Horse changed character, could it be down to changing to cereal feed?

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Quartz

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During the summer my horse was gentle and really well behaved. I moved him back to the stables (was in a field at my house during summer) for the winter. The first week he was still on the feed that I had been giving him at mine. Just plain granules and he was fine. He has now moved back onto the cereal feed of the stables and he is like a different horse. He is less relaxed, hope thats a good way to describe it. Usually he lets me do anything when grooming him, now hes all over the place with ears back. But riding him, hes like a looney bucking and going way to fast, posted something about that the other day. Really don't want him to be like this all winter. Do you think it is the change of feed doing it, and should I maybe talk to them about me supplying my own feed??? Any ideas, or calming suggestions (how to calm me down) greatly appreciated.
 
It could be either the food on its own, or the change of food combined with being stabled more that is making your horse loopy. Some horses seem to cope well with cereal-based feeds, but some are very sensitive and behave as you have described.

I definitely try changing the feed back to something with a lower cereal content. Is your horse stabled all the time now, or does he get turned out during the day?
 
It depends on the wether, he has only been stabled for the past week, and during that time he has been turned out everyday. I really feel its the feed, but just didn't know if it could really make a difference or not.
 
Yes, if that is the only difference in what you have been doing. Hard feed can send horses loop da loop. I have learnt not to give mine sugar beet! Sugar beet = bronky pony!

Have you moved yards too? Couldn't quite get that from your thread. Could be a change of routine, change of stable and being fed high energy food (depends on what they are feeding) can all cause a change in behaviour.

Start with going back to your normal feed and see if that makes a difference.
 
asterid said:
Yes, if that is the only difference in what you have been doing. Hard feed can send horses loop da loop. I have learnt not to give mine sugar beet! Sugar beet = bronky pony!

Have you moved yards too? Couldn't quite get that from your thread. Could be a change of routine, change of stable and being fed high energy food (depends on what they are feeding) can all cause a change in behaviour.

Start with going back to your normal feed and see if that makes a difference.
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Yes, he moved to the yard in October. But he was fine, its only this week that hes gone mad to the point where I'm getting slightly nervous about riding him. He hasn't managed to buck me off yet, but it can only be a matter of time as soon he will only be getting turned out for an hour a day. It doesn't bear thinking about how mad he will be then!!!
 
Is he on good grazing? You'd be surprised how autumn grass can create changes in horses - often moreso than spring grass. My horse has been particularly "high" lately.

Have you tried putting him on magnesium? That can be a great help, and can also benefit the quality of coat/horn.

Look at cooling mixes (Ride and Relax is good), and he does sound like a horse who won't cope so well with stabling, so keep him out as much as you can.

Also, don't forget to check all the usual - back, teeth, girth galls - sounds obvious, but you never know and it may have just been coincidence that it kicked in when there were some changes with his routine.
 
All ours are sharp at the moment, and have put it down to a combination of coming in at night and associated changes in diet, autummn grass flush, and the blustery weather. I have put mine on a mag supplement, making sure they are turned out daily and when possible, excercised everyday too. I have also put one on Allen and Page's fast fibre as needs to loose weight, which he seems to be enjoying, and is very low in calories and therefore energy.
I would certainly change the horse back to the feed you would normally give and if are worried about riding, do you have the facility to lunge before you get on?
Good luck but at least you can take comfort that others horses are acting the same way....!
 
Sidney said:
All ours are sharp at the moment, and have put it down to a combination of coming in at night and associated changes in diet, autummn grass flush, and the blustery weather. I have put mine on a mag supplement, making sure they are turned out daily and when possible, excercised everyday too. I have also put one on Allen and Page's fast fibre as needs to loose weight, which he seems to be enjoying, and is very low in calories and therefore energy.
I would certainly change the horse back to the feed you would normally give and if are worried about riding, do you have the facility to lunge before you get on?
Good luck but at least you can take comfort that others horses are acting the same way....!
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What does magnesium do for horses? I have never heard of giving it to them before. Will search the internet for mag supplements for horses. Thanks and yes it is good to know its not just my horse!!!
 
Most shop bought calmers contain magnesium, such as Naf Magic, which is supposed to be calming and especailly beneficial in Spring and Autumn when the grass may be lacking in it. If you google it you can find out more info. I buy mine neat from a horse homeopathic supplier direct as the mainstream calmers can be very expensive. When I go out to the yard I will check who I get mine from as is very reasonable, approx £10 for 900grms....
 
Just popped out to yard - I am using Mag Ox, bought from naturalhorsesupplies.co.uk and when you open the site just click on calmers and it will come up.
Hope that helps!
 
Go back to previous feed. Unless your horse is in very hard work (like a racehorse or top eventer), why would you need to feed cereals?

I stopped feeding them to my girls a couple of years ago & they are much better, calmer & happier for it. Just grass nuts & non-cereal based balancer. Also don't get seasonal silliness, as they have grass in their system as their main food (by above supplementary feed and haylage when stabled at night) all year round so no sudden changes. Keep it simple. Many horses are overfed, especially giving them cereals when their workload doesn't warrant it.
 
I won't use cereal on any horse. I use topspec balancer all year round and get no problems what so ever.
Cereal can be the course to so many problems in horses I really do not know why people use it when there is none cereal options about
 
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