ADVICE PLS - the best calmer!

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Hollyhorse

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I'm sorry this post has probably been done many times but I've had my new horse for about 6 weeks and now he's settled I'm starting to see his true personality - very excitable and a bit stressy and tense. Whether it's hacking, schooling or jumping, it's all terribly exciting. I know there are loads of different products to calm and de-stress out there so I was just wondering if anyone has tried anything that has really helped their horse to calm down and relax but hasn't made them lazy to ride or clumsy jumping. Any recommendations?! Thanks
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What is he being fed and is he getting much turnout? These are factors to consider before looking at calmers. Unless he is a poor doer I would cut the diet back to adlib hay only (with perhaps a vit/min supplement in a handful of chaff) and ensure he gets as much turnout as practically possible.

If you have addressed the diet and turnout factors and still feel he needs a calmer, there are a variety on the market. There seem to be three main kinds - herbal, often containing valerian, magnesium-based and ones containing tryptophan - different ones seem to suit different horses so it is a bit trial and error. I haven't used any myself, but was impressed with the effect of Equine America SoKalm Plus on my friend's driving pony. I think it contains both tryptophan and magnesium.
 
Thanks TGM. He's turned out 24/7 with a huge shelter at the mo, tho would like to start bringing him in at night soon. He gets a meal after work with just happy hoof and a vit n min supplement - so nothing really!! That's the worrying thing as he's doing a decent bit of work and starting to compete weekly and I think I should be feeding him but I don't want to when he's so hyper without!
 
make sure you dont feed anything with Alfa-A in it.
I have found this to be a big cause of excited horses as its so high in enregy and protein.
Just Hifi or chaff is fine and then just trial and error on the calming supplements.
 
Hi,
I've recently been having the same problem with my mare, and was recommended cutting down on the sugar levels in her feed (sugar beet, mollassed chaff etc).
I now give her Dengie HiFi with literally a handfull of nuts and a magnesium supplement and the difference is noticable even after a week. She's a 16hh TBxwelsh who live out all year round and will never be a plodder, but I did end up falling victim to over feeding. She just gets a small feed twice a day and lots of hay which seems to work.
In my experience calmers alone are never the miracle cure you hope them to be (trust me, I know) you just have to look at the bigger picture........ :-)

Hope this helps :-)
 
Nupafeed is very effective and luckily our stressy Connemara boy loved it, but our mares aren't keen, one (Welsh D) who eats ANYTHING will pull faces if she even gets to smell it in a bucket that hasn't been scrubbed to her satisfaction, it's the only taste she's ever seemed to dislike!

I'd second the advice to keep off Alfa A.

I haven't tried Oxyshot but have heard good things about it, and it doesn't need a regular maintenance dose, just a syringed dose when needed.
 
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