can ready mash make a horse hyper/spooky?

rowan666

rowan666

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As tittle suggests. I know spring grass etc most would suggest is more likely but its never, ever bothered my anglo boy before so the only things i can think that have changed is that fast fibre was swapped for blue ready mash OR i had a part loaner around the same time who trashed him, rode him into the ground and bruised his mouth yanking on him because she said she couldnt conrol him! Despite initially thinking he was wonderfully well behaved, which he is/was! Needless to say she soon went but the first time i rode him while she had him i complained to my friend he felt 'different' and couldnt put my finger on it and as it went on he turned spooky and on edge while hacking. But its now bin a good 5wks since loaner went and hes still 'on edge' so could it be down to the ready mash? Anyone else experienced this? I need my boy back to himself while my son has randomly decided he wants to start riding him again but i wouldnt trust him how he is at the min :( ive had my boy since he was 2 now 6 nd ive put so much into him, he was so laid back, my son learnt to ride on him! and now its gone to pot! He was like this once before when i tried him om sugarbeet! Never again! Lol

edit to say: im reluctant to jst stop using ready mash unless it could be the problem as my boy is looking amazing on it!

Oh i also swapped top line mix for plain fibre nuts but that definatly cant be the problem surely can it?
 
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Yes tgats the stuff but says low energy, although calm and condition sent my luso nuts so never sure!
Yes it was over 5wks ago since that incident and she was gone straight away, she had bruised his mouth, hes fine now and im very light with him and swapped from baucher to loose ring happy mouth
 
Have you had his teeth checked recently, I 'd have that done, but looking at the ready mash it seems to have a high cereal content, and I know a lot of people use it for fattening up, I would certainly try a change back to Fast Fibre which is non molassed sugar beet based, also a calmer such as Feedmark Steady up which helps the gut and all over steadiness.
If he responds to this, you might consider looking at the minerals in the diet, magnesium is an essential, and is very low when grass flushes in spring and in autumn, obviously he may also be reacting to sugars in the grass, I tend to give a feed before I put boy out on to spring/autumn grass, and also allow some time to eat hay in his stable, I think it is worthwhile making these changes at least for a two or three weeks and work from there.
Also try to set up a fixed routine, to settle him, include a relaxed grooming if it will help him.
As he went spooky on sugar beet........ if it was the molassed nuts, then I think he is probably more sensitive than you considered. Obvoiously no molassed / sugary treats.
 
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Where I am certain the sharer didn't help matters I expect that too many calories in and not enough energy out is the problem as with all feeds if the horse reacts to extra energy by being hyper it will react to anything that gives it more calories. Just as fat lazy good doers just get fatter and lazier if you give them oats as their usual mode is to store extra energy as fat So it depends on the type of metabolism your horse has
 
He is sugar sensitive with carrots and mollases but has always been fine with hayledge,grass and cerial based feeds but as i am cautious with cerial based feeds anyway (barefoot) when i swapped fast fibre for ready mash, i swapped baileys topline mix for plain fibre nuts, hes also on micronised linseed and alpha A oil which hes bin on since i first got him. His teeth have bin done and he does have a daily routine with feed, grooming and kisses! (hes very spoilt but not with treats or he starts nipping) he lives out 24/7 But hes never had a ridden routine and dosnt get ridden atall really in winter etc and never bats an eyelid when i get back on. Hes not a bad doer all things considered but hes never looked better than he does at the moment so the feed is doing a great job in that respect but maybe he is jst getting too many calories :( i cant win can that'l be the tb half of him! Lol
 
Have you tried the Fibre Mash from Rowan & Barbary? I don't think it's got the cereal content that the Ready Mash does, but keeps my TBX looking good, depending on what's he's doing I've had him on the Ready mash and ready mash extra, but with grass coming through he doesn't need the extra calories (or energy!) so just got him on the fibre one.
 
rowan666 said:
He is sugar sensitive with carrots and mollases but has always been fine with hayledge,grass and cerial based feeds but as i am cautious with cerial based feeds anyway (barefoot) when i swapped fast fibre for ready mash, i swapped baileys topline mix for plain fibre nuts, hes also on micronised linseed and alpha A oil which hes bin on since i first got him. His teeth have bin done and he does have a daily routine with feed, grooming and kisses! (hes very spoilt but not with treats or he starts nipping) he lives out 24/7 But hes never had a ridden routine and dosnt get ridden atall really in winter etc and never bats an eyelid when i get back on. Hes not a bad doer all things considered but hes never looked better than he does at the moment so the feed is doing a great job in that respect but maybe he is jst getting too many calories :( i cant win can that'l be the tb half of him! Lol
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Moglo is about 40% sugar I believe mixed with soya oil (pure molasses is 47% sugar) and add the barley, maize and more soya oil which have very high energy values. This is on top of whatever happens to be in the grass etc. he is also eating. Most horses may be fine with the moglo but if he's sugar sensitive...
 
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Any feed can cause a bad reaction in some horse somewhere - and I should know, we've had a few mares who have reacted to different things 1) all cereals and refined sugar but did well on alfalfa 2) alfalfa and carrots but no probs with the few occasions she has had molasses 3) glucosamine 4) magnesium. At the same times we have had others who could have all those things with no adverse reaction.
I would stop all feed except grass/hay for 3 weeks at least and then gradually re-introduce the suspect feed. You will soon know if it is that which is causing problems.
 
Very wise words I had to do that with my horse he went hyper on any molasses or sugar including carrots. If you contact the feed companies they will say no our feed has no adverse reactions the only way is cut it out and then scientifically reintroduce.
I let him have an occasional Apple Slice and the rest of his world is A and P Fast Fibre apart from when I tell him it's Fast Fibre from A& P.
 
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