Calmers? what sort do you use??

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lexibell

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First show on the crazy one in a few weeks time, am starting with a Basic local riding club ROR class.

He fires up very easily at the moment, and can be very highly strung and nervous (he is an exracer so kind of expected) I was wondering what type of calmers you use to take (a LOT!!) of edge off without losing performance??

Any suggestions welcome

Thanks
 
TBH unless the horse is deficient in magnesium or b vitamins (needed for nervous system) then i think calmers are a waste of money. Practice and repetitive exposure to the exciting event is what will make the horse feel calmer about it, although of course that takes a while and you have to cope with the excitement before the horse becomes accustomed.
 
teddy I completely agree, trouble is he is very very exciteable and in typical TB aytle will walk past some thing one day and freak out over the exact same thing the next!
When I started taking my cob cross out I just rode throught the excitement for the first 2 or 3 shows and he was fine after that, Im just anticipating it may not be soo easy with this one!!

Am going to box him to different yards to school over the nhext few weeks and going to take him to a couple of clear round practice shows to get used to going out and performing in differnet places with strange things and horses, just kind of thinking of plan B, in case that doesnt work!!
 
My Ex racer is the same, can be really silly at events, esp with the loud speakers etc. Funnily enough its the dressage we struggle most with, he hates anything cantering near him. I have him on relax me, its the only one ive noticed any difference in him on. But as the previous poster has said nothing beats repetition, I try and get him out once a week at least on the lorry to go somewhere for a lesson/hack/jump, not necessarily a comp atmos just a change of scenery. He has improved alot but I still always lunge somewhere quiet for the first 10/15 mins when I arrive at a comp and warm up in a corner until I feel he is listening. Good luck!!!!:):)
 
I use mag ox. It is also what the Race horse rehabilitation recommended my friend put her ex racer on. Also most of the charities use it too for horse that are in 'a state' when they get them or are laminitics

Not too mention its the cheapest on the market :) £10 for about 2 to 3 months worth
 
I don't.
Having tried several myself, and knowing quite a few people who use them, my conclusion is that in most cases they are a placebo for the rider. There are some horses who do have a magnesium deficiency and the magnesium supplements will soothe those horses, but I think in reality there are relatively few horses who have this deficiency.

I've tried nuppafeed and the equine america one, and the feedmark one in the past on an old horse I had, and nothing made an ounce of difference. I tried a tube of magnafeed before a show on my ex-racehorse, and it had no effect on him either. They're expensive and unless the horse has a magnesium deficiency, I think you're better off spending your time desensitising him to things that he gets worked up about, and looking to see if there is anything in his feed can be tweaked to maintain his condition but reduce the fizz.

My ex-racehorse gets over excited and is a nightmare at shows too at the moment, and I'm currently trying to desensitise him. I arrange to go in the afternoon, and spend the morning tiring him out! This seems to work quite well, and my horse is fit enough to be able to cope well with it.
 
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