Feed for the Anxious Horse (calming feed)

SirBrastias

SirBrastias

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Hi All,

I know there are a quite a few threads on what is the best calmer but I'm interested in people's suggestion for non-heating feeds.

TB ex-racer, keeps weight on remarkably well, looks very 'well'. Not spooky, very brave to a fence, hacking etc. More disposed to try and touch the scary object than shy away from it.

However, he is a very anxious chap. Finds it difficult to focus and struggles with excess energy (I would say is in medium work/fitness). It's almost like his brain is constantly running at 100miles an hour and he's thinking forty steps ahead rather than what he's meant to be doing. He's very willing and honest but sometimes he just can't control himself and he's all over the place.

He's currently fed generic pony nuts and chaff as per the livery yard routine but feel he might benefit from something more tailor made. Does anyone have any suggestions or anything that they have found to have worked?

The other, older horse is currently on A&P Veteran Vitality and it has transformed him - he's doing great! I am half wondering about trying A&A Cool & Collected but not tied to a brand.

Just to add - all checks have been completed. No obvious cause for anxiety but is under constant review. Feed is basically the last stone to be checked.

All and any suggestions welcome. I guess looking for something to help with the anxiety and make him a little more level headed and consistent.
 
It may well be a case of firstly cutting something out, than adding anything more to established diet.

Many pony nuts are heating, they can have combined ingredients of soya/grains - both of which can have an intolerance causing behavioural differences.

Mine dont do well on soya or soya hulls. I was using a ‘non-heating’ balancer that used soya instead of grains and they were both more tense on it. Cut it out, replaced with a powder balancer straight minerals, and they settled.

If the pony nuts have significant nutritional mineral/vitamin additives too, if you cut them out, you would ideally want to replace the mins/vits with something else. (If he’s not on any other vit/min food)
But initially, i’d just cut the nuts out for a week or two and monitor, before adding anything else. 2 weeks of lower nutrition wont kill them, especially in a weight holding fit horse.
 
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SirBrastias said:
Hi All,

I know there are a quite a few threads on what is the best calmer but I'm interested in people's suggestion for non-heating feeds.

TB ex-racer, keeps weight on remarkably well, looks very 'well'. Not spooky, very brave to a fence, hacking etc. More disposed to try and touch the scary object than shy away from it.

However, he is a very anxious chap. Finds it difficult to focus and struggles with excess energy (I would say is in medium work/fitness). It's almost like his brain is constantly running at 100miles an hour and he's thinking forty steps ahead rather than what he's meant to be doing. He's very willing and honest but sometimes he just can't control himself and he's all over the place.

He's currently fed generic pony nuts and chaff as per the livery yard routine but feel he might benefit from something more tailor made. Does anyone have any suggestions or anything that they have found to have worked?

The other, older horse is currently on A&P Veteran Vitality and it has transformed him - he's doing great! I am half wondering about trying A&A Cool & Collected but not tied to a brand.

Just to add - all checks have been completed. No obvious cause for anxiety but is under constant review. Feed is basically the last stone to be checked.

All and any suggestions welcome. I guess looking for something to help with the anxiety and make him a little more level headed and consistent.
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What a sweet-sounding horse.

I was wondering what sort of chaff and what sort of pony nuts are being fed.
 
Pony nuts and some chaffs are like feeding candy to a toddler. Cut them out totally. Look into some simple systems or some of the organic thunderbrooks ranges, the thunderbrooks herbal chaff is very tasty according to my horses.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm thinking we'll try cutting the chaff first and then consider swapping the nuts to something we have better control/understanding over.

It's a very big yard so they like to feed the majority the same, unless you buy your own feed in. TBH I completely understand why as the costs for running livery yards/riding schools is getting more and more difficult to manage.
 
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