Happy Hoof sending my 6 year old potty!

ReggiePerrin

ReggiePerrin

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So total novice owner fail. I've had Barney for 9 weeks now and we lurch from one drama to the next!! He's generally got a lovely personality, likes to be around people and/or horses and is very nosey. He's already been to Liphook but since he's been home he's been lovely. Until about 2 weeks ago when he started to turn into a total pain, chucking his head about when ridden, never settling in his stable, chucking his feed bucket around, not wanting to be caught etc etc. I initially thought it was the linseed so cut this out but it's been getting worse.

He lives out 24/7 and they're getting some hay in the field but I was worried that he wasn't getting enough fibre. Being a numpty novice, I thought happy hoof was harmless so upped his ration, but now I've found posts on here saying that the molassess in it can send some loopy. Sigh! So I've cut it right back and I'm now looking for an alternative. He has to have something as his field mate gets a massive breakfast and tea. Any suggestions for a non heating chaff?

Oh and the insurance have said today that they're not paying out for his Liphook stay - joy of joys!

Wine and canapes for all who got this far!
 
Happy Hoof is meant for laminitics so the amount of mollasses must be very low. I think more likely your chap is now finding his feet in his new home and is testing the boundaries a bit. Don't forget that with the mild autumn the grass is in better shape than normal for this time of the year. I've got plants flowering in my garden that should be dormant right now.
 
I know it makes no sense at all but there are other people on here that say it sends their's off the wall and they revert to type as soon as they've taken them off it. I'm sure some of it is him finding his feet but it's just too much of a coincidence that his behaviour changed so dramatically as soon as I upped his feed. I also get that there's masses of horses that can eat it all day without anything happening. It's got to be worth trying him on something else though, just in case it is that, rather than assuming it's just him being a toddler.
 
Some horses are more sugar sensitive than others. Just because a pretty feed bag says its for lami's doesnt actually mean its suitable to feed them it - you need to be reading the labels very carefully and looking at the ingredients. If I had a lami she wouldnt be getting so much as a whiff of mollasses.

Im using just grass as a chaff, flash dried mixed grasses with linseed and pro hoof supplement, dampen to feed, done :)

If your chap has had a lot of changes recently id be careful swapping his feed around willy nilly, it takes 3 weeks for their gut flora to settle to a new feed.

If possible ad lib hay would be best, so he can trickle feed all the time which is what their stomachs are designed to do - if not two or three small meals are better than one massive one :)
 
you may find its because its alfalfa based - which is relativly high protein - and know to send some horses loopy

i'm 99% sure that the only lamanitic chaff without alfalfa is dodson & horrel safe and sound - but do a little bit of homework first as i cant find ingredients on their website to make sure! if it says lucerne thats also alfalfa ;)

ps - just read above - dried grass is higher energy than most lamanitic chaffs btw - and i cant find the suger contact of dried grass but grazing is typically 20% sugar - safe and sound is 5% sugar
 
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I have used happy hoof in the past and asked spillers to send me the nutritonal breakdown of it. I can tell you there is nothing in happy hoof that would send him loopy, its for laminitics after all. When feed causes excitable behaviour its due to cereal starch, there isnt any cereals in happy hoof so it is def not that!

Youve had this horse 9 weeks, he is prob just feeling his feet and as others have said the grass can be like rocket fuel at this time of year. Grass contains more sugar than anything else.
 
posie_honey said:
you may find its because its alfalfa based - which is relativly high protein - and know to send some horses loopy

i'm 99% sure that the only lamanitic chaff without alfalfa is dodson & horrel safe and sound - but do a little bit of homework first as i cant find ingredients on their website to make sure! if it says lucerne thats also alfalfa ;)
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Protein does not send horses loopy. Horses do not use protein as an energy source that is an extremley old myth! Energy high energy feeds contain higher levels of protein which is why the myth started but it 100% definatley does not. Cereals send horses loopy not protein. and i think you will find happy hoof is mostly chopped straw!
 
If you want to increase his fibre intake then just give him some extra hay when his fieldmate gets his breakfast - much cheaper than buying chaff! Out of interest, what was he in Liphook for - could this be related to his deteriorating behaviour?
 
Trot_On_Dressage said:
Protein does not send horses loopy. Horses do not use protein as an energy source that is an extremley old myth! Energy high energy feeds contain higher levels of protein which is why the myth started but it 100% definatley does not. Cereals send horses loopy not protein. and i think you will find happy hoof is mostly chopped straw!
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ok
but its could still be the alfalfa content of it - i knoow it also sent my mare loopy - and i eventually worked out that was the cause - i swapped to a straw based chaff (as i said above pretty sure it was safe n sound) and she was fine on it - the only difference between the two is the alfalfa - so regardless of if you agree with the protein = loopy horse theory or not - the alfalfa could be the cause
 
TigerTail said:
Some horses are more sugar sensitive than others. Just because a pretty feed bag says its for lami's doesnt actually mean its suitable to feed them it - you need to be reading the labels very carefully and looking at the ingredients. If I had a lami she wouldnt be getting so much as a whiff of mollasses.

