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Regular
Posts: 82
| I have a 5 year old that I have been hauling to a few local jackpots, on top of getting roped on and worked at the house 3-4 nights a week. In the past, he has been a very easy keeper but we noticed he just didnt have much of a "bloom" to him this spring, and was looking more "sucked up"/TB-like than a stocky little cow-horse should, in my opinion, for as much as he's been getting rode.
He's been on Nutrena SafeChoice for the past 2 years, so I went ahead and added Nutrena Empower Boost, hoping that would help tack a few pounds on and give him a little extra energy. He's been on that about a month (about to finish the first bag), and now we're having trouble getting him to eat (he had been taking longer and longer before adding the Empower Boost). We stall and feed him in the morning before work, and the grain is gone by the time I get home. How long it takes him to finish it - I have no idea at that point. But in the evenings he will eat about half then becomes 100% uninterested. I've tied him in front of the feeder so he had to stand there (assuming at that point he would eat)... I've tried feeding him by hand... nothing seems to help. So we let him out with the rest of the horses, and he cleans up what's left the next day at some point with the following day's grain. Maybe he's just being a kid and knows he's about to get let out and is kind of a one track mind at that point?
His teeth have been checked - and WERE in pretty bad shape. He'd been pulling off the backside of his barrels - so when I coupled that thought with his weight issue, his teeth immediately came to mind. I went ahead and had them done this past Monday and ran him Wednesday night, where he still pulled off some - but not near as bad. Did feel heavy or sluggish though... Anyway... teeth are in good shape.
I've never had one with ulcers - so I don't even know what to look for, or if that could be a possibility? He's a VERY laid back, friendly, in your pocket, kid-broke-acting type horse. But the not eating is starting to really concern me. Am I being a helicopter mom here?!
The only other somewhat odd thing I've noticed is that when I use a curry comb on his back he kind of flinches like it hurts or causes discomfort. He did this last summer some as well. But surely being body sore wouldn't cause him to not eat?
This could very well be absolutely nothing and I'm creating a mountain out of a molehill here... just thought I'd put some feelers out to see if anyone had any ideas...
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
 
Location: Claremore, OK | You’re feeding a feed that could have ionophores in it. Mild ionophore poisoning can cause lack of appetite and rapid weight loss.
It could certainly be Ulcers or EPM or all of the above.
Edited by Liana D 2018-05-11 12:53 PM
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
 
Location: Arizona | Beside the Safe Choice what else do you feed him? Does he get hay or pellets?If so, does he clean that up? Have you tried a different type of feed? |
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 The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | Could be ulcers. My mare went on and off her grain for a few weeks, along with behavior changes. Her coat got dull, she lost a slight amount of weight. After 4 or 5 days of Abgard (generic omeprazole), she started eating all her grain again and felt better. I still did 28 days of treatment though. |
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Location: in the ozone | The feed, ulcers, EPM, PSSM, Lymes - all things that could be causing those symptoms |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Safechoice is not a very good feed, my opinion of it is its not a safe feed to be feeding and since hes not eating it I would NOT force him to eat this feed hes trying to tell you there is something wrong with it.. There had been problems with this brand {Nutrena} of feed in the past horses has died from it... I would be looking to changing his feed program as soon as possible.. |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| I would get him off grain. Try Renew Gold. Good Alfalfa and grass. |
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