Should I Worry?

[Sexy Sietske]

As we all now winter is fast aproching and soon all the grass will be eaten off and Sietske will be coming in at night for hay. At the moment she has alot of grass but when she comes in she always tucks into a small haynet (there to keep her quiet while she is in for a groom) like she has never been fed!!

She was quite thin when we got her and she has put some weight on but she still looks rather ribby. All the weight looks like it has sunk down instead of giving her a nice coverage. So when all the grass has gone I would like to give her some feed to keep her weight on and to get her vit. and mins.

Problem is she doesn't eat her feed. We tried to give her some when she was having antibiotics and she wouldn't touch it. She was having speedibeet and milochop, first together and then both on there own to seen if it was one or the other that she didn't like but she didn't eat either of them. Is there anything I can give her that she will like so she can have all the nutrients she needs or is it just because she isn't use to having hard feed?

I also have to be careful what I feed her because she is a friesian and she can not have too much protien.

Any ideas and tips would be great!!

[Jessey]

I would go round the yard (with everyones permission ;)) and pinch a handful of every different type of feed you can find and let her try them all, she may not have liked the speedy beet or molli because of the antibiotics being in it so still worth trying that again.
You may find she doesn't want any of them if she still has lots of grass but this may change when the grass is not so good.
I would probably try Alfalfa, it is a high fibre feed which is a good all round feed stuff and very gras/hay like so she might like that. Or try nuts rather than mix, I have one who hates mix but loves nuts :D try the feeds dry and moist as she may prefer it one way or the other, if she is really fussy you could try dampening it with apple juice to get her started :D

[TheHoglet]

not sure about the leles of proteen in them but what about pasture mix or pony nuts. someting like clam and condition or ride and relax minght be a goo thing to try.
or you could just ring up the dodson and horrell people and they'll tell you what food would be best for her.
have you tried putting loads of apples and carrots on her food? that way there is something nice in it for her to pick at and i minght encourage her to eat it :)
you can also get licks that are full of vitamins and minerals if she still wont eat her food.

best of luck
xx bex

[Sexy Sietske]

Yeah she picks them out, sometimes, and then leaves the rest of her feed, even tried hiding it under hay because she loves hay and she just ate the hay off the top!! Cheeky mare she is sometimes, too clever for her own good!!

[Jessey]

If she really won't eat hard feed you could try pouring a little oil over her hay, oil is great for weight gain and she wouldn't be able to pick it out :D

J x

[sheryl]

A horse with a full looking belly and ribby on top often has worms. Has she been wormed thoroughly?

Mollasses and mint are good to tempt your horse to eat. Also apple juice as someone else has already suggested. Some mixes already have mollasses and mint in them. Just check the bag.

If you havn't had her for long, maybe she just needs time to settle in;)

Sheryl x

[sheryl]

I forgot to say also, if your horse has a full looking tummy, could she be in foal?
A friend of mine, bought her mare unaware that she was in foal:eek: . She had a vet check her out at Christmas that year because she was looking a very suspicious shape, and he confirmed it. The following May she had the most gorgeous filly foal:) . It was quite a dilemma for my friend though who was a first time horse owner and very novice. They managed fine though:)

[carthorse]

If she really isn't keen on hard feed could you swap some of her hay for a good quality haylage? And make sure she always has adlib hay or haylage when she's in - if it's all gone in the morning then give her more the next night until you reach a level where there's a little bit left.

I think Spillers do a vit & min supplement that's in a treat form, you could try calling their helpline & asking about it.

