is better than nothing, especially if she's bred.