Is pink mash or baileys lo cal balancer my problem?

[Shookscobbs]

Have recently changed my horse from baileys light chaff and Speedi beet to - light chaff pink mash (because of hind gut issues) and baileys lo cal balancer! He’s always very forward going anyway (sports cob) but since being in it for two weeks now, this past week he is just unbearable to ride!
not sure whether it’s the balancer or the mash ? would you take him off just the balancer and see if he improves? Or take both away?
I did do a lot of research before putting him on these feeds but you can never know as every horse is different!
I have seen more reviews about baileys balancer spicing up horses than pink mash! Am I right?

 

[Annagain]

I'd take him off both, give him nothing but hay for a few days to get it all out of his system, then introduce each thing one at a time giving a few days in between for a reaction. If you suspect it's the balancer, start with the mash and if he's ok on that, then add the balancer.

 

[Shookscobbs]

I'd take him off both, give him nothing but hay for a few days to get it all out of his system, then introduce each thing one at a time giving a few days in between for a reaction. If you suspect it's the balancer, start with the mash and if he's ok on that, then add the balancer.

Thank you for reply! It’s difficult where I’ve introduced him to two new things ? I will do that thank you x

 

[eggs]

The spring grass has also just started to come through so that may be causing his behaviour

 

[Shookscobbs]

The spring grass has also just started to come through so that may be causing his behaviour

I would usually agree but there's barely any grass in my field at the moment

 

[Roxylola]

I would usually agree but there's barely any grass in my field at the moment

It is growing though, and there is more available energy in the fresh growth unless hes literally on a bare paddock hes definitely getting something.
I was feeding baileys lo cal to my sports cob - hes forward thinking and pretty sharp but hes also in a fair amount of work and I actually swapped to the performance balancer as he just lost all his zing when they came in in october

 

[Shookscobbs]

It is growing though, and there is more available energy in the fresh growth unless hes literally on a bare paddock hes definitely getting something.
I was feeding baileys lo cal to my sports cob - hes forward thinking and pretty sharp but hes also in a fair amount of work and I actually swapped to the performance balancer as he just lost all his zing when they came in in october

that's interesting! someone has actually recommended the performance one instead to me but I think if it is the lo cal making him like this then I can't imagine the performance balancer being any different my paddock is bare enough that I hay the field daily and bad enough that its being churned over today and reseeded for the summer! although I do agree the little that he is getting could be a bit richer than usual.

 

[Roxylola]

Whats the "unbearable" bit? Full of himself? bogging off? Spooking? Bronking? Depends what you mean as there might be other causes. You mention hindgut issues, it could be those due to the change of feed

 

[Shookscobbs]

all of the above + stress! don't get me wrong he's always been a forward horse but this is just not him at alllll!
suspected hind gut ulcers, treated for 3 weeks and still having treatment now as a preventative! was completely back to normal! it has literally been since I've introduced his new feed slowly over a two week period and he has just gone a bit loopy since last Thursday

 

[Annagain]

The spring grass has also just started to come through so that may be causing his behaviour

That's the benefit of cutting out the feed for a few days, if the 'unbearable' behaviour continues after cutting out all hard feed, that would suggest the grass is contributing or it's another (gut?) issue. If it goes back to normal OP will know it's most likely the feed.

 

[Roxylola]

I'd be concerned that its the gut issues then. I go with the stop everything bucket wise for at least a couple of weeks and go from there

 

[ecb89]

Baileys lo cal sent mine absolutely loopy. Will never touch the stuff again.

 

[Equi]

Take him off everything for a good few weeks. He won’t become unhealthy for not having a balancer for a while.

 

[Shookscobbs]

Take him off everything for a good few weeks. He won’t become unhealthy for not having a balancer for a while.

definitely going to do this starting tonight! he's not one to lose weight quickly either

 

[Louby]

Ive had the same issue with both of these feeds. Baileys Lo Cal sent my pretty level headed but spooky boy crazy and Pink Mash sent my mare dangerous, as in away with the fairies! I so wanted to feed the Pink Mash as at the time I thought she may have ulcers, which was later confirmed with scoping. I read into the Pink Mash as I was surprised she was so bad but its soya based and one of the common supplements for ulcers that also sent her doolally has it in too. My understanding is Soya should be avoided in Ulcer horses, so she was either sensitive to soya or it wreaked havoc with her ulcers. 48hrs after stopping the feed, she returned to normal.
Cant you stop one at a time to see how he goes, if theres an improvement then its that particular feed.