Hard feed wise I'd go with the idea of asking everyone on the yard if you can try a handful of feed to see what she likes. I've got one that's a bit tricky - will leave nuts, most mixes seem to make him a rather unpleasant person (& the one that doesn't he won't eat for more than a day or two :p), speedibeet upsets his tummy & he's picky about other things. What I've found suits him & he'll eat is a mix of Happy Hoof, Tiger Oats (he'll eat normal ones but prefers these & they include a balancer) & soaked Lucibix (but goes of most dried Alfalfa products even if I damp them down). Fortunately my pony is a dustbin so eats any feed mistakes I make :D

The other things that may sound obvious are have you had a worm count done to check she doesn't have a problem because ribby & potbelly is a warning sign & have you had her teeth checked to make sure she isn't uncomfortable eating hard feed. I'd also consider rugging her when the weather gets colder as a cold horse will use a lot of calories trying to keep itself warm.

Is there a reason why you have to be particularly careful with protein levels for freisians??

[Sexy Sietske]

she was wormed a few weeks before she came to us and then a couple of weeks after we had her because of going on new grass with new horses (plus it was everyones elses time to worm so we thought we would get in the same routine) i will have to set ger a menu up :p i don't think she is in foal because this is the second time she has come in season already!!! although its not like a normal mare...its more of a small wee than spraying but she is still in winking :rolleyes: and she is only 15months old!!!

She can't be pregnant and appear to come into seaons could she :eek: OMG she can't have a baby!!! She came from a friesian stud/dealer oooh dear:eek: :eek:

ETA : I have no idea about the protien levels, was just told that they do not need and to be careful what feed I give her, maybe make her ill or maybe a load of **** like the coughing that garlic would help clear up and it turned out to be an infection!!! will have to do some research

[Trewsers]

Try her on some Calm and Condition - my Storm used to love to gobble it all up - (it puts too much weight on her now so alas she's back on Happy Hoof). Joe loved it too! It must taste good!!!

[sheryl]

Don't worry!! I shouldn't think she could be in foal if she's that young.

Youngsters do need worming more than older horses though.

[Sexy Sietske]

Really? I never knew that? OMG just thought that she may have worms!! She has also been stratchin her ass like made and on course my mum has gone crazy coz she is scratching her lovely long tail out. Never crossed my mind though because she has been worm twice in the last 2month :confused: but she is scratching her face and withers too so we are thinkin that she might have a spot of sweet itch and she just has a bloated belly from eat non stop for 2week!!

If she has got worms will it be safe to worm again with regular wormers or should she have the vet out?

[sheryl]

Is it possible for you to phone and speak to your vet? If you have wormed her twice in 2 months that should be plenty. But, are you worming with a different wormer each time? If you worm with the same wormer each time, you could be missing certain types of worms.

Wormers come under three main groups depending on their active ingredient. Different wormers do different worms. Certain worms are most common at different times of the year.

You really need a proper worming programme to follow. See if you can get one from your vet. You could also ask about her not eating a hard feed too.

Don't panic though. If she's itching all over, she could just be irritated by the flies and midges. Is it possible to give her a bath? I'd wash her all over in a medicated shampoo, and then keep her covered in a good fly repellent. See if that helps her itching;) . You'll have to pick a good warm day to wash her though, and we seem to be running out of those now:( .

If you need any more help, you can PM me if you want. I'm not an expert but I am happy to help if I can:)

Do you have any pics of your lovely filly? I'm sure everyone would love to see them:D

Sheryl x

[Guest]

Probably the best idea is to consult your vet, there could be lot's of reasons to her weight problem and itching.

By the way I have just discovered apple cidar vinegar and Bry loves it so much that she will now eat her calmag...go figure, fussy little moo.

[Sexy Sietske]

Yeah there are some pic on in the cafe bit and the title is 'finally got some pics of ma girl'.....or something like that, she has been wormed with 2 different wormers and we are now following the yards worming program.

I don't know what she is like to bath though, she could do with one because her tail is realy minging!!! Full of much and dry skin, she is a bit sharp with her hind legs still so we have to be careful not to upset her!!:o Blooming horses, who would have em:p

ETA : You can see the way her belly is dropping and her ribbiness (wow new work lol) in those pics

[sheryl]

My horse is handy with his back legs, so I would ask someone to hold up a front leg while I deal with the back end. They are not nearly such a good shot on 2 legs!!

