Nupafeed calmer doing quite the opposite?! What next?

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BeckyD

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I'd really appreciate some guidance on whether anyone else has had their horse actually get worse on Nupafeed calmer? Me and another lady on my yard had put our horses on it as they're both prone to getting in a tizz in the field and stable and losing weight from fretting. My horse wasn't very spooky when ridden, hers was.

Since going on nupafeed they've both got a LOT worse. Things like haynets lying on the floor are sending them crazy, Ronnie had a heart attack at a rug lying on the floor. Ridden spooking is a lot worse, verging on dangerous now. Plus, field/stable behaviour still as bad if not worse.

So, assuming we take them off the nupafeed as that's been over a month now and no joy, where do we go from here? I thought Nupafeed was the best thing but clearly isn't working for our two.

If anyone else had this problem, was there something that DID work? Both are TB geldings (one full TB, one crossed with native).
 
I tried my young TB Nupafeed and it certainly didn't make her calmer but I don't think it made her worse. I have however tried my pony on a herbal magnesium based calming remedy and that certainly made him more hyped up and nervous. He was getting worse and worse. When I took him off it it took 2/3 weeks to go back to normal. He is quite a nervy pony but manageable without any supplements.

I think there was a definate link with the supplement.
 
A few years ago I went on a Pammy Hutoon dressage clinic with my youngster. It was the first time he had ever been in an indoor school and as there were quite a few other horses on the same course, it was all a bit much for him to cope with.
Pammy Hutton said 'get that horse on Nupafeed', which I duly did.
It was actually the YO who said after a week or so that she really didn't think the supplement was doing my horse any favours as he was actually far more spooky and stressy than before. I took him off the nupafeed and he returned to just being a normal green youngster. So I'd have to say that I guess Nupafeed doesn't necessarily work for all horses.
I was rather put off trying any other calmers after this experience, but I'm sure I've read on this forum that other people have had good experiences with other products - perhaps try a search through back issues?
 
I have been looking at calmers this week for my mare...due to sometimes she can be really stressed in the morning to go out in the field. We do all the handling techniques but sometimes she is just so agitated nothing helps. She is a tb btw!! Having said that she has been perfect for the last two days!!!
So we wondered if may be a calmer would help her...I have looked at many types and talked to some of the companies about their products. I wanted a herb based one really so didnt go for the nupafeed one. My mare is a fussy eater so asked for samples - some wouldnt, some would.
I was advised (not by any of the companies) that a magnesium supplement would only help a horse if it is tested to be deficient in it..as the body just discards what it doesnt need through its toilet. So unless you specifically know your horse shows deficiency in this there really isnt any point to giving it.
I have noticed that Global Herbs (who were incredibly helpful) do a calmer for Thoroughbred horses (fine boned horses) as some people find some calmers can be too aggressive and have adverse affects. This may be worth you looking at.
 
I was offered a 3/4 full bottle of nupafeed by a friend, because she felt it made her horse worse (he was cantering around the stable after a week on it apparently!) but it worked for my stressy pony so I bought it off her.

So maybe depends on the mineral needs of each particular horse?
 
I think you're right. Bearing in mind both horses on my yard have got worse on it, it could be that the forage isn't magnesium deficient and so it's not doing them any good.

I've spoken to Nupafeed today who are utterly baffled, and not experienced this before. They're speaking to their vet in case it could be something like a kidney problem or something (hope not!) preventing uptake. In the meantime I'm taking him off it and seeing if he chills out a bit.

Bless him poor chap, I was trying to calm him down, not make him worse!
 
There are so many to choose from...it can be difficult to know if you are choosing the right one or not for your horse!
Mine is a fussy eater...so if she doesnt take the sample it is pointless buying the whole tub/bottle..no matter how palatable they say it is or how fantastic it is..she will tell it is in the feed from 50 miles away and think we are poisoning her!!!
She is a sensitive girl...and we are often saying 'why did she do that'!!! so we are often investigating...like... is the moon in a certain orbit...are birds calling in a different note!!!!
Good luck with your horsey...hope sanity is resumed!
 
