Diarrhea and Gas after starting Quiessence

[chalice18]

I started my easy-keeper Morgan mare on Quiessence about three weeks ago. She is rather overweight, with a very cresty neck, so I figured it was worth a shot. She doesn’t necessarily need the calming, but I wanted to try the supplement and see how it worked. I recently (several weeks ago) also switched her to a ration balancer from the little bit of grain she was getting. Unfortunately, I don’t have much control over the amount of hay she gets, as she is not at my house…

Anyway, she seemed to do fine on the ration balancer, but since starting the Quiessence, she has been having loose stool and has been very gassy. I have given her Probios paste and treats and have Probiotics coming in her next Smartpak, but I wasn’t sure if anyone else has ever experienced this while using Quiessence?

[Gestalt]

I tried it on my horse and wasn’t impressed. If she is reacting that much you need to cut the dose. Magnesium will cause the same symptoms in people.

[2miniB]

Could also be she’s sensitive to one of the binders. Platinum Metabolic Support is one alternative.

[mswillie]

[QUOTE=chalice18;8729936]

Anyway, she seemed to do fine on the ration balancer, but since starting the Quiessence, she has been having loose stool and has been very gassy. I have given her Probios paste and treats and have Probiotics coming in her next Smartpak, but I wasn’t sure if anyone else has ever experienced this while using Quiessence?[/QUOTE]

You’re feeding her the equivalent of Milk of Magnesia and MoM is marketed as a laxative.

I’d reduce the amount you’re giving her and let her adjust to it a little at a time. Increase it to the recommended dose as she tolerates it. The loose stool and gas though isn’t unusual.

My horse had an episode of colic about six weeks ago and the vet recommended roughly the equivalent of 10 grams of magnesium in MoM per day for a week to make sure everything kept moving.

[Palm_Beach]

Why are you feeding an overweight cresty horse a rb? She probably does not need any additional concentrate, especially if she is getting free choice hay. I’d invest in a muzzle and tiny hole hay net before adding something to her diet. Quiessence is not a magic founder preventing weight loss supplement. Allegedly it can be beneficial for metabolic horses who are easy keepers and tend to be overweight. But controlling intake and regular exercise are the best things you can do to reduce risk of founder etc.

[chalice18]

Thanks all! I cut down her Quiessence today, so hopefully that will help with the diarrhea. She has a grazing muzzle and gets worked at least five days a week.

As for the ration balancer, I want to make sure she is getting all the nutrients she needs (vitamins and minerals), since she gets no grain. I am currently feeding her Barn Bag RB, but have seen some suggestions for EquiPride? Also, it appears that Remission is a popular alternative to Quiessence. What are people’s thoughts on these?

[Palm_Beach]

[QUOTE=chalice18;8731032]
Thanks all! I cut down her Quiessence today, so hopefully that will help with the diarrhea. She has a grazing muzzle and gets worked at least five days a week.

As for the ration balancer, I want to make sure she is getting all the nutrients she needs (vitamins and minerals), since she gets no grain. I am currently feeding her Barn Bag RB, but have seen some suggestions for EquiPride? Also, it appears that Remission is a popular alternative to Quiessence. What are people’s thoughts on these?[/QUOTE]

Then you can feed a vit/min supp and ditch the high protein rb.

[Pocket_Pony]

Probably the magnesium. I’ve taken magnesium to help with muscle stuff and it can really make you gassy and get the runs if you take too much of it. Not pretty!

I’d also ditch the RB - just a good vitamin/mineral supplement and feed it with some (like a cup) timothy hay pellets. A lot of RB have soy in them, which may or may not be a problem for your horse, but I know anti-inflammatory diets recommend to ditch soy-based products. When I had my pony on a RB with soy, she wasn’t her sweet self and had very moody heat cycles.

I use Remission right now because it is easier for me to get than Quiessence, and my horse does well on it.

Weirdly enough, apropos of nothing, switching my mustang from alfalfa pellets to timothy pellets seems to have perked him up a bit - go figure.

[chalice18]

[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;8731367]
I’d also ditch the RB - just a good vitamin/mineral supplement and feed it with some (like a cup) timothy hay pellets. A lot of RB have soy in them, which may or may not be a problem for your horse, but I know anti-inflammatory diets recommend to ditch soy-based products. When I had my pony on a RB with soy, she wasn’t her sweet self and had very moody heat cycles.[/QUOTE]

Do you have a favorite vitamin/mineral supplement?

[fullcircledressage]

I’ve been feeding my easy keeper SmartEssentials and I like it a lot. It’s also got the active ingredients in SmartOmega so it’s got that base covered as well.