New mare is loopy …. Feed change recommendations

[flippa_t]

I bought a lovely 5yr old kwpn mare at the end of May. She was responsive but sensible when I tried her.
Since she’s been home she’s been getting hotter and hotter. All was ok until she had a few weeks off with a field injury, since then lots of hacking in walk up and down hills to build strength. Hacking is ok, but back in the school now is manic. Walk is relaxed but she really winds herself up in trot, let alone canter (which I’ve just abandoned for now) and all very stressy and a bit crazy.

I’ve just had a light bulb moment that this could partly be down to her feed. She was on chaff and conditioning cubes when I tried her, but I’ve got her on baileys alfalfa blend and spillers balancer. She’s also on better grass. She’s on haylage but was on haylage previously too.

I think I’ll try taking her off the alfalfa - what chaffs do you recommend?

I’ve also treated for ulcers as she’s an introvert stress head so thought this might be an issue…. She’s just coming to the end of a month’s gastroguard, but I need a chaff I can give her before riding.

 

[Zoeypxo]

there is a few grass based chaffs out there, emerald green or thunderbrooks to name a couple.
My horse wont eat either but also has a stupid reaction to alfalfa chaffs, i now feed the molichaff mollasses free with no issues.

 

[Birker2020]

Has she been signed off by the vet or was vet intervention not necessary? Just wondering if trotting exacerbates any ongoing pain or over compensatory pain in another issue?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would certainly take her off alfalfa and probably strip out everything except grass-based feed until she is back to her normal self. I like Emerald Green grass chaff but there are several others.
We feed Aloe Vera juice routinely ever since we had an ulcer-y mare. It helps to keep the acid level down.

 

[dottylottie]

i’d change to a boring chaff and see how you get on before adding anything else in - maybe something like topchop zero or honey chop

 

[Equi]

I’d take her off all feed to begin with. If she needs to “be fed” at certain times just give a chopped carrot or apple. See if it makes a difference before starting to spend loads of money trying different foods.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I’d take her off all feed to begin with. If she needs to “be fed” at certain times just give a chopped carrot or apple. See if it makes a difference before starting to spend loads of money trying different foods.

I wouldn't feed apple or carrot to horse whose problems I was trying to get to the bottom of they are both far too sugary! And not a natural horse food.
Neither would I give oat straw chaff to a horse that doesn't need to lose weight. For OP's horse I would stick to grass, a bag of grass chaff certainly won't break the bank.

 

[Equi]

Yes nothing would be best I suppose.

 

[flippa_t]

Has she been signed off by the vet or was vet intervention not necessary? Just wondering if trotting exacerbates any ongoing pain or over compensatory pain in another issue?

she passed a really rigourous 5 stage vetting just before she arrived and was x-rayed from head to toe so confident there’s no pain. I wondered about ulcers hence the gastroguard but a month in she’s still loopy although more willing to go forward and less stroppy.

I’m also questioning her saddle. It fits well but is a wow so has a lot of movement in the tree, which I wonder if she doesn’t like in trot or canter.

But I think the feed needs changing too as she’s more jumpy in the ground too and sensitive to touch, like constantly on high alert.

 

[flippa_t]

Yes nothing would be best I suppose.

It would, but I need something to mix supplements into. And I also need to give her a handful of chaff before exercise to prevent acid splash and ulcers.

Will have a look at grass chaffs thanks.
Will also talk to the yard about feeding hay vs haylage, although she was on haylage before I got her.

 

[rabatsa]

Does she have company at home or is she an only horse? I only ask as I had a lovely quiet horse that steadily became spookier/wound up riding and it turned out to be anxiety caused by being alone. I only found this out when another horse came here on holiday and you could see mine visibly relax.

 

[splashgirl45]

My mare was loopy most of the time but once she had a field friend she really improved and was much calmer. She had been on individual turnout before as that was the yard policy, I thought she was fine on that but being with another horse proved that she wasn’t fine before

 

[teddy_]

I understand she needs a chaff before exercise, but you could feed chopped grass (as others have said). In the past I have used the TopSpec offering.

I have a 4YO KWPN mare and she has the smallest amount of Saracen Re-Leve simply to carry supplements for her sweet itch. This is made for ulcer prone horses, doesn’t heat mine up and is hydrating when fed as a mash.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If you think she has ulcers I wouldn't ride or do anything with her until your sure they have gone, I would literally stop all feed for now until she calms down then re introduce a different chaff.

 

[SEL]

I've got the Topchop grass here for feeding the one with gut problems before riding. It's sold in most feed stores and is pretty benign. I also have Simple systems hay cobs for a powder hiding mash.

For my younger cob we have the air panels on his WOW at "very firm". It was an accident over inflation during a fitting which he told us clearly he preferred, so it's now in his notes.

 

[flippa_t]

Does she have company at home or is she an only horse? I only ask as I had a lovely quiet horse that steadily became spookier/wound up riding and it turned out to be anxiety caused by being alone. I only found this out when another horse came here on holiday and you could see mine visibly relax.

That’s interesting.
She’s on individual turnout but can chat to my gelding over the fence, and is stabled next door to him (and others) too.

 

[flippa_t]

If you think she has ulcers I wouldn't ride or do anything with her until your sure they have gone, I would literally stop all feed for now until she calms down then re introduce a different chaff.

She’s just finished the 28day course and we’re tapering off. Pretty confident they are gone but want to feed chaff before I ride as a preventative.

I’ve just picked up a bag of mollichaff light and molasses free which seemed to be pretty benign and has no alfalfa in it.
I’ll try and find a grass chaff too, but the feed shop with a wider range wasn’t open today.

 

[flippa_t]

I've got the Topchop grass here for feeding the one with gut problems before riding. It's sold in most feed stores and is pretty benign. I also have Simple systems hay cobs for a powder hiding mash.

For my younger cob we have the air panels on his WOW at "very firm". It was an accident over inflation during a fitting which he told us clearly he preferred, so it's now in his notes.

Thanks. I borrowed an equitex saddle pad today and was definitely happier in that.
I’ve got the wow fitter coming tomorrow so will speak to her and see what she can do.

 

[splashgirl45]

That’s interesting.
She’s on individual turnout but can chat to my gelding over the fence, and is stabled next door to him (and others) too.

My mare was on individual turnout and I thought she was ok because she had horses in fields around her,and was stabled next to them at night but once she had a permanent companion in the field with her the behaviour improved immediately so your mare may not be as relaxed in the field as it seems.. just a thought. Just realised you’ve only had her since May and she’s gradually got hotter and hotter. Was she turned out with others in her previous home? If so I bet being on individual turnout is the main cause of her stress… couldn’t she go in with your gelding if they have already met over the fence ?

 

[flippa_t]

My mare was on individual turnout and I thought she was ok because she had horses in fields around her,and was stabled next to them at night but once she had a permanent companion in the field with her the behaviour improved immediately so your mare may not be as relaxed in the field as it seems.. just a thought. Just realised you’ve only had her since May and she’s gradually got hotter and hotter. Was she turned out with others in her previous home? If so I bet being on individual turnout is the main cause of her stress… couldn’t she go in with your gelding if they have already met over the fence ?

That’s definitely worth considering then. She was out individually at the yard I bought her from, but she hasn’t been there long and I think was out with others prior to that so could definitely be a factor.
I worry a bit about putting them out together when she’s in season, but may be worrying about nothing.

 

[splashgirl45]

Take her hind shoes off if you are worried , maybe leave them off as you aren’t going much with her at the moment. Most horses can cope without hind shoes