Feeding hot headed TB

kimberleigh

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Its been suggested I look for an alternative feed for my 5 year old gelding (ex racer), he currently has a scoop of Alfa-a oil, half a scoop pasture cubes and 500g equilibra feed balancer per day but gets very stressy and over excited so I want to try changing feed to see if it makes a difference!

I am going to cut out the cubes and just give the balancer plus an alternative to the Alfa-a oil so looking for recommendations please :)

He gets 8 hours daily turnout on good grass and adlib hay at night
 
I have swapped to honeychop plain chaff with his equilibra balancer and added a magnesium supplement so will see how it goes!


My other half used to run a racing yard and is adamant he wont cope on this but Ive told him there are plenty of people on here who would disagree haha
 
If my Arabs need weight I feed them graze on the green bag it's just chopped grass, unmolassed sugar beet, micronised linseed and if they need it I add cool stance copra, one of mine used to get alpha a oil but it blew his mind it does have that effect on some horses, but I find feeding all of the above keeps them calm but looking good.
 
Mine is on a forage only diet and gets no hard feed whatsover, just a balancer and joint supplement in a small handful of molasses free chaff. He's a full up 16.2 and he keeps his weight despite being ridden 6 days a week.
 
Have you tried without the alfalfa? It sends my OTTB nuts.

Soaked rolled oats and micronised linseed will give condition with no extra energy.

Mollichaff calmer is a great no alfa chaff.

The winergy condition is great for mine but he can only have max 3 scoops a day due to the alfa content (he is a very poor poor doer!).

The elite equine megabuild has been brilliant too. Amino acid based supplement that bulks them up quickly with no added fizz.
 
It does seem that alfa a oil sends a lot of horses a little loopy so Im keeping an eye out for any changes now that he isnt on it!

When he starts working a bit more I know I will have to add a little something as hes looking a little light already and he isnt doing anything much at all yet, so will try some of the suggestions here :)
 
My TB ex racer (6 yrs old) was on Baileys Alfalfa plus Oil, and a vit/mineral supplement and a probiotic mash. He was nuts most of the time. I switched totally to Thunderbrook Equestrian's Base Mix with their Healthy Herbal Chaff. It has everything in it - magnesium, pre and probiotics, so I don't need to add a balancer, don't need mag calmers, don't need vit mineral supplements etc. He's on very very little of it, plus add lib hay (which is of dubious quality) and looks wonderful, keeps weight on, and is now a joy to handle and ride. It was recommended to me and I can heartily recommend it too.
 
He doesn't like the honeychop plain chaff!

Just bought some micronised linseed and he has his balancer anyway - Mollichaff Calmer seems a good bet as it is probably more palatable...hopefully he will get on with that given its molasses and alfalfa free!
 
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