So I recently brought my TB to barn that feeds alfalfa cubes and he seems to be pretty full of himself more than usual. Could this be from the cubes? Would it be better to feed hay?
A lot of things could contribute to that change…
Does the barn feed hay or JUST alfalfa cubes?
Has his turnout changed?
Does he get any grain/new grain?
I can tell you from personal experience that I started feed alfalfa cubes to my geldings three months ago with no change in personality. BUT, they only get two pounds a day (soaked) and it is combined with beet (soaked) and grass hay. I added it for higher quality protien.
Butt I asked the same ? not long ago, the good COTH folks basically said its the weather and perhaps a little extra caleries. My pokey poney has been yehawin around the ring like crazy the past few weeks so you are not alone.
In my case I dont mind but I really think all hosses are doing that now.
I really doubt that alfalfa makes horses “hot.” I have a HOT TB gelding, he went from no alfalfa and now eats anywhere from 6-10lbs of alfalfa a day since we took him off of grain, and if anything he’s easier to deal with. I know all horses are different, so maybe some horses don’t deal with the high protein as well, but you should really look at what the horse is getting protein/fat wise…that’s where your increased energy would be from. Alfalfa is higher in protein than some of your complete feeds.
I had a mare of mine lose her ever loving mind on ONE OUNCE of alfalfa pellets. Yes, I started with a one ounce scoop and was going to slowly build her up to maybe 1/2 a cup for the winter (just for some flavor in her BP). By the third day on one ounce she was acting like a lunatic. I pulled it immediately and she went right back to normal. The mare is 17 and has NEVER acted like that. She was raised on alfalfa as a youngster but hadn’t had it in years. Apparently, she can’t handle it anymore. And at one ounce, that ain’t got a dang thing to do with an overload of protein.
I gave my gelding a cup of alfalfa pellets a couple of years ago without thinking about it. I was trying to get rid of the darn things. I tried to go for a trail ride with him. While grooming him out, I had the lead rope over my arm. Not wrapped around it. He started to spook and pull back. Like an idiot, I grabbed a hold of it as to not lose my horse. My arm dislocated. I was screaming, he was scrambling like an egg. He had lost his mind. I managed to get a hold of him after the pain subsided and I had calmed down. He was twitchy and itchy all over. I didn’t go for a ride that day. I hosed him off and put him away. He was too crazy to ride.
He is usually my perfect mellow fellow during grooming and tacking. I can lay the leadrope over my arm or fence and he will stay there.
So yes, alfalfa can make them lose their minds. I rode horse a couple of days later, and he was very calm as usual.
The short answer is yes, alfalfa cubes can make some horses hot.
Yes they can as can a lot of other things. I have two TB’s on alfalfa cubes but it has not made them “hot” at all - they couldn’t get anymore laid back :D.