Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Hello Danielle,
I can certainly understand your concern. I cannot, in all honesty, think of what might cause such extreme behavior from the Glanzen Lite Complete (or any other supplement, for that matter), unless there are significant overlaps in his diet with perhaps a fortified feed, or another supplement. Glanzen Lite Complete is best fed alone -- with no other commercially fortified feed -- added to a carrier that does not have any other vitamins or minerals.
If the calming supplement you used to feed had a significant amount of tryptophan, and you stopped abruptly, this could trigger a serotonin imbalance in his brain. So, I recommend going back to the calming supplement (I believe you mentioned that you had -- but I'm not sure it he is still on it).
If he is already getting vitamins and minerals from another source, and you're feeding them according to directions, then just go with plain flaxseed meal.
Or, if you think there is a chance that he is sensitive to flax (which usually takes a digestive role, not behavioral), you could discontinue the Glanzen Lite Complete altogether and let him stabilize. And then slowly add one thing at a time to see if you can determine the cause.
Keep me posted about this and perhaps it would be best to schedule a phone visit at some point so we can go over things in far more detail than the scope of this forum will allow.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
Thank you for your reply and suggestion to add Glanzen lite complete to my horse's diet. (I had originally posted a question regarding his mane and forelock shrinking).
As per your advice,I started him on the Glanzen supplement, and took him off of the calming supplement that I was using from a different company.
I'd have to guess, because I didn't write it down, that it was less than 2 weeks, and I noticed that he started to bite at the walls. All of the stalls have chew marks and dings of some kind being a very old barn, but I noticed "shavings" in his feed dish. They weren't stall shavings, and after a short investigation I realized he was scraping his teeth about 5 inches above his dish. So, I put him back on the other calming supplement and continued with the glanzen.
I was a little concerned because he had a slight increase in spirit - a lot of bolting on the lunge line over silly things - and I am having a hard time chalking it up to the weather because we really haven't been having very cold temps here in the North East.
So, he's been on both supplements for a little over 2 weeks. I need to take pictures of the stall walls to be absolutely sure, but he seems to have stopped biting the walls, but now I started noticing him pinning his ears and coming to the front of the stall when horses passed.
He did this three winters ago, a change in clientele seemed to be the key here and it seemed to fade away. Until now.
I asked the barn owner how he's been because my concern is growing that he's less calm, and she said he's charging the bars with ears pinned, so she's been trying to bring him out first, in last to alleviate stress of traffic in front of his stall. She says he's very reactive over the smallest things. Spooks at common noises, etc.
His mane and forelock appear to be growing again, so I'm reluctant to stop the glanzen. It hasn't been long enough to be positive, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. What can I do to make him more comfortable? I was afraid to overload on supplements, and now it seems, that's exactly what I've done! If it takes a short mane and forelock to balance out a sound minded horse, I'll do it, but this doesn't seem right.
Sorry to be long-winded, I'm just trying to fit all of the pieces in. I know you mentioned MMX, I just want to be sure I'm not overloading him. When the vet comes for spring shots and draws for coggins, what specifically would I ask for to get a "display" of his levels? Is there such a thing?
Thanks so much again!
Danielle
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO