Diet for the spooky horse

[theresak]

@candyappy

If he is still growing I would look to something other than a RB. I had my youngster on it ( max amount) and he just needed more than it could provide. The feed I have now is lower starch/ sugar and he is doing well on it at 4 pounds a day but is not hot at all. This way he gets the needed nutrients and I do not have to supplement anything else.

Not all young horses will need the extra nutrition of a complete feed. I bought a 2 year old WB (16.1h when he arrived) that is now coming 4 (17.1h?) and the whole time, he’s just been on grass, hay, and 1.5 lbs Buckeye Gro-n-Win RB. In the winter, I add about 1 lb of alfalfa pellets just to make me feel like he’s getting a treat. He actually gets a little heavy late in summer when he’s on 24/7 turnout.

As recommended by Scribbler, I’d pull everything except the grass hay and then decide depending on his age and weight if he needs just a vitamin/mineral (plus probably something for extra protein) or a ration balancer. I might even just do the grass hay/fresh grass for a few weeks.

[Scribbler]

Yes, my point was to go back to zero (all you can eat grass hay) and then evaluate. Obviously if he needs more protein or calories then those can be added. But do it based on evaluation of his actual condition.

[Lunabear1988]

I wasn’t trying to judge but probably was! I was more just surprised at how much oats and alfalfa he was getting. I’ve just always been told that ulcery types do best with low NSC so I was just surprised. And if I had a horse who I thought was spooky for reasons other than training/handling, I would be inclined to look at the current diet instead of adding supplements on top of it.

He’s coming from a barrel racer and she feeds all her horses like this. She takes good care and they all look healthy. he doesn’t really have the mentality for a barrel horse. So I’m hoping he will make a cute Dressage project instead! So far in my rides when I was buying him, he seemed to really like that type of ride.

I think he’s just young and needs his person and more time. But it will be interesting to see if or how he changes over time. Diet or environment wise.

[Lunabear1988]

it’s funny because I used to always be a little weird about alfalfa but I’ve fed it to multiple horses and mostly they’ve done good on it. Only one went nuts. So I also feel like it can get a bad reputation. I really just depends on the horse and I definitely will be playing around to see what the best fit for this guy is.

[Lunabear1988]

If it is the alfalfa though I’m not feeding him as much as she was so maybe even that will make a little bit of a difference. I don’t think I’ll be able to tell for a bit with the new barn and jitters though. He’s settling in well so far today though.

[JB]

@Lunabear1988

How complete are oats as far as vitamins and minerals though?

Very incomplete. Yes, oats and alfalfa together do create a better ca/phos rationd while 3lb oats isn’t a huge amount, it’s definitely the thing to drop for a young “looky” horse who isn’t in real work

Your vet has a much better suggesion. Either of those TC feeds would be fine. What you end up with will be some trial and error in terms of his calorie needs with your forage. Figure that 6lb of TC Sr is a serving, and 1.5lb of the balancer (assuming he’s in the 1200lb range) is a serving. Then you’re only feeding 3-4lb of the Sr but can’t feed more due to calories, you’d add 1/2 a serving of the balancer (or switch to TC Lite). If you’re feeding1.5lb of the balancer and he needs a boost, you can go to 2lb, or add a couple pounds alfalfa pellets, or add a couple pounds of TC Sr.

[candyappy]

@theresak

Not all young horses will need the extra nutrition of a complete feed.

I know. Most all of the horses I have raised myself didn’t need it either and did great on just good hay, but my current one does so I was just pointing that out since the OP already is feeding a decent amount of oats and pellets.

[JB]

@theresak

Not all young horses will need the extra nutrition of a complete feed. I bought a 2 year old WB (16.1h when her arrived) that is now coming 4 (17.1h?) and the whole time, he’s just been on grass, hay, and 1.5 lbs Buckeye Gro-n-Win RB.

In this context, I would replace “nutrition” with “calories”.

the balancer is providing roughly the same nutrition in that 1.5lb, as the minimal-ish amount required of a regular feed.

[Lunabear1988]

That’s definitely along the lines of what I was thinking.

[walktrot]

I have a spooky horse. I bought him off a trailer that had just rolled into Maine from Iowa. He is 26 now, but was just coming 7 when I bought him. BO (who was with me) had one of the barn rat teenagers get on him first in case he was nuts. He wasn’t. But it took me a while to figure him out. I had a lousy seat so I had problems sticking with him. It took a while, but I did not “train” him to cure the spookiness. He got better as the years went by, and I got better too. It is an unusual occurrence these days but now I get compliments on the save.