Nupafeed does work for me and the manufactuers were v helpful about dosing amounts etc. Sorry it hasn't worked for you and hope that you do find a solution!
 
So Kalm was great for our pony but the Global Herbs sent him loopy
confused.gif
 
I tried Nupafeed and it didn't work at all. I then decided to go back to basics and think what was making my horse fizzy. My instructor said to stop the Cod Liver Oil as she had experiences of this making horses daft.

I then found out Molassas, Sugerbeet and Alfalf were also a non no. SO I then went to Allan and Page's Ride and Relax with fantastic reults.
 
I have used Nupafeed with great success on one horse but on another I tried a magnesium supplement and she went daft. I stress though that it was not nupafeed used on the second horse. From my experience and observind friends magnesium generally has an effect and on some it's good but on others it's...interesting shall we say!
 
Well I'm very glad he's not the only one. He's been off it now since last week (last dose was on Wednesday) and the YO says he's back to his old self (still stressy, as that's why we tried it in the first place, but not tense and panicky like he got). It was horrid him being like that, he just *looked* unhappy. Bless him, but you just don't know and so many people swear by it.
 
I would also suggest the Global Herbs Thoroughbred calmer. I tried everything with mine - he gets very stressed out (windsucker) and when riding was very unpredictable. I tried Top Spec, Wendalls, Magnesium (every version) and also the Global Herbs supercalm and none of them did anything. I then tried the Global Herbs TB calmer and the difference was noticeable within 3 days. You need to load up in the first couple of weeks, so 1 tub goes very quickly so it is expensive (£20 for 3 weeks) but then you go on the maintenance rate and it is more affordable.

I tested it by taking him off it. The first week he was fine as he still had it in his system. The next week he went back to hyper fizzy and would only lead on 2 legs sideways. We have settled on the maintenance dose which just takes the edge off - he still has his moments but he does tend to think about things first now and I find he does concentrate more in the school so isnt just going round looking for things to spook at. He still windsucks but I think this is more habit rather than actual stress!
 
Excellent, thank you for the suggestion! he's on Brewer's Yeast at the mo and seems much better (not brilliant but more normal!). If I have problems again I'll try the TB calmer.

Thank you!
 
i have had my nutty tb mare on the nupa feed calmer for a week on the loading dose,she as got more aggressive cant catch her and alot more jumpy,she is in season so could be a factor but she is being a complete nightmare i dont know whether to give it another week or just take her off it
 
I had the same thing. I used Nupafeed on my gelding for separation anxiety and it worked well. Tried it on my mare when we had a few issues out hacking and it sent her loopy, made hacking much worse to the point of bein dangerous and she was constantly jumpy and edgy I spoke to Nupafeed and they said that they had had this reported before but very rarely.
 
I tried Nupafeed, Magic syringes and ProKalm, they all helped with spookyness but made her slugglish and lazy so took her off them as preferred to have some energy back - the only way I've been able to improve her is with schooling to be honest, she still is pretty spooky in the field and can get quite scared but getting easier to handle.

Magic syringes were the best I thought, but I only used as and when needed.
 
i was at my local feed merchants buying my usual TB calmer from global herbs and the rep from global herbs happened to be there. I asked her what the difference was between their usual calmer and and the TB calmer. She said that the only difference was that there was no magnesium in the TB calmer. She said that Magnesium doesn't work as well on TB and other fine boned horses so they don't put it in the TB one.

I've just the TB calmer for ages. The best one that i've used as a maintenance calmer.
 
I've tried most of the calmers on my TBx and all have been useless.

I took a lot of advice from Nupafeed themselves, used their product and stuck to their instructions religiously and no positive effect was seen at all - a very expensive exercise!

What I have done now is taken all the molasses/sugar out of my horses diet and there does seem to be a significant improvement. The most effective feed I have found has been Cool & Condition Cubes which has no cereals in it so maybe give that a try?? And no sugar means no carrots, apples, mints and certainly no Horse Licks!!

Every horse is different but I hope you find your answer!:)
 
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