Any Idea Why a Horse Goes Nutty on Lo-Cal?

Finns Mum

Finns Mum

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I am trying to change my horse over to a high fibre, low starch / sugar diet, he has a history of digestive problems, vets have done all tests which showed nothing and I think (after 5 yrs :o ) I have had a light bulb moment and am seeing a pattern as when good grass isn't available the scouring is worse, he is not a big hay eater and I think he is not getting enough fibre in his diet at these times. Of course I have had many theories before and he has proved me wrong but am hoping I might be onto something this time.

I have just started him on A&P Fast Fibre cubes which he loves, and actually chooses to eat before his hard feed! This seems to have settled his stomach and not affected his mind, although early days everything is crossed!

So I am hoping I have got the fibre covered but at the same time he needs something extra as he is a big horse and drops condition easily. He is worked 5/6 times a week with weekend clinics and comps.

In an ideal world I guess I would add a balancer but I have tried Outshine and more recently Lo-cal and they both changed him into a lunatic, he is a spooky horse but while on these he was almost dangerous :eek:

I know they shouldn't effect him and I have spoken to Baileys as to what is in them that might cause this, but they have no idea especially as I feed him their conditioning cubes with no issues

Has anyone's horse had the same reaction to Lo-Cal, and did you have any idea on what ingredient might have caused it?

At the moment he is on chaff and a combination of Baileys working and conditioning cubes, but just wondering if I can find one feed to replace the two which will be better for him and possibly cut my feed bill a bit :o

I have a feeling I tried Ride and Relax when I first got him and it sent him loopy so a bit worried about the rest of the A&P range.

He definitely can not have anything with alfalfa in it.

Any pearls of wisdom of what might work much appreciated :)
 
Ah, the joys of feeding!

It’s taken a year to work out how to feed my horse, he has gone for a horrendously skinny hat rack to a fine beast of a horse (Quote from hoof trimmer: ‘I didn’t realise he was a full tb’!)

Tonnes of hay, ad lib as much as he can eat, never runs out.

In varying quantities:
-Speedibeet
-High fibre nuts
-Graze-On

Over winter if he drops condition:
-Up to a mug a day of veg oil added to feed, calories without the fizz

If he’s a fussy eater, could you grate carrot/apple into his feed? I used to take a hammer to a packet of polo’s and add them to his feeds to ensure he ate his ulcer medication earlier this year!

Does the lo-cal contain alfalfa? My horse doesn’t get on with alfalfa at all.
 
How much lo-cal were you feeding and what else were you feeding with it? Too much protein in the diet might have caused the behaviour problems maybe? (we were recommended low protein feeds for our retired greyhounds as higher levels would make them a bit manic - does this also apply to horses?).

I feed lo cal to my pony (who is 22 but goes ballistic on feeds aimed at veterans).

Did anything else about his management change at the same time you introduced the balancers previously? It can be easy to blame feed for behavioural changes when actually it might have been something else (change in weather, new horse on yard, routine change, availability of carrots to add to feed.. etc).
 
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AshTay said:
How much lo-cal were you feeding and what else were you feeding with it? Too much protein in the diet might have caused the behaviour problems maybe?

Did anything else about his management change at the same time you introduced the balancers previously?
Click to expand...

I was feeding the lo-cal at a back up rate along with the working nuts, using the quantaties advised by Baileys so pretty sure it was not protein overdose.

Nothing else changed in his routine, I actually stopped using the lo-cal for a while and things went back to normal, then got fed up of seeing half a bag sat there going to waste and also thinking like you that perhaps something else had been going on at the time, and it wasn't feed related, so started him back on it and we had the same pattern again so pretty sure it was that.

Its not the first time he has been a mystery to the world :o


Dizzle said:
Ah, the joys of feeding!

Does the lo-cal contain alfalfa? My horse doesn’t get on with alfalfa at all.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought as my lad is the same but according to their feed advisor it doesn't :)
 
My Bailey went fizzy on lo-cal! Very odd, could never put my finger on what the problem was, but it was fairly obvious and immediate!

I have him on top-spec now. Leisure for when he's in lighter work or is a bit porky. Comprehensive when he's busy or there isn't much grass.
 
My TB went loopy loo on it too, don't know why as nothing in it but swapped him to Top Spec and he is back to normal and looking good :D
 
What about replacing the Fast Fibre with Allen & Page's Veteran Vitality - I know it is marketed as a veteran feed, but it is grain-free, 10% starch, 5% sugar and higher in calories than Fast Fibre. (I'm pretty sure Ride & Relax isn't grain free.) Another option is Spiller's Response Slow Release Cubes - again grain-free and about 12% starch.
 
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yes mine went nuts on it too in the sixteen years iv had him he has never bolted he did on this feed on the road so scared i can tell you
 
My daughters first pony, who was usually the most sane pony in the world turned into a complete idiot on Lo-cal, have no idea why but no other feed had this effect on her.
 
I tried Lo Cal on my normally sane and sensible WB youngster, she became spooky as anything and spent her days wantonly galloping round the field. Took her off, hello normal horse. Like previous poster I decided to try her on it again, same result. She is now mature and has Build Up nuts (lower starch) and a top up of some Benevit and she is fine.
Micronised linseed in depths of winter for a few extra calories.
 
I feel much better to see my boy isn't the only one to react to the Lo-Cal :D

Thanks TGM I was looking at their new veteran feed, I did wonder whether to feed that along side the FF, as FF is doing a partial hay replacement job. I wonder if the veteran would give him enough of what he needs :confused:

Have asked A&P for the spec sheet as they give much more info than whats on line :)
 
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