Blown his head on Top Spec

[Bugly]

My 18 year old TB/ID lost alot of weight in the Spring and I've been struggling to get condition back on him all summer....that said, he's incredibly fit. He's ridden 6 days a week and competes most weekend. He's in great health.

He's getting a little stiff and needs a hoof supplement so I decided to put him on Top Spec Senior at the beginning of June which has a glucosamine supplement & hoof included as well as lots of other goodies. I've been really pleased with the product, he's so flexible, he looks fabulous and he's obviously feeling well but he's acting like a 4 year old! He's spooking, getting far too excited out hacking and just full of the joys of spring!


He weighs 580kg and has a Stubbs scoop of Alfa A Oil twice a day with 2 and a half cups of Top Spec split over the day.

I'm not sure if he can just smell 'cubbing in the air' and is hot on his toes or if its the Top Spec. I know alot of people have experienced hotting up with Blue Chip, but has anyone experienced a wizzy horse on Top Spec?

I'll try to post a picture.

 

[Bugly]

Here he is in full 'fizzy' flight on Saturday....I'd really like to get a bit more weight on him.

 

[SirenaXVI]

I would be surprised if it is the TopSpec tbh, if you have been feeding since June then the wizzyness would have started then. Some horses cannot take Alfalfa so it could be that, but again, if you have also been feeding this since June then I very much doubt the Alfa is to blame.

 

[deicinmerlyn]

It sounds as if he is very fit and feeling very well.

If the TS is a balancer yiou could feed at half rations and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Blythwind]

I would be surprised if it is the TopSpec. Why dont you try ringing TopSpec - they have nutritionists that you can speak to, and I found them to be extremely helpful when I rang (and they dont push to make you buy more TopSpec products either).

 

[TGM]

I do know of one horse who cannot cope with Top Spec - becomes almost unrideable on it. The owner stopped feeding it and horse returned to normal. She actually put horse back on it at one point because she thought it might have been coincidence, but horse went loopy loop again!

But there could be other things influencing your horse - for example, have you had a flush of rich grass after rain, for example?

 

[HollyB66]

No idea on the Top Spec, but just wanted to say how fabulous and fit he looks and at 18 years old too. Wow!!!

 

[maggiesmum]

I can't feed any of mine Top Spec, my mare's separation anxiety went berserk (couldn't take any of the horses out of the field without her loosing the plot and galloping around screaming) my youngster took to rearing and as for the problem child TB - I can't even begin to describe!!! He was like a 3yo child after 10 cans of red bull!!!!

Stopeed the top spec and normality resumed, I really do think its just too much for some horses, especially if they're getting good quality hay / grazing.

Personally, I don't like their option of feeding half measures either, are we then not giving enough nutrients? and if we feed full measures are we then overfeeding? In which case are we being over sold?
I don't know? I know that lots of people swear by it but it just doesn't suit mine.

 

[paulineh]

One of mine does not do Top Spec he becomes hyper on it.

I use Baileys Lo Cal , Alfa oil (Does not have Molasses in it) and Speedy Beet adding either Competition Mix or Endurance Mix for extra energy

During the winter I also use Simple Systems Lucie Nuts soaked with the Speedy Beet.

Your horse looks fit.

 

[Bugly]

I can't feed any of mine Top Spec, my mare's separation anxiety went berserk (couldn't take any of the horses out of the field without her loosing the plot and galloping around screaming) my youngster took to rearing and as for the problem child TB - I can't even begin to describe!!! He was like a 3yo child after 10 cans of red bull!!!!

Stopeed the top spec and normality resumed, I really do think its just too much for some horses, especially if they're getting good quality hay / grazing.

Personally, I don't like their option of feeding half measures either, are we then not giving enough nutrients? and if we feed full measures are we then overfeeding? In which case are we being over sold?
I don't know? I know that lots of people swear by it but it just doesn't suit mine.

Its an interesting comment about the separation anxiety...and something that I hadn't linked to the switch to Top Spec...but he has become a total nutter when I bring him out of the field and he's stood on the yard on his own. He cant bear for the other horses to be out of his sight and gets very stressed.

I think I may give him 6 weeks off the Top Spec and see what his mind set is like. Thanks for the comments about how nice he looks, we are blessed with lots of lovely hills around us so I spend alot of time trotting him long and low and he stays ever so fit. Perhaps a bit too fit!

 

[texel]

Do you actually know the exact ingredients of this Top Spec supplement ?

Before feeding anything to your horse, food or supplement you should really know what is in the product.

I tried to find out and was not able to get a satisfactory response to my enquiry so I decided against using it.

Feed companies are extremely good at marketing their products and many people ending up mixing and matching all sorts of feed and supplements and feeding this to their horses and then suprise suprise the horse is adversley affected in some way - be wary don't make your horse ill.

If you have better luck then I have had let us all know.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Our Arab gelding got really hyper on Top Spec, I feed him Baileys Low Cal with Alpha Oil now and his fine, I do know of a few horses that it has a similar affect on could try a different one then you would know for sure.

 

[soulfull]

Top Spec also made my young horse fizzy. I know it was this because I played around with him on and off it.

I would add veg oil to his diet, it is great for weight gain without the fizz!!

 

[ISHmad]

No idea on the Top Spec, but just wanted to say how fabulous and fit he looks and at 18 years old too. Wow!!!

Me too!

 

[BonniePony]

Most horses that go loopy are on the wrong balancer in the range. Usually the comprehensive balancer because it has too much protein. In which case swapping to the leisure or lite would probably sort the issue. Or if you want the full spec of vits/mins you could use the comprehensive powder which has minimal protein.

In ref to OP I'm not sure what the senior one has it in re. protein. But a call to TS would be a good idea, they are really helpful, and like someone else said, not at all pushy for sales.

 

[Nic]

One of mine does not do Top Spec he becomes hyper on it.

I use Baileys Lo Cal , Alfa oil (Does not have Molasses in it) and Speedy Beet adding either Competition Mix or Endurance Mix for extra energy

Alfa oil doesn't have molasses but Bailey's Lo cal does. As do Blue Chip & Top Spec. Been trying to find a balancer for my WB who ties up. Despite speaking to TS & Baileys & explaining that he ties up, they both recommended their balancers for him.