Turmeric

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lillybet13

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Hi
I started feeding my horse turmeric just over a week ago. He isn't the soundest, has arthiritis and an old injury to his stifle but he is in good health and is mostly sound just wouldn't withstand regular work. I only occasionally go lightly hacking - he has been like this for the past 3 years ( he is 9 years old). He has been on a joint supplement but he had been getting worse so I tried turmeric. Anyway I took him out yesterday and he was very sharp, to the point I thought I should get him off the road as he wasn't safe, he was awful to turn out, a proper handful, and I couldn't catch him 😳. In over 4 years of owning him he has never not let me catch him! But.... he felt sounder, do I keep feeding it 🤔..Had anyone else had a reaction like this?
 
It is more likely to be the spring grass. the scientifically provable results for turmeric are mixed.
 
We tried Turmeric with our 24 year old. It didn't affect her behaviour but it made her bowel movements very loose and runny. We have gone back to Cortaflex.
 
One of mine has it and I think it helps the other one can't it upsets his stomach so it's not good for all, a bit like most supplements they don't all work on all horses and some have side effects, I would guess it's down to spring grass or it could be the horse is feeling more comfortable.
 
Turmeric doesn't work for either of mine. However when my IDx was first medicated (injections in hock) he expressed his joy at being finally pain free by:

Bouncing to the field and school when being led.
When let go in the school - bucking and squealng around the school literally throwing himself in the air - just because he could. Rearing at me too!
Doing the same in the field.

No malice, no spring grass, just sheer joy! I'd never seen him do that before. He used to drag himself slowly and awkwardly to the school and field (and back again). If you let him go he'd amble off and have a roll then stand there looking at me.
 
OMG, I have exactly the same issue with turmeric at the moment. My horse has been on a really high dose, as advised by the supplement makers for about 30 days, he has Navicular. Last Monday full on explosion, rodeo me off, he has never ever bucked in his life, bolted to the field Saturday and just very spooky. I have owned him 4 years, no spring grass as very restricted due to weight gain easily. I have just been looking at his feed and have found a link (by googling) today between turmeric and spookiness and hotness etc. I am now taking him off the supplement. He is sound on the supplement, but I do not want to risk hurting myself again, I am still recovering from my last unscheduled dismount.
 
Turmeric was topic of the day a few years ago on this forum and lots of people reported the same as you ie horse suddenly full of the joys and being a handful. A lot of people put it down to them feeling pain free/less pain/more comfortable than they had been in a while.

I tried with a TB I had but I didn't notice any difference and he was really grumpy for the duration that it was fed. Mum fed it to her horse and it appeared to help him (a lot of other things were being done to help him at the same time so couldn't pinpoint just turmeric) and there was a difference when it ran out and were waiting for more delivering.

I then re-tried it with the TB as we had exhausted all other options and he did appear better on it this time around; no grumpiness, settled stomach and was moving better in the field.
 
Iv'e been using it for years without a problem but I would not start it on a high amount. Teaspoon to start, leading up to one generous tablespoon. Like any herb or spice not all horses or people can tolerate it.
If he really doesn't settle I would stop and try him on Devils Claw root if you want to stick with a natural alternative. I use the Equimins one or Hilton Herbs. The root , not powder or liquid. Please bear in mind that if you opt for DC you can't use a veterinary anti inflammatory at the same time. Alternatively you could also try Boswelia .
 
lillybet13 said:
Hi
I started feeding my horse turmeric just over a week ago. He isn't the soundest, has arthiritis and an old injury to his stifle but he is in good health and is mostly sound just wouldn't withstand regular work. I only occasionally go lightly hacking - he has been like this for the past 3 years ( he is 9 years old). He has been on a joint supplement but he had been getting worse so I tried turmeric. Anyway I took him out yesterday and he was very sharp, to the point I thought I should get him off the road as he wasn't safe, he was awful to turn out, a proper handful, and I couldn't catch him 😳. In over 4 years of owning him he has never not let me catch him! But.... he felt sounder, do I keep feeding it 🤔..Had anyone else had a reaction like this?
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Could be coincidence with he turmeric, but when the phosphates are down in the grass, horses loose magnesium in their gut and can act out of character. I am having to add 1 tsp magnesium in my mares feed as well as her calmer.
 
Rhino posted something last year showing that turmeric had zero effect. However, I applied it with sudocreme to a sarcoid that mine had had for years and it went. The vet was very puzzled.

I’ve just swapped to devils claw and boswelia. I’m interested to see results.
 
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