Feeding spooky horse

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dkwp

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I have a haflinger who is very anxious and spooky. He's a good doer who thrives on just hay and grass. He's worse if he eats molasses, alfalfa, sugar beet or clover and his feet heat up easily on rich food. I've found he's calmer if he has a magnesium supplement but he now refuses to eat Laminshield or Magnitude whatever I mix it in. He's not interested in any sort of chop but he does eat pelleted food.

Any suggestions on how to get a calmer into him or on whether I need one at all?
 
Handfull of Fast Fibre, takes 30 seconds to soak, and buy some magnesium oxide off ebay ( its pure and buy the heavy ) Its brilliant for the feet too.
you don't need to feed anything else if he's a good doer
 
AngieandBen said:
Handfull of Fast Fibre, takes 30 seconds to soak, and buy some magnesium oxide off ebay ( its pure and buy the heavy ) Its brilliant for the feet too.
you don't need to feed anything else if he's a good doer
Click to expand...

I feed fast fibre and magnesium oxide (heavy). I buy from Natural Horse Supplies, only £11.99 and it lasts 90days:)
 
dkwp said:
I have a haflinger who is very anxious and spooky. He's a good doer who thrives on just hay and grass. He's worse if he eats molasses, alfalfa, sugar beet or clover and his feet heat up easily on rich food. I've found he's calmer if he has a magnesium supplement but he now refuses to eat Laminshield or Magnitude whatever I mix it in. He's not interested in any sort of chop but he does eat pelleted food.

Any suggestions on how to get a calmer into him or on whether I need one at all?
Click to expand...

So what you are describing is a horse who is sensitive to sugar/starch and excess protein. The fact that he is calmer when fed magnesium indicates a magnesium deficiency. Feeding magnesium calmers do not actually calm a horse - they get the horse back to normal. It's important to make that distinction.

Lamishield and Magnitude are expensive ways to feed magnesium and often with cheap, gritty magnesium.

I feed the heavy grade magnesium oxide (the purest form available). To encourage him to eat it you can feed mint/fenugreek seeds/herbs alongside.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAGNESIUM...r_Equipment&hash=item3f088fab82#ht_1296wt_952
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NATIVE-HE...r_Equipment&hash=item3f07476c74#ht_1225wt_952
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENUGREEK...r_Equipment&hash=item415d0e33c3#ht_1052wt_905
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPEARMINT...ar_Equipment&hash=item4152180bbb#ht_841wt_952

I would also be feeding salt (25g a day) too.

or you can use a mineral balancer and I am 100% convinced you would see improvements in his whole health as well as temperament. (it also contains magnesium)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRO-HOOF-...r_Equipment&hash=item415ecd69e0#ht_1466wt_952

Fast Fibre is often well received.

My Tank is the same as your horse - he doesn't want any of the 'foreign food' but he will eat Fast Fibre and pure chopped hay with minerals if I add turmeric, herbs and fenugreek seeds. When I was waiting for my order to come I used Tesco's curry powder and he loved that too (50p a tub).
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. Fast Fibre has solved the problem. He loves it, even with magnesium added.

The Allen and Page helpline were great too and happily sent a free sample so I could try it before I bought a whole bag.
 
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