Any advice on encouraging more eating and drinking when away from home? It’s becoming more worrisome. She’s a rockstar on the trails considering we are both a light shade of green. I bought some compressed timothy & alfalfa along with her usual hay. Water is from home. She’s not consuming what she should. She’s not amped up and relaxed for the most part but changes in routine ie: 24/7 t/o, not laying down for her morning snooze. We have a great time on the trails but she’s gotta eat while we are away. Thank you for any suggestions.
I wouldn’t worry too much. A hungry horse will eat. If she really likes beet pulp or alfalfa cube mashed at home you could try feeding those camping to get more food and water into her. What is your camp set up, paddocks or high line or what? Does she eat ok on day trip trail rides?
Was she more inclined to eat the compressed (which I assume is not normal for her to have at home) or her normal hay? When I go to rides with my horses, I take second or third cutting hay (vs the first cutting they normally have at home) because they eat the different stuff better.
Does she get any kind of hard feed normally? If so, will she eat it soaked? If she doesn’t get hard feed normally, will she eat soaked beet pulp?
She nibbles on the trailer but no, she’s not a good eater away from home. She does eat her vitamin supplement, U7 powder and 1 cup soaked tim. pellets. She doesn’t lick the bucket clean though.
I will try beet pulp. I think I’m also going to start Ulcerguard a week before trips to see if that helps. She won’t touch the beautiful Standlee Alfalfa and/or Timothy but will nibble homegrown hay.
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You may also want to look at Purina Outlast hard feed. It’s specifically meant for belly issues and fed in small amounts, so that may go well with the beet pulp as enticement to eat more while away.
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I’ll try the Outlast also! Thank you for the suggestions.
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Like was suggested above - if there is a hay your horse really likes, offer that. Another option is to sandwich hay they really like between a couple of flakes of their usual hay in the hay bag. They might then eat thru to get to the preferred stuff.
Another option is to look for a complete feed - one that can be fed without hay ad meet nutritional and energy needs. Then if you can get her to eat some of that you won’t have to worry as much about her not eating other things.
For drinking you could use electrolytes. I’ve got one who knows the trailer out, ride, trailer home, drink out of my own trough routine and refuses to drink when we go out. I did a training endurance ride with him this past June and he was astonished when I tacked up for loop two. When we got back from loop two he went for the water bucket as soon as I got his bridle off. Then he started eating. After loop three he didn’t even let me get his bridle off before he was in the water. I had given him electrolytes the night before, the morning before trailering, before each loop, and after the ride.
I did a trailer out, ride, trailer home today and. gave him electrolytes before leaving home and before starting the ride and he had a little drink when we got back. I hoped for more, but it’s a start. Next time I will increase the electrolytes. I’m using KERs EnduraMax not the lightweight daily type.
If he has a drink he is more inclined to eat. Your horse might be similar.
I keep seeing the title for this post and think I always come back from camping weighing more than when I left! The group I camp with always eats and drinks well at camp!
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