Im using just grass as a chaff, flash dried mixed grasses with linseed and pro hoof supplement, dampen to feed, done :)

If your chap has had a lot of changes recently id be careful swapping his feed around willy nilly, it takes 3 weeks for their gut flora to settle to a new feed.

If possible ad lib hay would be best, so he can trickle feed all the time which is what their stomachs are designed to do - if not two or three small meals are better than one massive one :)
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Do you actually now anything about laminitis? If a product is approved by the laminitis trust and for ponies prone to laminitis it HAS to be suitable for them! I think maybe feed companies may know a little more than some people on here about nutriton! Most have vet consultants on their teams by the way. I love the fact everyone always thinks they now better than everyone else, even scientists who have many degrees in equine nutrition!
 
We have someone on our yard who has a mare who also goes nuts with Happy Hoof, so I don't think you are imagining this. Think she now uses Good Doer and all seems much calmer.
 
posie_honey said:
ok
but its could still be the alfalfa content of it - i knoow it also sent my mare loopy - and i eventually worked out that was the cause - i swapped to a straw based chaff (as i said above pretty sure it was safe n sound) and she was fine on it - the only difference between the two is the alfalfa - so regardless of if you agree with the protein = loopy horse theory or not - the alfalfa could be the cause
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I am pretty sure happy hoof contains mostly straw. OP contact the makers of it and they will helpfully tell you. Sorry i get a bit heated talking about nutrition, i used to work for a feed company and am nutritionally trained. It is quite shocking how much the equine community do not know about feeding. Even bhs exams do not cover it really. And vets also call up care-lines asking them for advice too!
 
I have the hotest of hot TB, he gets happy hoof, kwik beet and a balancer. As T_O_D says its the cereal that causes the problems. I felt broke once and instead of the Balancer I put him on D&H sixteen plus, big mistake. Alpha A is also a no go for a fizzy horse.
 
Merry Crisis said:
I have the hotest of hot TB, he gets happy hoof, kwik beet and a balancer. As T_O_D says its the cereal that causes the problems. I felt broke once and instead of the Balancer I put him on D&H sixteen plus, big mistake. Alpha A is also a no go for a fizzy horse.
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Exactly Merry Crisis at last someone who knows what they are talking about. :)

Sixteen plus is a mix so could have caused excitablity as contains cereals.
 
My mare was always fed half a scoop of Good doer until a couple of years ago when she had laminitis. Both my Vet and the Laminitis Trust recommend I fed 1 scoop of Happy Hoof am and pm, she has been fed this with soaked hay for 2years now and has been fine.
 
Trot_On_Dressage said:
I am pretty sure happy hoof contains mostly straw. OP contact the makers of it and they will helpfully tell you. Sorry i get a bit heated talking about nutrition, i used to work for a feed company and am nutritionally trained. It is quite shocking how much the equine community do not know about feeding. Even bhs exams do not cover it really. And vets also call up care-lines asking them for advice too!
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yup dont worry - i've now googled and stand corrected lol

http://lucernefarms.com/Seminole Happy Hoof Oct 26.pdf
here we go - has alfalfa pellets in - knew it :p
 
I am going to say something controversial which i am sure will create an argument but i think rather than chopped straw being the cause of your horses behaviour it is mostly likely due to some factors:

1. You are a novice horse owner, you may not be handling him corectly. Obviously without knowing you or seeing you i can not comment on this.
2. You have had him 9 weeks! He is settling in, he is finding his feet and perhaps knows you are a novice and testing his boundaries.
3. He has a naughty character.
4. Not enough excercise.
5. Not enough turnout.
6. In the 9 weeks you have had him he also went somewhere else meaning in 9 weeks his has been at 3 different places. This is enough for any horse to start feeling nervous which could be coming out as naughtiness.
7. Saddle.back, teeth.
8. I could go on
 
and the overall % of alfalfa in the pellet is not going to bloomin well cause excitanle behaviour! Gees!

Here's a conundrum for everyone. What do race horse trainers feed their horses. I dont think they feed happy hoof! Or pellets with the smallest amount of alfalfa in! Or maybe that is something they do not know yet!!
 
Trot_On_Dressage said:
and the overall % of alfalfa in the pellet is not going to bloomin well cause excitanle behaviour! Gees!

Here's a conundrum for everyone. What do race horse trainers feed their horses. I dont think they feed happy hoof! Or pellets with the smallest amount of alfalfa in! Or maybe that is something they do not know yet!!
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"Please tell us Mr Nicholls, what is your secret, how DO you manage to win so many top races?" " Well I put it all down to their feed, Happy Hoof"!! lol.
 
ok - i will only mention alfaflippingalfa one more time - i do actually agree with your list as i do think in this instance - considering time frame etc - that it may well be a combination of your thoughts - and possibly the A-word - but please do at least consider the reaction some horses have on it - my horse turns down right dangerous - the rest of the time i feed her on power and performance to add a bit of zing for eventing and hunting - when i've accidently fed her on alfalfa based feed (their calm and condition for example - stupidly didnt read ingredients) she is hedious - i've tried many combinations of feeds over the years and alfalfa - even in tiny quantities - does cause this extreem reaction for her
 
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