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I have a question knowing I may have the answer, but need some reassurance.
We have raised many, many foals and have never run into this change in
eating habits. (consider her a potential endurance pony so this is list
related)
Foal born may 15. Weaned at 4 months (Arab Welsh 1/4 horse cross, we
aquired her a few days later. This is not standard procedure at our place.
If possible we like to leave with mom at least a full 6 months. Any way,
She grew in leaps and bounds , faster than any horse around here has grown.
(knee plates look normal) Her food intake was about as much as my 3 year
olds to keep body mass to support her bone structure (Not over weight)
6 days ago her eating habits abruptly changed from consuming 3/4 coffee
can full of grain substitute (pellets) 2xday to nothing. She will eat poor
quality grass but when given a nice quality alfalfa (which I borrowed from
the neighbor due to not eating her cubes any more. She is eating all of the
sticks (very fine, not tree trunk size, and does not eat the leaves)
First of all we thought she may have a problem in her mouth, from the hay
cubes. Can't see any thing in teeth, throat or gums. My feeling is she
would have eaten the leaves and left the sticks if that were the case.
Decided today to sprinkle 1/2 c milk replacer over about 2 cups of
pellets. She licked up the dry powder and left the pellets. (what a job
working around those pellets........)
Is it possible that she abruptly stopped growing and is pulling herself off
the amount of food has had up to this point? Any Ideas. We will worm her
again tomorrow for a (just in case). So far her weight is stable I would
like to keep her on alfalfa and hay to make sure she is maintaining some
level of nutrition.
She is not down although she lays her ears back when she eats. So she is
not happy when eating for some reason. She is happy and greats you when
"bringing" feed. She has never been a picky eater. Slow eater though.
Feel her water intake is a little lower, but that could be due to not as
much dry mater being consumed. I personally feel her stool is a little dry
(to formed and would like to see the apples a little less compact and
individual. At this point she is on what we call watch, with the
vet......(any change call) Any one ever run into this? It is a first for
us......... If you don t have the answer, make one up and we will think
about it. I don't like unexpected behavior changes although she is not
that old.
Thanks for any thoughts, suggestions, comments, similar experiences etc..
Sigrid and Mollie (Who's Mom is just a little worried.)
The Space Cadet
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