Should I be worried?

Edwy

New Member
Sep 8, 2008
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Sorry, to bother you with this, but my horse has never, in the three years I've had her, and the two years I knew her before that, refused a flake of hay. Today, she wouldn't have anything to do with it! She seems fine. She ate part of my apple. The hay seemed fine. There were several horses in the paddock next to her, where there are usually none and that's the only thing I can see that was different? Should I be worried? I know, I'm probably just over-reacting, but -:confused:
 
If there's plenty of nice juicey grass then mine will ignre the hay and hung on until she get turned out to leave more room for the grass. Could that be it?
 
Several horses at my yard refuse hard feed and ignore their hay if they're full of grass. didn't you say she was going out on grass last week? If she doesn't look uncomfortable/colicky, don't try too hard to make her eat. :) (Tip: if she takes mints from you, then she's probably fine, just full!)
 
Forest has recently started turning his nose up at his feed, he reluctantly eats it though. Hes only interested in hay if hes tied up.

But hes out on good grazing. If she seems fine in herself and isn't showing an obvious signs of colic then I would be inclined to leave her, shes probably just enjoying the spring grass :)
 
No, I wish the situation were like that, but she is in a paddock for two horses, that has absolutely no grass. I have tried and tried to get the management to work with me to somehow let the horses end up with grass in their paddocks, but to no avail. There is always some story about how there are too many horses to be able to "rest" the paddocks and even if we got grass to grow, it wouldn't be able to stand having horses out on it all the time. To make it worse, the paddock next to hers is rarely used and has a gorgeous growth of grass on it. Well, it did until today when I found roughly 5 horses turned out there. I did mention that she got to go out on that grass, last week, for about a half hour, but normally she doesn't. I take her out for hand grazing, just around the place, sometimes, but not as often as I would (And she!) would like. So, she hasn't been eating a lot of grass. As for the other part, she didn't seem to have any of the signs of colic that I ever heard of, like kicking at her stomach, rolling and the like. She did eat a large part of my apple very happily. I guess the hay was just not right. Or the other horses were making her distracted. She didn't seem distressed, at all, but kind of "lovey" and really happy to get some attention. I did speak to the manager, so that she would at least know about it. I'm sure I'm just a "nervous nellie" mom but she's never stuck up her nose at hay, EVER! Thanks, so much - all of you for writing:eek:
 
Hi Edwy - any change today. Is it a new batch of hay - are the others eating it. Could she have hurt her mouth. When were her teeth last done and is she eating any hard feed. Are her poos normal. Phew - questions, questions !!
 
Thanks so much for asking! Yes, today she is eating as usual and all seems right with the world! Hurray and whew... We had a lovely ride. She was on the bit (most of the time) and very happy to be working! We celebrated with some super time just hanging out together and sharing an apple. Thanks, so much for remembering! It was very scary for me....
 
Is she bottom of the pecking order with the other horses? She might have felt too anxious to eat the hay when the others were there. We have two mares and my one won't take hay unless my mums one has it first as my mums one is the boss! Sounds like you had a nice time together anyway.
 
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