 

[Shookscobbs]

Ive had the same issue with both of these feeds. Baileys Lo Cal sent my pretty level headed but spooky boy crazy and Pink Mash sent my mare dangerous, as in away with the fairies! I so wanted to feed the Pink Mash as at the time I thought she may have ulcers, which was later confirmed with scoping. I read into the Pink Mash as I was surprised she was so bad but its soya based and one of the common supplements for ulcers that also sent her doolally has it in too. My understanding is Soya should be avoided in Ulcer horses, so she was either sensitive to soya or it wreaked havoc with her ulcers. 48hrs after stopping the feed, she returned to normal.
Cant you stop one at a time to see how he goes, if theres an improvement then its that particular feed.

ahh this makes me feel like im not overthinking! thank you for your reply! im going to cut out both and just feed chaff and after a few weeks just introduce the mash again and see is I see a difference! I also was wondering whether it could be the soya causing an effect in there as Ive heard bad things about feeding soya based feeds.
if no different once back on the mash ill know its the balancer! but If I notice bad effects I will remove and a few weeks after retry the balancer alone and possibly go back on speed beet which he was perfect on! the only reason I switched to pink mash was because I was recommended it by a nutritionist and the hing gut health aspect!

 

[Louby]

ahh this makes me feel like im not overthinking! thank you for your reply! im going to cut out both and just feed chaff and after a few weeks just introduce the mash again and see is I see a difference! I also was wondering whether it could be the soya causing an effect in there as Ive heard bad things about feeding soya based feeds.
if no different once back on the mash ill know its the balancer! but If I notice bad effects I will remove and a few weeks after retry the balancer alone and possibly go back on speed beet which he was perfect on! the only reason I switched to pink mash was because I was recommended it by a nutritionist and the hing gut health aspect!

Sounds like a good plan. I tried the Pink Mash twice about a year apart as Id heard so many good things about it and tbh thought theres no way this has made her so loopy!! I didnt even use a weeks worth of either bag as she was scary, I said to a friend its like shes on drugs she totally lost the plot, was dangerous towards us in the field too and she was the sweetest mare usually. My baby Native is on the Lo Cal, he seems fine with it, they are all so different.
Good Luck

 

[Shookscobbs]

Sounds like a good plan. I tried the Pink Mash twice about a year apart as Id heard so many good things about it and tbh thought theres no way this has made her so loopy!! I didnt even use a weeks worth of either bag as she was scary, I said to a friend its like shes on drugs she totally lost the plot, was dangerous towards us in the field too and she was the sweetest mare usually. My baby Native is on the Lo Cal, he seems fine with it, they are all so different.
Good Luck

Thank you for your messages! Makes me think I’m not overthinking things! I got told it can make them feel good, this doesn’t seem like feel good to me! It’s like it’s made him lose the plot ?? hopefully back to normal towards next week x

 

[Cowpony]

It's actually quite hard to find a feed without soya or alfalfa in. I ended up with Thunderbrooks Base Mix (now called Synergy) and my mare is so chilled now, but has plenty of energy. Soya makes her very itchy and I'm avoiding alfalfa because she doesn't need any excuse for loopy behaviour!

 

[Cdjwannabe]

I was just going to mention the soya but others have said the same thing! My gelding can't have anything with soya in. I suspect he has hind gut issues so manage him as such. If he has anything (even a treat) with soya in, he becomes aggressive and completely unridable.
It's so frustrating because nearly every horse feed is soya based! I now feed him Spillers speedy mash with brewers yeast twice a day and he's doing great on this. He's in quite a lot of work too, and this feed seems to suit. Good luck, hope you get to the bottom of it.