Bonfire Week - seeking calmer advice

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Merrymoles

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In all my far too many years with horses, I have never used a calmer but am contemplating whether using one might "take the edge" off for my horse during firework season and would like opinions on if/what might work.

So, as a bit of background, he is a forward going, lively cob who has always been somewhat over-reactive to noise which upsets him far more than anything visual. We are in the heart of both shooting and bird scarer country and he always has a wobble with those things but we can generally deal with them. However, fireworks really distress him - he dungs endlessly and sweats up and it upsets me seeing him so distressed. He does not become unmanageable - eg, I can go in his stable with him and clear the poo as long as I keep my wits about me.

He has minimal feed - unmollased chaff and a balancer - but I do add salt and have found that seems to reduce his "sharpness" a bit.

For the last two years, he has been in at night during Bonfire week but this year I am planning to leave him out with his fieldmate and a large pile of hay. Luckily the owner of his fieldmate is sympathetic and happy to try anything which reduces his distress. If it becomes clear that he is worse, rather than better, I will bring them both in.

I have no idea if our grazing lacks magnesium which I understand is the main ingredient of many calmers.

So, anyone got any thoughts on a) whether a calmer might help him? and b) if so, what I should be looking at? He won't be competing in the near future so I don't have to worry about "banned" substances.

Any wisdom appreciated.
 
If I where you I would consider using valerian tincture .
However I would be worried about a mildly sedated horse running about in a panic so I would advise you try it in advance to see how profoundly it affects him .
Magnesium based calmers don't IME help in these situations but won't do any harm .
 
You might find he is better out where he can see and process the noise. I agree with GS, if out with others then valerian rather than a drug! If he comes into his stable then it might be worth considering sedalin (if he responds to it). Depends how bad he is
 
Thanks GS - just the sort of thoughts I was looking for. My reason for asking in advance was so that I can do a trial or in case something needed a couple of weeks to work.

He was pretty knocked out when sedated for x-rays so I suspect he may be quite susceptible and I don't want him to be completely zonked, just slightly more relaxed, hence going for a calmer rather than sedation.

Ihatework - my thoughts on being out too. Fortunately his fieldmate is knocking on in years and is bothered by very little so I hope he will be a calming influence too.
 
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We had a welsh sec b gelding he was really upset by the fireworks and what we found worked well for him was to leave the stable lights on and plug his ears with cotton wool , he could see the mare next door very calm eating a hay net.
 
We have used Fireworx for the last two years. There is a firework display in the next field, so we put ours out in the furthest part, with hay and dose them up. They have been absolutely fine, very calm. I won't hesitate to use it this year.
 
Just a quick update for those who gave good advice.

Last night was our first real "test" of the valerian-based calmer, which he has been on for two weeks.

I lunged (not wanting to risk being on board if there were fireworks) and he certainly hasn't lost any spark, having a bit of a hooley on the lunge line. I put him in his box steaming gently to cool down before being fed and we suddenly had a load of fireworks going off about 100 yards from the yard. He was anxious and flinched every time there was a bang but what an improvement on last year which saw constant dunging and running around his box! He did not get anywhere near as distressed and cooled off enough for me to give him his feed just as the firework "finale" arrived - and he ate it.

He was relaxed enough for me to rug and turn back out and, on hearing more bangs in the distance, he was nothing more than a bit tense.

Obviously tonight and Saturday will be the main "tests" but I won't be bringing him on to the yard at all as he is definitely coping better out.

So a thank you to all of you for your suggestions - one much less distressed horse this year!
 
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