Calmers? which ones work...if any?!

[Blizzard]

My welsh mare can be a bit of a madam to say the least, napping and rearing for england when she doesnt want to do something.

So I thought about trying one of the many calmers available on the market, Ive gone for NAF Magic 5 star magnesium calmer, although havent started using it yet.

Im wondering if anyone else has used calmers for similar behaviour problems, whoch one you used, and what effect it had?

 

[BBs]

Equestro (sp?) know that one works

 

[AmyMay]

Top Spec Calmer - which is magnesium based - definately works.

 

[Blizzard]

Thank you I will be writing all these down LOL, I rang NAF and they said if this one doesnt work within a month it wont work at all, so thats good in a way as I wont be waiting months to see a difference, how much of an improvement have you seen since using them?
Fank you!

 

[Doreys_Mum]

The best calmers are cutting down on hard feed and riding conifedently and calmly...

*sigh*

I don't wholly approve of covering up problems with horses to mask someones inability to deal with it or understand it...

 

[katiejaye]

Equine America So-Kalm paste is a miracle!

 

[katiejaye]

p.s. they have powder from too for daily feeding

 

[Weezy]

Anything with magnesium is good - a lot of horses do not have enough magnesium in their diets hence it can make them skittish and naughty - once you have the levels in the body correct your horse will show his "real self" and then you can see what you have to work on!

 

[juliehannah58]

Trust me, with some horses you could give them absolutely no hard feed, no rich grass and be as confident as you like and they will still be excitable! Also, I wouldn't say that most horses who show excitable behaviour have 'problems', some just enjoy their job a little too much!

As for the original post, I always found that D&H Placid really helped my old jumping pony, it's completely natural too so you can compete on it etc. I think different calmers work on different horses TBH, it's a bit of trial and error....

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Nupafeed liquid calmer again magnesium based used by a lot of eventers. Again if it doesn't work within a month it won't work.

 

[beaconhorse]

I like Global herbs magna calm, works in just a couple of days

Also feel good scientific one is good but doesn't work so fast

 

[Accy]

Feelgood 30 Sicence Formula Calming Magnesium based calmer, I used this on a previous horse with very good results.

 

[vanessahook]

Just a thought as its a mare, have you ever had her ovaries checked?
I had the same sort of problems with my mare, tried all the calmers none helped and had her ovaires checked last week, big time problems with them!!

 

[Scarlett]

I use NAF magic. All 3 got it when the spring grass came through and they had spring fever but now only my Idx gets it as he is incredibly spooky when he wants to be and I find it takes the edge off it. I have recommended it to a couple of people who have also found it useful...

one thing I would say though, the full, recommended dose made mine to dopey, he was chilled out to the point of being useless and had became jumpy with it. I only give them 1/3-1/2 a scoop and it works a treat. I also found that it worked in a couple of days....

 

[ElleJS]

nupafeed, incredible results on my horse. Magnesium based.
It is expensive tho and you get via mail order. Ring them for a chat is a good idea, as they will sort out the best dosage for the circumstances.

Doreys Mum: Its allright saying that when you don't know the situation. In my case what you suggested has absolulty NOTHING to do with the fact my mare is tense in the dressage. She is advanced so cutting down her feed would be dangerous to her health, and it is all to with her lack of Mag (echo Weezy) rather than needing to be quiet and confident and understanding her. Trust me we do.

 

[siennamiller]

lack of magnesium can also cause muscle tension
There is not enough mag in ours and horses diets these days.
Stress caused mag to leach from the body, field can be overgrazed so the soil/grass is not such good quality.
In people we also drink too much and eat cr*p food so we deprive ourselves of mag
There are good reason why we should supplement with mag. It is essential to our nervous system

 

[Blizzard]

Doreys_Mum - my mare gets NO HARD FEED for your information, she lives out and only gets grass.

riding confidently and calmly doesnt stop a horse rearing! some are just excitable, and some are just naughty!

Vanessa no I havent had her ovaries checked, what did the vet check for? Ive had her back, tack, teeth etc checked and people are saying its just naughtiness as she only does it in the school, she never rears on a hack.

Thank you EVERYONE for all your suggestions, some of the products sound fantastic, and I have a shortlist to try if NAF magic doesnt work.

xx

 

[Blizzard]

Thank you for all the technical info on Magnesium, I didnt really understand how it worked, now I do!

Im not one for feeling like Im doping my horse up if you know what I mean, but all these natural based calmers seem more about just making sure your horse is getting what they need to keep the stress and tension away.

 

[Peanot]

Hi, I used to feed the `Equivite Calm` to my horse as she was very exciteable as a youngster, this helped her a lot. For a short term calmer, - travelling wasn`t very chilled - I used Temperalax about 4 times and this also worked.
There are lots out there on the market, and I suppose that they all have about the same ingredients.

 

[galaxy]

I use NAF Magic Calmer on my stressy, whizzy NF pony. It's great. After a week, I could finally start to get my legs round him and get him to work properly without him shooting off all excited.

Dorey's Mum - I agree in some cases you may be right, but not all. My lad is only fed chaff, hay and grass and just likes to go fast, and I would always have to ride quietly for about 20-30 minutes to take the edge off him before getting any quality work out of him once he'd calmed down and relaxed, That is why I use this calmer and it really works. You can't get a horse to work properly if you can't get it to relax, and that's why calmers are useful in these circumstances, although I agree some people do probably use them to cover up bad riding/schooling/feeding, but not all.

 

[the watcher]

I also use NAF Magic on a youngster, this is a mineral deficiency we are talking about, not a chemical cosh (that bit was for you Dorey's mum)

 

[Hanz]

I have heard Sunflower seeds contain magnesium so are great for calming horses.

 

[parsley]

Top Spec has transformed my son's pony - I almost like him now!

 

[goeslikestink]

welshies like to work --- to much food goes to there brain- and blows there minds

i have had welshes all my life

they need very little but they love to work
so are you working your horse a lot or a little
they can be highly strung if they not doing enough to keep there mind taxing they love to jump and can jump
they love x/c and love the dressage

they are what i call an allround horse asthey can ride and drive -- i love the welshes of any type i find them so responsive

 

[Blizzard]

goeslikestink she is broken to ride and drive.
She is only in light work the same as all the horses are at our yard, but when I got her she had only done light work for a few years, just hacking, a bit of XC or showjumping, sponsored rides.
she isnt getting any food either, just grass and im bringing her in for a few hours every day hoping that maybe a bit less sugar will make a difference too.