Can feeding make this much difference?

Slightly Foxed

Slightly Foxed

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Long story short(ish), I bought a 12 yo, 16.1hh horse in May.

He was fine to ride for a couple of days and them started exploding for no apparent reason and with no warning.

Did all the usual checks, 'back person' came out a couple of times and worked his magic but the horse was still exploding unpredictably. I thought I'd been had and the horse had been drugged when we went to try him. Previous owner, of course, denied that he'd ever behaved like that before.

I was feeding him a few high fibre nuts, Speedibeet and non-molassed hi fi. I took him off the speedibeet to see if that made a difference - no.

Now I'm a very experienced and confident rider but I got a friend, who's a professional and a very quiet, nice rider to ride him for me (to see if it was just me) and the horse did the same with him, although my friend really likes him and is amazed by his powerful jump!

I next took the horse off the hi fi (which contains alfalfa), so he's now getting haylage and a handful of high fibre cubes.

Got my professional friend to ride him again yesterday and he was like a different horse, didn't put a foot wrong and jumped a beautiful double clear in Disco.

I've just ridden him today, and he was foot perfect!

He seems much more relaxed now. He used to be worried about being out for eight hours and waited by the gate to come in but he's much happier staying out now with his new mate. Also, previous owner rode him in a gag and I wonder if he was waiting for a sock in the mouth.

Fingers crossed this new saintly state continues... So, is it the feed do you think that has caused this amazing change? Or he's just chilled? Or what?

Oh, I wish they could speak!
 
yes it can - the alfalfa ;)
same happened to me and my mare on Hi-Fi
although now i know her very well i do feed small quantities as instant spark/energy - but i'm talking v small quantities and built up gradually

could also have been the new place/change etc
 
I strongly believe that getting the feed right/wrong can make a huge difference and it is trial and error, what suits one and all that. My own TB is fine on hifi lite but flips completely if he has haylage or anything molassed! Very low tolerance to sugar. So, yes, Im sure that you have your answer, have you spoken to previous owner about what he was fed, that may offer a further clue.
 
MyBoyChe said:
I strongly believe that getting the feed right/wrong can make a huge difference and it is trial and error, what suits one and all that. My own TB is fine on hifi lite but flips completely if he has haylage or anything molassed! Very low tolerance to sugar. So, yes, Im sure that you have your answer, have you spoken to previous owner about what he was fed, that may offer a further clue.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, I asked the previous owner what she fed him and was told 'just a handful of 'good doer'. The horse was very thin when I bought him, he looks stunning now!

I also spoke to his breeder I saw at an SJ comp, she said she fed him nothing but haylage.

Hopefully we've cracked it, but I can hardly believe that such a behavioural problem - he was almost sent to the blood bank - is so easily solved. I guess in the olden days we just fed straights and you knew exactly what you were feeding.
 
YES, I have in the past dealt with a few problem horses, 1st thing I done was to change the diet. It's surprising what a change of diet can do
 
There was also likely to be a component of him trying it on after a couple of days in a new home and then worked out that neither you or your friend was standing for it and gave up.

Of he was very thin and supposedly a good doer then he was probably underfed, so it could have been having enough food as much as what the food was as well.

Paula
 
OF COURSE the feed makes a difference; often a massive difference. IMO at least half of the problems people have are to do with too much rocket fuel and not enough work.
 
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