Agnus Castus (Chaste Berry) for stallions?

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SpanishNeddy

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Has anyone used agnus castus for stallions before? I have been told it is good for stallions, who can get a bit stalliony.

My new boy this weekend is a bit stressed as others starter their turn out. So he has got bit stalliony, although not mental but just stressed and calling quite a bit.

Has anyone had any experience of using agnus castus? I looked online and a lot of people use it for mares, but not much mention of stallions.

Thank you :)
 
I use it for my mare, and my friend used it for a riggy gelding with noticeable effect. I think it is the 'randy' behaviour it has the best effect on as my mare is still a grumpy madam when in season so I would imagine it might help a bit :-)
 
Are there geldings he can be turned out with? I have 3 stallions and 2 colts out in a bachelor herd with 6 geldings, and they show no stallion behaviour at all.
 
Thanks :) where do you get your agnus castus from can I ask?

Hmmm no he can not be turned out :( we do not really have the turnout for stallions. He is now seeing my gelding going out which is not helping either (the yard only started turn out this weekend you see). He has a sand pen he turns out in twice a day, but he is getting stressed when he has to come back in again, as they are in sight when in the sand pen.

He has not been stalliony at all (apart from first night on arrival but expected!). This weekend I felt like castrating him myself :p:rolleyes::p:rolleyes:
 
Most studies onto the efficiency of Agnus Castus focus on mares, with several german studies showing it alters the levels of sexual hormones by acting on the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.
Personally, if I was keeping a breeding stallion I wouldn't want to use anything that may effect sperm quality since I cannot find anything other than anecdotal stories talking about how it effects stallions.

If I was my stallion (and I am a stallion and colt owner) I would rather geld and reduce his hormones and stress that way, than have a horse constantly on edge, and not able to be turned out.

Can I ask why you cannot move somewhere that allows him to be turned out?
 
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He is not a breeding stallion and I do not plan to breed from him (currently anyway, you never know how things change I suppose!).

I am at a yard that specialises in the breed I own and they do not recommend I castrate after import until at least 6 months after he has been here. As in their opinion it is too soon after such a huge change to their life to do so before that time.

I castrated my other boy after 3 weeks of being in the UK and I do believe that was too soon for him.

He has all in all been a good boy, but he is now at a very busy yard and he does seem to get distracted to be honest. He is laid back to ride, but not so sure if another horse was in there!

After his behaviour this weekend, I nearly castrated him myself!
 
He's not behaving like a stallion he is behaving like a lonely horse who can't understand why his friends are all gone away from him
 
I got it from progressive earth on eBay, it wasn't that expensive and has lasted ages, but this is partly due to the fact I have not been able to give my mare anything like the recommended amount (something like 50g a day which is quite a lot considering it smells and tastes like pepper) however this is mainly due to her extra bland fibre diet, now I am adding linseed meal she likes that so much I have been able to up it to full dose, which is handy as its spring, time for hormones!

This is Rio isn't it? Sorry if that's another poster I am just making the connection of Spanish and stallion!
 
amage said:
He's not behaving like a stallion he is behaving like a lonely horse who can't understand why his friends are all gone away from him
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Yes he is upset they are leaving him, but his behaviour is stalliony I would not expect a gelding to behave like this. But yes he does like company. He can see other horses from his stable though, so he is not totally alone, he has other stallions opposite him.

He is only 5, so is a big baby really. But he did have a bit of 'fun' with a giant equine play ball on saturday, so that has not helped I don't think.
 
mandwhy said:
I got it from progressive earth on eBay, it wasn't that expensive and has lasted ages, but this is partly due to the fact I have not been able to give my mare anything like the recommended amount (something like 50g a day which is quite a lot considering it smells and tastes like pepper) however this is mainly due to her extra bland fibre diet, now I am adding linseed meal she likes that so much I have been able to up it to full dose, which is handy as its spring, time for hormones!

This is Rio isn't it? Sorry if that's another poster I am just making the connection of Spanish and stallion!
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Ah yes I saw that on Ebay - thanks. He does tend to eat everything and anything so hopefully wont be a problem.

No not Rio, I know who that is though :D
 
So is the theory to keep him entire until he's calm and relaxed in his new home?
Except keeping him entire is stressing him out and stopping him from adjusting, and stopping you from enjoying your new horse?

Try the agnus castus and see if it helps, but if he was mine I'd be getting him done, and allowing him to settle naturally into his new home, not be kept in all day with occasional dry lot turn out.
 
