Reaction to Alfalfa - your experiences

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Gingerbrat

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My normally so laid back she's horizontal horse has just turned into a really cross to ride determined to buck you off beastie. I've just changed her feed from standard chaff to alfalfa, and I'm thinking this might have caused the problem. (Saddle and teeth done recently, so ruled out the obvious ones, but getting back looked at and saddle re-checked just in case). She's also been really sensitive to groom generally. If is is the alfalfa, and I've put her back onto standard chaff, how long would it take to wear off?
 
My horse practically loses his mind when on alfalfa (& many other feeds!) Doesn't take long to get stuff out of his system,usually 2-3 days & he's back to normal.
 
My normally sane appy has turntable into a up for anything monster in the three weeks he had been in alpha beet and put on wright. He is a lami prone horse too and is only getting a very very small amount to get vits and metformin into, I'm off to start a thread asking which fibre cubes would be okay for him as he has , after three years, turned his nose up at fast fibre! Blooming horses.
 
Fig goes absolutely insane on alfalfa. Sharp and fizzy to the point of being unrideable. He's usually back to his normal self a couple of days after eating anything that disagrees with him.
 
One of mine was spooky on Alf Alfa when he first went on it. I persisted for a couple of months and it settled back down to normal, though I don't think I would have continued if he had turned into a wild bucking monster! I have heard other people say alf alfa affected their horses behaviour.
 
Ben doesn't change in mood on it, but he is barefoot, during the summer I had him on literally a small handful once a day, as soon as I upped it to about a scoop a day he was ever so slightly footy within 48 hours so I changed him to ultra grass. There is something in alfalfa that doesn't agree with him either :(
 
My horse does not suit alfalfa. First of all he comes up in hives. Then he has just so much energy on it he becomes really obnoxious.
 
My tb turned into a wild animal on alfalfa, it was extremely unpleasant trying to ride him. Hes normally so sweet but he was a bomb about to go off, but it was like he couldn't help himself.
Even the bull rider at the farm didn't want to get on him
I tried cutting the amount right down ( to get rid of the huge bag I'd bought ) but even a tiny handful was affecting him, in the end I gave it to my farrier for his horses.
It took about 5 - 7 days for him to be back to normal after stopping it.
Kx
 
I've tried various different alfalfa feed & all but 1 affect mine .I've tried Alfabeet ,Alfa oil,top spec alfalfa & Alfa A. I believe Winergy has alfalfa in it & that sent him bonkers, I tried saracen releve when he'd had ulcers & that had the same effect. I think spillers conditioning fibre has some in & he is fine on that though so assume it's only a small amount in there.
 
Related and hoping maybe someone can help me as well.

My horse was a donkey on hifi lite. Now on Alfalfa A mollases free (yard package) and is full of energy! - I called Dengie and they said theres Alfalfa in hifit lite and considering he had 3 times the amount of hifi lite vs the alfalfa A (hi lite 1and half scoops cross 2 meals vs half scoop of alfalfa A cross 2 meals) - so now is actually have less overall protein etc said his personality is unrelated to the chaff.

I know its not sugar as he's now actually have less sugar. For those of you who have also had issues did you ever try hifi?

thanks and appologies for hijacking...
 
minimex2 said:
Related and hoping maybe someone can help me as well.

My horse was a donkey on hifi lite. Now on Alfalfa A mollases free (yard package) and is full of energy! - I called Dengie and they said theres Alfalfa in hifit lite and considering he had 3 times the amount of hifi lite vs the alfalfa A (hi lite 1and half scoops cross 2 meals vs half scoop of alfalfa A cross 2 meals) - so now is actually have less overall protein etc said his personality is unrelated to the chaff.

I know its not sugar as he's now actually have less sugar. For those of you who have also had issues did you ever try hifi?

thanks and appologies for hijacking...
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I've no experience of hifi, after mine had ulcers I bought the hifi molasses free but fussy beast wouldn't even eat a handful of it & ended up giving it away! I now just use dried grass as a chaff.
 
Queenbee said:
Ben doesn't change in mood on it, but he is barefoot, during the summer I had him on literally a small handful once a day, as soon as I upped it to about a scoop a day he was ever so slightly footy within 48 hours so I changed him to ultra grass. There is something in alfalfa that doesn't agree with him either :(
Click to expand...

Erin said:
In what form was the Alfalfa that your horses reacted to? (ie Dengie Chaff, SS Lucie nuts)
Click to expand...


Ben was on Alfa a oil (dengie)
 
I never had a problem before Ben either, and a small amount was no problem. I doubt I'd have spotted any change if it weren't for the fact he is not shod and as a result I noticed an immediate effect, and was able to cut it out and again saw him revert back to normal. It was a small but definite difference. It is quite recognised though that there is something in alfalfa which some horses are intolerant to.
 
My boy was itchy when i tried him on AA..and then swapped to Hifi Lite...still the same, so dropped the stuff and AA to me, was the common factor in his change. When i stopped feeding it,... he stopped itching!
 
Both my horses have had Hi Fi molasses free with no reaction and this does contain alf alfa pellets. The one who was put on the extra pellets in his diet did then show a reaction temporarily so the actual amount does seem to affect him.
 
Hi fi lite sent my 5yr old loopy - was suprised as it has less alfalfa in it and mixed with chopped straw.....but won't risk trying it again.
 
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