How true is alfalfa reactivity?

[ycbm]

We have four on our yard. 2 are on feed that contain alfalfa. My 2 are on alfa a oil and alfalfa pellets. Nome of them have had a reaction or changed personality in any way.

I have owned around 50 horses in my lifetime and known closely maybe a hundred others. Only one of those was reactive, but if I hadn't been wearing my hat I'd be dead now.
.

 

[Hannahgb]

My mare turned mental on it, but was also insanely itchy, would throw herself against the stable manicly trying to scratch. She wasnt more energetic, just over the top spooky, tried to jump the stable door because a horse moved type of reaction

 

[Cortez]

I've never had a horse that reacted to alfalfa, and I used to feed a lot of it when I was in America, but I have met a few horses that went doolally on it. Alfalfa is a legume and very high in protein, it contains alkaloids that cause some reactions in sensitive horses, including protein bumps and photosensitivity. So does clover, which is also a legume BTW.

 

[Spangles]

Not sure about behaviour but I have one horse who gets something similar to mudfever on his leg (possibly photosensitivity) only when he gets alfalfa.

Does the mud fever improve/ clear up when you remove the Alfalfa ?

 

[Goldenstar]

I think the vast majority or reactive behaviour is caused by alfalfa’s high energy level
I know one horse where it causes hives
And one of mine gets a runny tummy but a lot of things give him a runny gut so I would not blame alfalfa
It’s one of my go to foods it’d a horse need more energy or high quality protein it’s also a good acid buffer but as mine are mainly dieting I don’t need it much anymore

 

[ycbm]

I don't think 100g is enough for a change in energy levels to cause the change in behaviour of the reactive one I had. He was half appaloosa with spots and that does seem to be a type that is very reactive to it, anecdotally.
.

 

[criso]

Had another KWPN mare who would try to extricate herself from her skin with the force of her acrobatics if she had a hint of alfalfa. She was definitely an ulcery candidate though. (Her owner never tested her) She also couldn't tolerate sugar beet.
Who knows!

One thing to consider is mineral content.

Both Alfalfa and Sugarbeet are high in Calcium, interesting that the mare reacted to both. If you combined that with forage that is naturally high in Calcium and a broad spectrum mineral balancer that includes it, you could be upsetting the magnesium/ calcium ratio.

I had one that couldn't cope with Sugarbeet but years later I tried t again and he was ok. Difference was I was feeding a custom mineral balancer which had no calcium and high levels of magnesium.

 

[Muddywellies]

Mine goes ballistic on alfalfa. Totally unmanageable.

 

[Gloi]

I've not had any react fortunately.

 

[Palindrome]

Does the mud fever improve/ clear up when you remove the Alfalfa ?

Yes, it clears up after a week or 2. I used to feed alfalfa pellets in winter and he would get "mud fever" like symptoms. We had a drought last Summer so I fed alfalfa pellets due to lack of grass and he started loosing hairs on his legs and the skin was red. I stopped feeding them and it healed up.

 

[poiuytrewq]

If he said there is no scientific proof behind the theory, that to me sounds silly, what/how can something like this be proven scientifically, there is no blood test or proper examination to be able to say yea or no to horses reacting to something behavioural wise.
I don’t feed it personally, I don’t mind it as an ingredient, not noticed any difference that way but I’d not feet pure alfalfa.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Alpha A oil can be like rocket fuel to some horses neither of my Arab's can have alfalfa they are literally mental on it so I haven't fed it for years.