I use it on my rig - we used the Rigcalm first which has the agnus castus in and then I switched to Oestraban by gold label which is basically just pure Agnus Castus. A tub lasts me roughly three months at a scoop per day but it doesn't calm him when he's alone. He calls, screams, kicks holes in walls and generally stresses big time. Only thing that's stopped this behavior was mag ox. Teaspoon twice a day and he's so laid back I can't quite believe he's the same horse.
 
Ah sorry, another Spanish chap! I use mag ox too as above, I know its not the same as its a mare but she is quite a hormonal one and I think the mag ox has made a huge difference to behaviour I might have considered 'hormonal' including fence running and going berserk over horses coming and going!
 
I've been using it on my gelding who's far too attached to our mare and I havnt noticed any difference. I've been giving two large supplement scoops a day for about 6 weeks, and he has the whole berries from progressive earth in eBay. I don't know if I should swap to the powder as it may be about more potent!
 
I am using it on my gelding that has been tested and shown not to be a rig but display riggy behaviour and becomes over attached to other horses. I couldn't get him to eat the powder no matter what I tried. He is now kept in his own paddock with horses in paddocks next to him and I feed a mix of agnus castus seeds, magnesium, valerian, chamomile and vervain. I put boiling water on the herbs and leave to cool then add to his feed, he seems to happily eat this and I have started sneaking in some of the agnus castus powder without him objecting. He does seem more relaxed to ride and handle and doesn't get upset anymore when horses call out.
 
If he's not settling then you're gaining nothing by keeping him entire, he's not behaving like a stallion as others have siad just a lonely frustrated horse who's being confined to a very tiny space and only being let out for a very short period of time in another small space on his own - I think I'd be acting like a loon if I was kept like that!! I'd get his nuts off now before the flies, you have to wait 6 weeks anyway before he can go out with mares, you'll find he'll settle sooner and you don't risk him developing vices or ulcers from being so stressed and frustrated - the poor baby!
 
I've no experience re AC on stallions, but I would think that six months of haywire hormones is more detrimental than gelding, I don't see why importing should require a six month postponement on gelding. I'd whip em off personally. Far better for him.
 
My colt was getting a bit stalliony, so he has had Agnus Castus in his feed from about December. Can't say it's made any difference at all. He's now booked in to be cut on Thursday, fingers crossed it goes ahead this time, was cancelled earlier this year due to snow and MORE snow :D
 
kellybee said:
I use it on my rig - we used the Rigcalm first which has the agnus castus in and then I switched to Oestraban by gold label which is basically just pure Agnus Castus. A tub lasts me roughly three months at a scoop per day but it doesn't calm him when he's alone. He calls, screams, kicks holes in walls and generally stresses big time. Only thing that's stopped this behavior was mag ox. Teaspoon twice a day and he's so laid back I can't quite believe he's the same horse.
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Thanks very much :)

By Mag Ox is that the actual name of a product or are you shortening magnesium oxide? can you send me a link to the one you have please :D

I have him on Magnitude already, is this the same thing? If so, I therefore just need the AC.


Thanks :)
 
mandwhy said:
Ah sorry, another Spanish chap! I use mag ox too as above, I know its not the same as its a mare but she is quite a hormonal one and I think the mag ox has made a huge difference to behaviour I might have considered 'hormonal' including fence running and going berserk over horses coming and going!
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Hehe aww bless her :) thankfully all our mares at the yard totally ignore all the stallions!

What mag ox do you use?

Thanks :)
 
Sorry I do not know how to multi quote - not worked it out yet LOL :rolleyes:

Thanks everyone. Just to clarify he is NOT being wild at all. Just getting himself in a pickle because others are going in/out and the change of routine now turn out has started has upset him a bit - poor luv. Yes it is more so about the Company I do agree. But I am following my yards advice and they have about 15 other stallions stabled there and have plenty of experience in the area :)

He does get turned out twice a day in a sand turn out pen, so he can play etc. Other than this I try my hardest to treat him like a normal horse, I tie him up on the yard for a brush daily, he is a few feet away from other horses. I do not want grill or bars up on his stable door, he can look over all the time which he does, he is also in a line of horses (one being next to my gelding).

He was at a yard in spain that had only about 5 other horses, so our yard of about 60 has been a shock to him. Although he has coped very well indeed :) I just thought I would try and at least help him with this supplement if it could have helped him that was all :)
 
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