Noises are his problem, especially sudden loud noises or rustling leaves. I was working with a certified trainer (not Parelli). She hopped on him, told her mother to go into the wooded area and get ready to rustle the leaves when she got the word. Mom really rustled the leaves and trainer was on the ground instantly. We revised the process and started over with quieter leaves and mom closer to the tree line. He did okay, but that’s when I had an idea of what his problem is. Noises. He looks suspiciously at things that are not supposed to be where they are but he doesn’t spook - no noises. The combination of my becoming a better rider and his spookiness subsiding as he got older are what worked. It’s not completely gone. He still may react to a noise in wrong place or something really loud. Or rustling leaves. Nobody believes me when I tell them about the carnivorous chipmunk on the attack. It charged right at us rustling some leaves big time. We lived through it.

If a horse is a “looker” and keeps an eye on the universe looking for something deadly, he’s not paying attention to you. You are most likely doing the same thing - looking in anticipation, rather than paying enough attention to your riding. They are so fast when they spook that you won’t know what happened until after the entire process is complete. He jumps to the left. I created a mid-air correction to land on my left butt. There are enough little changes in your body that your horse gets the message: “We have to keep our eyes open, there could be an attack.” There still is a lot of disagreement about whether you should go to the problem so he can analyze it. If the plan was to walk by nonstop then work on that. I still have to know where the deer tend to be in the spring with fawns, and during hunting season in November.

My horse is pasture boarded with free choice hay. I’m not sure how you would analyze his food sources so you can pick out a combination that will calm him down. Spooking is hard-wired.

[Lunabear1988]

Thanks for the input. As said above, I went into this expecting this to be the horse I have but I still personally think changing his diet is a good idea.

Spooking under saddle usually doesn’t phase me to much. Especially since I’m a Dressage rider, I just feel I have tools to deal with these days! The only time I’ve ever been unseated by a spook was about 12 years ago. It was on a green OTTB, cold day, leaves blowing and a huge semi went by (arena was by a highway.) He bucked though- wasn’t a simple spook. Knock on wood that that trend continues for me.

This guy, is a 4 year old with probably only truly 90 ish days of real undersaddle training. The lady was upfront that he was looky. During my test rides I had no issues, he did spook but very small and no issues. The longer I rode him the less spooky he was because I engaged his mind and body. I was impressed because he definitely is a spooky guy, very aware.I mean across the street he could see kids jumping on a trampoline, horses running and a tractor. He was very sane given that. He’s trying to be as good and sane as he can be.

He will be hanging out with me, working lightly on the ground with a colt starter for a month or two. Then he will be going into training with a wonderful Eventer. She always seems to produce calm and confident horses out of her program. again I’m not asking anybody or any diet to change who he is. But I think right now he’s just a green horse that’s a little unconfident.

[Lunabear1988]

I thought I would update how things are going. We are still transitioning to his new diet. He’s still on grass hay, alfalfa pellets (but dropped the extra alfalfa hay) a little oats and Triple Crown Senior. He soon will just be on TC senior, no oats. I think I eventually will drop the amount of alfalfa pellets too, depends on the weight.

I have no idea if it’s having a regular person, good ground work or the diet change (which isn’t done yet) but I was easily able to drop the calming supplement. He still can be “snorty” about some things but I think his spooks have lessened in their frequency and intensity. He really tries to work through his nerves. And he really does well at “getting to the other side” of it mentally.

[pn]

[pn]

[Kaluna]

Yea, this is not uncommon for a young horse.

I don’t feed oats - they don’t have much nutrition. People put “spooky” horses on ulcer supplements whether they are needed or not if the horse seems “spooky”.

Where are you? Where did he come from? Alfalfa hay is better than pellets-pellets are mostly made from stem and less leaf. But alfalfa in high in calcium which is a great way to neutralize stomach acid which can cause ulcers. You can also have him scoped to see what your dealing with. I do that cuz the price pays for itself in supplements and stuff, and I open this info to buyers. I’d keep alfalfa hay, even compressed bales. Ditch the pellets. Get him scoped to see if ulcers are a management issue or not.

The feed also depends on how hard of a keeper he is. All of my horses have some balancer and some have partial balancer and partial grain (fortified) for calories. Oats aren’t fortified. Some hard keepers need beet pulp and added oil and I’m good with that. Some hard keepers need high calorie feed like Nutrena Proforce or Purina… Purina… I know they have a similar feed. I’m not one to starve hot horses and everyone gets a balanced diet. I pay attention to diet.

Yea, I’d ditch the calming supplements. I don’t know that any of them work and I want to know how the horse actually is and address that head on.

[Lunabear1988]

I updated a bit above. He’s on a triple crown product now, no oats, no calming supplements. I do still have him on some alfalfa pellets. I agree that alfalfa hay is better but isn’t really an option at the boarding barn we are currently at. He’s on a ulcer supplement but all my horses stay one, for prevention, hopefully.

I don’t peg him as an ulcery guy actually. I think he’s mostly just young and still figuring out the world. I do think the new diet has helped a little bit. I think having a regular routine now helps him the most.