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Calming Supplements for HOT Ex-stallion?

8K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  hrsrdr 
#1 ·
My 11-year old TB has been really hot lately (I mean like so hot I can't get the saddle on lately because he freaks out). This is the first spring we've had him, and he was a stud for 10 years of his life (he was gelded last year) so I think he's probably just feeling like a stallion now that its breeding season, although he supposedly never bred. But its getting to be extremely annoying; he is also cold-backed (see my other thread) and I can't even mount him these past few days. I am trying taking him off what little pasture is growing now, and also I just took him off his joint supplement since I put him on a new one recently and wonder if that is contributing. I will let you know if that yields any results. Other than that nothing has changed recently in his routine. So I'm considering getting maybe calming supplements, like magnesium or Vit B for him, as the reviews on SmartPak say they help some horses. What do you think? Has anyone had this issue before with a stallion in the spring, or any experience with calming supplements?
 
#3 ·
He gets about 25 lbs of grass hay per day (the hay has a tiny bit of alfalfa, like 10 or 15 %, but he's been on it for a year so I don't think that's the problem), plus 4 lbs Purina Senior feed. He also gets 1 oz (1 SmartPak well) of the digestive supplement TractGard. Lately (I just took him off of it) he has been also getting 2 oz (2 SmartPak wells) of Absorbine Flex+Max joint supplement per day.

I actually have noticed a difference, the past three days he's been off the joint supplement! I really think that's been most of the problem, but I won't know for sure until I try to mount him later today. :P He's been off pasture for a week now so maybe that's helped too. Unless anyone can spot any other potential problems with his diet? Or has advice on handling an ex-stallion or a stallion in the spring? Has anyone had issues with their horse getting hot on pasture grass in the spring? He was fine on the same pasture last summer/fall...
 
#4 ·
I have a mare that gets stupid on grass in the spring
Also keep in mind that Purina Senior is grain based feed but being in CO that is probably about the only brand you can get easily.

Is he a hard keeper? Why is he on Senior feed?
 
#5 ·
I'd stay with the Senior but cut out any vitamin supplements. Seniors is a balanced feed that also aids digestion so feeding the others means you are making expensive poop and possibly overdosing some vitamins or minerals. I start out with just hay and only if the horse should start to lose weight would I add a pelleted feed or oats.
 
#8 ·
Yeah I'm very wary of overfeeding grain. I've always been taught that hay feeding is the best for horses, being grazers that they are. Also my horse is a very hard keeper (hence the Senior Feed and TractGard) but he gets hot very easily, so I have to be extremely careful of what I feed. Do you think I should take him off the TractGard? It is a fairly inexpensive supplement that is supposed to help with ulcers, and my horse has a history of being treated for ulcers in the past so I worry about them. It also has electrolytes and is supposed to help hydrate the GI tract. But if it is making him poop more then I'm all for taking him off! I do think it helps him keep his weight though.

I like to get my supplements from SmartPak; they have two supplements that are inexpensive and supposedly "calming"--Magnesium and Vit B1. I have absolutely no experience with calming supplements! Anyone tried these? Also any recommendations for a good, cheaper joint supplement (under $40) that doesn't make the horses hot?! :P
 
#10 ·
I have heard good things about that supplement. It's just a little more expensive than my budget wants to allow at the moment! I will keep that in consideration though, thank you.
 
#11 ·
try adding some rice bran and increase the senior up to 6lbs which is the min OR
you could switch to Enrich 32, with up to 2lbs of rice bran and some hay pellets and of course free choice hay
I would keep him on a ulcer supplement since he has a history of having issues with them but I would also remove all grains from his diet and replace them with fats and alfalfa pellets
 
#12 ·
My 11-year old TB has been really hot lately (I mean like so hot I can't get the saddle on lately because he freaks out). This is the first spring we've had him, and he was a stud for 10 years of his life (he was gelded last year) so I think he's probably just feeling like a stallion now that its breeding season, although he supposedly never bred. But its getting to be extremely annoying; he is also cold-backed (see my other thread) and I can't even mount him these past few days. I am trying taking him off what little pasture is growing now, and also I just took him off his joint supplement since I put him on a new one recently and wonder if that is contributing. I will let you know if that yields any results. Other than that nothing has changed recently in his routine. So I'm considering getting maybe calming supplements, like magnesium or Vit B for him, as the reviews on SmartPak say they help some horses. What do you think? Has anyone had this issue before with a stallion in the spring, or any experience with calming supplements?
I highly recommend a supplement from springtimeinc.com called Daily Calm. I've used it on two of my TB mares and it has worked wonders. Even after cutting the dose by half once they started responding. It doesn't make them at all dull either. I say more like it helps them to stop and think before acting up. I also second the rice bran. Both my mares are on a simple oats and rice bran diet with a simple multi vitamin supplement. They also get pasture and then hay in the winter.
 
#13 ·
I didn't realize there was a "minimum" for feeding Senior Feed. I know they have the charts on back but I've usually found those to be unhelpful and cause you to overfeed, at least with other brands...I tend to think of them as marketing for the feed company. After all, they tell you to use a little more than necessary, so you buy more, right? 4 lbs a day is actually working pretty well for my horse's weight, but is he lacking vitamins because of missing an extra 2 lbs?

Peggysue and Crossover, thank you for your input; I am very wary of putting alfalfa pellets into my horse's diet as alfalfa very quickly makes him hot. I don't have any experience with rice bran, though; what exactly does that do for them?

I'm reluctant to make too many changes to his diet at the moment; his weight is keeping up beautifully with his current grass hay, TractGard and Senior Feed and I don't want to mess that up or buy anything I don't need. I'm open to suggestions, but I'm mainly posting here about the joint and calming supplements. My horse definitely needs a joint supplement, with his history as a Steeplechaser and then eventer. His joints are pretty run down for a horse his age. I just need a good, inexpensive one that doesn't make him hot! What do you guys feed for joints?

And the calming supplements too, obviously. Crossover, how much Daily Calm is in a daily dose and how much does it cost per month?
 
#14 ·
do you have a pic of him? If he wereMINE I would go with Enrich32 at least 1lb a day then add up to 2lbs of rice bran for the added calories.

If I remember correctly Purina Senior has alfalfa in it as well as the grains so double whammy to a horse that tends to get hot

the min is for the nutrition and yes it is too much for MOST horses.

Many times when you balance the nutrition the hotness goes away and all you will need to add would be a joint supplement like ActiFlex 4000 is what I use
 
#15 ·
*UPDATE* I put him on Cosequin last month (the cheapest one) and he is actually doing really well...I also put him on Magnesium 3000 and he is SO focused now! I think it's just that spring is gone so the mares aren't going crazy with hormones, plus the supplement helps "take the edge off", and he has been doing beautifully for me! We did well in our first USEA event together (at Novice) last month and have another competition in a couple of weeks. So thanks everybody; problem solved! :D
 
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