I always use warm water on my boy too. He actually quite enjoys a bath. Yours may surprise you.

[Sexy Sietske]

Hot day, nice warm water and a good scratching hand, i think she will be more than happy to stand there and be washed. My old pony was black too and he loved a bath on a hot day....cooled him right down.

Sietske loves backing into people and squashing them up against the wall to scratch on, or just turns for a scratch :D I think she is obsessed!!

She doesn't realy kick backwards she cow kicks so you can't stand close to the side of her because she can still get ya!! Very frustrating.

[sheryl]

Just had a look at your pics. She is absolutely gorgeous!!

Have you had a youngster before? They are quite challenging aren't they?!

[Sexy Sietske]

Yes my last pony was a welsh section D had from a 2yr old but he hadn't been handled and was a huge puff scared of everything!! Took us a whole year to get the basics done quickly and simply without him throwing a wobbler.
Then when it came to breaking him in he was a complete pain!! Dead scared and bolting off at first then getting realy cocky and walking backwards and not goin forward at all.
Then after all the hard work and support and help from friends he didn't grow tall enough for my long legs :(

[sheryl]

Oh dear, what a shame! Hope your new one will be easier. She'll be awfully big to deal with if she's difficult:eek: . Rather you than me!!
I had a 2 year old Welsh Cob x Anglo Arab, that I broke myself. She was really easy.
Then I got the one I've got now. He is a TB X Arab. He was 19 months when I got him, and had been in a stable, with virtually no handling, for probably a year:eek: . He was still uncut as well. When I went to see him he was an angel. He didn't lead very well but he wasn't naughty. I put my deposit down on him, and went back a week later to collect him. Oh my God:eek: . What a nightmare!! He barely kept 2 feet on the ground as they led him down to me!! I wanted to run!! And then we had to travel him 2 hours back in a trailer:eek: .
We got him home in one piece but I could barely get near him:( . I had to leave a fieldsafe headcollar on him in the stable, just so that I could get hold of him! Then I had to walk him round the yard three times a day to give him some exercise. I've never been so scared in all my life!!. He would stand straight up on his back legs, and tow me round the yard.
After a week I had him castrated , and he attacked the vet really badly with his teeth:eek: . I was at my wits end.
Then he was able to start going out in his own field. He couldn't have a companion with him because all the other horses were mares. He went straight out and ran through an electric, and then barbed wire fence. Luckily he just came out badly scratched.
He had never been tied up. He couldn't pick up his feet. And, he bit everyone at every opportunity.

I've had him 18 months now, and he's a different horse. Thank God!! He's got a permanent field buddy, who he thinks is his Mum!
I've backed him now, and I'm doing lots of lunge work, and I'm still alive:D

Anyway, sorry to have gone on! And, I've gone completely off your original topic:rolleyes:

Good luck with your baby. I've come to the conclusion that filly's are easier than colts:D . Ha ha

Sheryl x

[Sexy Sietske]

I think thats all down to handling when young, I know some colts that are better behaved than full grown horses!!

Glad you horse has turned out on the 'good side' hehe. I dont think Sietske will be a problem to break she is realy brave isn't scared of anything. She tried strangling herself yesterday (rubbing her head on the stable wall while she was tied up and got the rope wrapped around her neck) She went to lift her head back up and realised she couldn't and went mad for all of 10seconds until she noticed i was there and she went realy quiet and stood until I unwrapped her. Then she went all mardy on me for saving her life, nussling me and trying to groom me :eek:

Have sat on the fence and she has walked up right next to me to scratch her (told you she was obsessed lol)

(back to the orignal subject) I will borrow a bit of feed off everyone (with permission) and see what she likes. And start getting her use to the bucket and sponge so she can have a good scrub when the weather is hot again, if it gets hot again, and see if that stops the itching. Then give her a good coat of vinegar to restore her colour coat and keep those nasty flies at bay, will get back to you and let you know how we get on.