Distractable horse takes forever to eat?

[Charanga2011]

My new OTTB is the slowest eater in the world. They had her on 4 scoops of grain and 4 flakes of alfalfa a day (I have a plan to lessen her grain intake but still provide calories…but bear with me here). She will take a bite of grain and if in her stall, proceed to stare out at the other horses, walk around a little, go back etc. Same with her alfalfa. It literally takes her nearly 8 hrs to finish all of her hay and grain from each feeding. She does the same thing when fed out in the pasture. I had to change her to individual turnout because otherwise she would never get her food down without other horses consuming it.

Is there anyway I can at least make her grain more palatable and make her want to stick to eating it or is this just her? Its not that she doesn’t like her feed or her supplements, she eats it, but she takes forever, however she usually leaves at least a half flake of alfalfa each time, maybe she is getting plenty? Its not a huge issue now I have her in individual turnout but I have never experienced a horse that doesn’t stand there and eat till it’s gone! Also they warned me she is a very hard keeper (at least on their regimen), so I am concerned about her dropping weight.

[RiderInTheRain]

One of my pony mares was like that until I treated her for ulcers. Now she is still the slowest eater of the bunch but she eats slowly and steadily and doesn’t allow any and every distraction to prevent her from finishing. I actually wish the other ponies would eat carefully as she does as they hardly even chew. My mare didn’t have what I think I’d as classic ulcer symptoms - basically just being disinterested enough in eating that any distraction was enough to make her stop or pause and being very spooky under saddle (which I did not attribute at all ulcers but did seem to fade out and disappear as I did a course of treatment).

Of course this may not at all be similar to your mare’s case, but it took me so much trial and error I thought I would share my experience.

[Charanga2011]

Funny you say that, I have the vet coming out tomorrow for an exam and I am strongly suspecting ulcers (she has several other very classic signs). Interesting!! Will let you know what I find out tomorrow. She is very anxious and distractable even when not eating as well. I attributed it to being in a new place but could also be attributed to ulcers

[allons-y]

I have the same sort of issue with my OTTB. I’ve shared here before how I have to keep the other(s) in for a period of time to keep him settled to eat. Then they could go out and he would finish his alfalfa. I don’t know if yours is in for meals, but being left behind too soon would stop him eating. Palatability had nothing to do with it. I believe it is the herd mentality/safety in numbers horsey thing.

Mine live out 24/7 except for meals. I transitioned him off the “everybody is in all night so just munch slowly” versus “OMG! I’m left behind!” mindset over a year. I also made sure to throw some hay to keep them where he could see them while he was still in. He still spills feed from his mouth rushing to look out the front door even when they’re all in together. They are out the back door BTW.

Distractions are definitely a problem. OTTBs seem to really rely on routine. It’s how they lived before we got them, we have to gently show them another way. For quite a while I would go in with him to groom while he ate his hay. He settled with me in there and focused on eating alfalfa while I brushed. I believe it’s a subordinate horse feeling vulnerable type of anxiety. When his herd mates left, I was in charge and he didn’t need to worry, could just eat. It’s very frustrating, but won’t last forever with a thoughtful plan. I hope you too find a workable solution soon.

[RedHorses]

I tie mine when they want to look out of this window, and that door and down the aisle while eating. It might be worth a try.

[Texarkana]

Feed bags can be great for these horses. I like the mesh Cashel ones. Having the feed stuck on their face sometimes encourages them to focus on it. If not, at least they aren’t dropping and wasting grain as they wander.

[Charanga2011]

Thanks for all the good tips, thank you!

[CPL713]

My OTTB is like this - it doesn’t take him quite THAT long to eat, but he is definitely a slow & distracted eater. I’m actually having the vet out soon to check him for ulcers due to some other symptoms, but @RiderInTheRain has got me wondering if that could be connected, as well! I was kind of thinking it was just his way…hmmmm. I’m interested to see what the vet says even more now.

[LookmaNohands]

Feed bag.

[Laurierace]

No brainer, treat for ulcers. Unless your scoop is microscopic four of anything is way too much.

[Charanga2011]

Well she is being treated for ulcers! Starting her on Relyne GI as of tomorrow morning. Not sure if it is related to her distracted eating but will be interesting to see if it is!

[EventerAJ]

Treat for ulcers. Every “distracted, slow eating” horse I’ve had improved drastically when treated with omeprazole (or Nexium). My most recent OTTB mare was the classic “take a bite, look around, dribble half of it” type eater. She steadily got better through a course of Nexium, and after finishing treatment she is a businesslike eater. Still not kicking the door down, “OMG I’M STARVING! MUST EAT IT ALL IMMEDIATELY!” appetite, but she stands solid at her bucket and eats steadily, and licks the tub clean before starting on her hay.

I also have her on DAC Cool Gut supplement, an Omega-3 feed additive that is designed to support the stomach and hind gut. After the Nexium, she still looked a little poor and I felt like hind gut ulcers were likely; the Cool Gut seems to have helped that, she is filling out nicely and eating well. Note: she HATED the taste of Cool Gut to start (and she wasn’t that interested in her food to begin with), so I used a coffee grinder to powderize the Cool Gut pellets, mixed it with some DAC oil to make a paste, and dosed it to her in a syringe. Did that daily for 2 weeks, and since then I have been able to top dress her feed with the supplement and she consumes it all.

Bottom photo from Oct 25 (note, separated from herd and loosely tied to fence under supervision to eat). Top photo Jan 20 (fed outside in company and she runs anyone else off).

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[cutter99]

I was going to vote ulcers too. Classic signs of a horse in pain and trying to deal with it.