Calmers - which are good?

Vikki89

Vikki89

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Any good for excitability? If so what ones?
I have used Magnitude and Magic in the past but that was on a pony who got stressed at times but now no longer needs it :)
 
I've used Naf Magic, Blue Chip Calmer and magnesium, I really didn't see any difference and I couldn't get her to eat the magnesium.

I bought some Nupafeed about 3months ago and I can't believe the difference, she is a lot calmer, she still has her spooks but doesn't get stupid and tense like she used to. I'm very happy with it.
 
I've always been wary of feeding calmers but I've got one horse who's been on Equine America Magnitude for the last 4 to 5 weeks- thought it was worth experimenting with- have noticed a real difference-seems to keep him chilled as he can be a bit over dramatic, shall we say, at times. Doesn't make him flat or lose his sparkle or personality, but he's happy and also his muscles are looser too. Very good value and I'll be keeping him on it!

Another one that is supposed to be very good that a lot of riders use and recommend is Nupafeed, although it is slightly more expensive.
 
I do fail to understand why horses need calmers.
What is winding them up so much?
Is it because they are not getting sufficient chilled out grazing, daily hacking out or a mineral defficiency?
 
I used Nuppafeed for a year on a very stressy TB I loaned, and it made no difference whatsoever. I've also tried Magnafeed, but no difference either. The horse was healthy, had a balanced diet and had no deficiencies, so I think any attempts of calming him by giving these supplements may have been quite futile. He was just naturally a quirky, highly strung, spooky horse.
My vet smiled at me, when I told him what i was doing, and he said I'd be better saving my money and just get on with riding and schooling the horse!
 
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As in an instant calmer for a stressfull or excitable situation or something you want feed on a daily basis to have a generally less hyped up horse?
 
He is now (well for the past nearly 3 weeks) stabled at night and out in the field during the day (still in the summer field and out 7.15ish til 5.30) soon they will be going in the smaller winter paddocks and out in the big summer field one a week.
When I hack my other horse I lead him so he is getting off the yard once or twice a week and lightly lunged or long-reined once a week.
He is fed once a day and gets a bit of chaff with a vit & min supplement.

He will be 4 in March, he started getting excitable when I lunged him this week and took off round the school several times, leaping and bucking.
 
Vikki89 said:
He is now (well for the past nearly 3 weeks) stabled at night and out in the field during the day (still in the summer field and out 7.15ish til 5.30) soon they will be going in the smaller winter paddocks and out in the big summer field one a week.
When I hack my other horse I lead him so he is getting off the yard once or twice a week and lightly lunged or long-reined once a week.
He is fed once a day and gets a bit of chaff with a vit & min supplement.

He will be 4 in March, he started getting excitable when I lunged him this week and took off round the school several times, leaping and bucking.
Click to expand...

To be honest I don't think a calmer will make any difference, but there is no harm in suplementing his feed if you wish.
It's the time of year when reduced turnout, reduced exercise, coupled with colder weather makes them all naturally a bit sharper. Many of the horses on our yard are displaying colourful behaviour at the moment! A calmer isn't going to subdue his high spirits.
 
Vikki89 said:
He is now (well for the past nearly 3 weeks) stabled at night and out in the field during the day (still in the summer field and out 7.15ish til 5.30) soon they will be going in the smaller winter paddocks and out in the big summer field one a week.
When I hack my other horse I lead him so he is getting off the yard once or twice a week and lightly lunged or long-reined once a week.
He is fed once a day and gets a bit of chaff with a vit & min supplement.

He will be 4 in March, he started getting excitable when I lunged him this week and took off round the school several times, leaping and bucking.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's just a combination of the colder weather and his age, might be that he's just feeling a bit well, sometimes they have the odd week where they will act the goat and have a loads of energy, then the next week there back to the normal selves.

Has this behaviour started since you have been feeding the chaff? some have quite a bit of molasses in and will have the same effect as feeding carrots, which with some horses will just make them silly due to the sugar content.

Equimins Serenity works wonders, it is a mag type calmer but unlike others it works slightly differently due to how it's made up, 2 days on it and you'll notice a difference, may be that you don't have to use the amount stated.
 
I've been feeding him the chaff and supplement for a long time.
He might have been just testing what he can get away with again but thought I would look into calmers for if it carries on, He is a strong boy and I don't want him learning he might be able to get away with it.
 
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