Calmers- do they work or is it us?

[shadowboy]

Currently a friend of a friend is doing his Phd on the effects of calmers... now i cant tell you everything but he has found some interesting info. Apparently after testing about 18 different calmers for 12 months (jan 07 to jan 08) (any new ones released during this period were not tested) only 60% seemed tohave any effect on over 200 horses tested... it was also found that in many cases the horses attitude changed because of theowner/carer. The idea being that we see a mild improvement for a few days so our handling of the horse becomes more assertive/confident which puts the horse at ease both on the ground and ridden and therefore we presume calmer has worked... a bit like a placebo effect. I thought this was incredibly interesting. the full reseacher released later this year..... But i think i might agree with this to some extent, what do you guys think?
Apparently each product had 10 horses using it for 12 months and then there were 10 horses placed on a placebo powder and a further 10 horses who were not on any product and a further 10 who were able to pick/choose and swap between theproducts until they felt they found one that worked... Iwould love to know which ones did!

 

[_OC_]

TBH....never really found one that worked,but would be very interested in the findings.

 

[JessMannion]

I think attitude has alot to do with it but i do think it has helped henry as well (he's on NAF magic)

 

[Accy]

After reading much info on here we have started to use Brewers Yeast and this seems to be working better than any calmer i have ever brought before

 

[Law]

The results aren't that surprising from my own experience using calmers- two have worked and one hasn't. I tried one and it made a marked difference in three days and my trainer at the time (who is an advanced equine nutrition lecturer with lots of published work) said it was logical for the magnesium based ones to work. She did explain but I forget.
Also having read somewhere on here today that top spec has tryptophan in it i'm not surprised that this works either seeing as Tryptophan is an antidepressant and is a precursor for seratonin (the happy calming neurotransmitter (in moderate levels))

Will be very interesting to read the full published results. It's funny how some do work with some horses and definitely not with others

But then horses are complicated and complex animals and what works for one doesn't always work for another.

 

[kombikids]

v interesting - i have found some work some dont - but they dont do what they say - just take the very edge off. the syringe ones however most def work (i use so kalm paste) as makes my mare fall asleep! love to read the results

 

[TequilaMist]

Have used various ones but only noticed difference with a tryptophan based one and Valarian liquid bought from human health store.Do think those worked as daughter said horse was better but I hadn't actually told her we put her on calmer.Mind you they didn't work on nutty pony.
When first used tryptophan one someone asked me why using it I said I needed her to be on it (til got over mare getting back into work after injury).And tbh honest it worked only needed one tub so never questioned why it had worked just was pleased that it had done the job required..