Anyone had adverse effects feeding turmeric?

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Pc2003

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I started feeding turmeric to my horse 5 days ago. He has bone spavins and potentially other unknown issues but we muddle thru and he has been really great recently. He has a bit of flexi joint and that's it. He has taken to eating the turmeric m, oil, pepper etc fine so he has had about tablespoon per day.
The last 4 days I have ridden him he has been sluggish, ears back, wanting to stay at the back. This is totally unlike him. He is usually forward, joggy, loves going out.
He feels a bit odd to ride and he was quite stiff to pick up his back feet today which he hadn't been before.
Is this a coincidence?? I have only been feeding it for five days! Has anyone had an issue with feeding it?
 
There are few studies into the side effects of turmeric use in horses unfortunately, but digestive upsets seem to be the most common short term and there is a risk of other things long term depending on dose etc.
this site has a lot of the research available listed (with links)
http://www.thelaminitissite.org/turmericcurcumin.html
Of course, he could always be having problems with the bone spavins themselves and this might be why he is reluctant? :)
 
I feed it to my horse and swear by it. He has absolutely no adverse effects.
I started feeding to my daughters horse who didn't need it but I figured as a prevention measure. Within 2/3 days he became a nervous wreck. He's not a spooky horse but bordered on dangerous on the roads in particular. Freaking out and whipping round. I stopped feeding turmeric as it was the only change and he went back to normal. I've tried several times since to reintroduce but without fail by day 3 he's lethal!
 
It may well be one of his various ailments playing up but it has started exactly the day after turmeric. I don't feed bute to him as oddly seems to make him worse sometimes so maybe will stop feeding the tumeric and see if he goes back to normal
 
Out of the people I know who feed it 9/10 haven't had any issues but one stopped after her Welshie seemed to get incredible hyped up on it jumping out and being very hot to handle bucking spooking etc. Interesting that poiuytrewq had a similar experience.
 
Amicus said:
Out of the people I know who feed it 9/10 haven't had any issues but one stopped after her Welshie seemed to get incredible hyped up on it jumping out and being very hot to handle bucking spooking etc. Interesting that poiuytrewq had a similar experience.
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How strange! I know people say they can become livlier because its working and the horse is feeling better but in our case and by the sounds of it your friends its not "feeling well" but nervy slightly deranged behaviour!
 
I have wondered before if it is not so good for horses with sensitive tummies, especially (but not exclusively) those with ulcers or that are prone to colic.
 
My old little pony with anaemia became completely lethargic on it after a few months.Took us another many months and many different withdrawal trials to link it with the turmeric. Turns out it can indeed affect something linked to iron!
 
MissTyc said:
My old little pony with anaemia became completely lethargic on it after a few months.Took us another many months and many different withdrawal trials to link it with the turmeric. Turns out it can indeed affect something linked to iron!
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Yes; it binds iron and stops/reduces it being absorbed. So, it can cause (or make worse) iron deficiency anaemia.
 
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