Calmers - Why are so many being used?

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Trot_On_Dressage

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As title really.

I have just moved yards (small quiet one to a larger diy yard) and i was shocked at the amount of supplements, i. e calmers that are being used. Pretty much every horse at the yard is on a calmer/supplement of some sort, this is not a racing or polo yard just a simple diy yard with lots of happy hackers! I personally have never used a calmer. Have used the usual supplements like garlic, mint, etc but there now there seems to be a whole range. Just wondered why they seem so fashionable. Maybe im a bit old school and they werent around when i was younger! If we had an excitable horse we just worked it a bit harder!
 
I'm not saying that there isn't a place or time for a calmer, before someone jumps on me, but I do wonder if some owners are using them as a short cut to a well mannered, manageable horse - rather than investing in regular training and exercise (which is what keeps my slghtly edgy hot bloods happy and relaxed).

Likewise - and this is from the vet's mouth! - I think there are a lot of over - horsed owners these days. Heads are turned by a big, flashy warmblood when realistically they can only do anything with the horse at the weekends and hence they need something to take the edge of this seriosu athlete.

Just my thoughts - before someone goes spare at me!
 
Is it the feed factor? Too much molasses etc?
Is it the horsemanship factor? No real feel and understanding of horses?
Is it good marketing? My horse/pony feels well therefore it needs calming down?
Dunno - give up. Just wish I had invented some of these 'magic' powders and could sit back and watch the £££££££££'s rolling in. :rolleyes:
 
I think this is a good example. There is a particluar woman at the yard who has a lovely WB (cost her a few £££'s by all accounts) anyway she has apparently owned it for a year and ridden it twice! Apparently it bucked her off on day 2 and she hasnt got back on since. Horse just goes out everyday in the field, in at night, fed and never gets ridden. It weaves and is stressy so she gives it a calmer everyday. She does seem like a nice woman, but when she was telling me this story all that was going through my mind was "why dont you ride it. That will help it calm it down!" The horse is also a real bully in the field, constantly trying to play and hassling the others. Boredom!
 
Or admit your mistake and sell it!

The vet was saying to me (she's an equine specialist and must be late 50's - so seen a fair few horses and owners!), that in recent times so much of her work has been due to mismanaged, serious sports horses that are being kept as weekend hacks.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand what time is required to keep two well bred horses sane and for many it just isn't doable with jobs and lifestyles that they have. But then you have to accept that and buy accordingly, rather than trying to herbally dope it up.

In most cases where a calmer is genuinely required, I think it should be in the short term and the horse weaned off it once it's settled in to a new home/back to full work after injury/kept sane whilst the owner was perhaps ill and unable to ride or whatever. But rarely do I think any horse needs it as a permanent measure - but it can become a convenience.
 
You could say I use a calmer, I suppose - Magnitude is marketed as a calming supplement. The reality is, all my stock (cattle and sheep) get a magnesium supplement through the months of lush grass, so as a natural extension of that practice, my horses get Magnitude.
Magnesium is important part of horse's diet and UK soils are frequently deficient in it. It's not just nervous system, muscle function etc, but also the quality of hoof and general well being of the horse gets influenced by it.
 
I agree!
I understand that there's some horse's that benefit from calmers, and need them.
But i think people jump to them, before thinking about how to resolve it first, like changing routine's, feeds, or exercise regime etc.
 
martlin said:
You could say I use a calmer, I suppose - Magnitude is marketed as a calming supplement. The reality is, all my stock (cattle and sheep) get a magnesium supplement through the months of lush grass, so as a natural extension of that practice, my horses get Magnitude.
Magnesium is important part of horse's diet and UK soils are frequently deficient in it. It's not just nervous system, muscle function etc, but also the quality of hoof and general well being of the horse gets influenced by it.
Click to expand...

I can agree with this. Most feed companies have started to include small levels of magnesium in their feeds for the same dietry reason. I was more thinking of using the calmers/magnesium for calming a horse.
 
Crikey! Except perhaps he would be happier with a rather less cushty but more stimulated life.

Valid point re: magnesium deficiency.
 
Ive used a calmer, but never long term. My TB who has fantastic manners on the ground and wouldnt hurt a fly on a normal day, doesnt cope very well with change. I have used a calmer when I have moved yards, which he is on for about 2 months, it takes the edge off and makes him easier to handle. Just to give you an idea how he can behave when you take him out of his routine, he broke a friends ribs, by crushing her against a gate post when she tried to turn him out, this was after moving him to our last yard.
 
Well we tried them when our show pony started competing because he was as high as a kite. They made no discernable difference at all. 18 months on and his behaviour is fab. It was time patience and densensitisation by building up experience that worked for him.

i think people want big flashy horses but don't necessarily have the skills/time/patience to produce them properly.
 
Trot_On_Dressage said:
She did proceed to tell me after the story that she would never sell him. He was with her for life! I wish i could find someone like that to look after me, what a life!
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I'm not sure I understand what's wrong with this . . . my boy Kal has a home with me for life too . . . and he lives the life of riley.

P
 
I think most of it is down to good marketing, it seems unlikely to me that something sold over the counter could have a real and dramatic effect on behaviour unless by chance you are addressing deficiencies. Mine all get daily vits and mins, including magnesium and B vitamins. I don't believe that giving extra of these would actually calm a horse down, but understand that a lack of them may induce problems.

I don't actually think the breed and type of horse are the factor - some horses are highly bred and can be quirky, but most will happily settle down to a routine that may not involve regular work, as long as they are not being over fed
 
the watcher said:
I think most of it is down to good marketing, it seems unlikely to me that something sold over the counter could have a real and dramatic effect on behaviour unless by chance you are addressing deficiencies. Mine all get daily vits and mins, including magnesium and B vitamins. I don't believe that giving extra of these would actually calm a horse down, but understand that a lack of them may induce problems.

I don't actually think the breed and type of horse are the factor - some horses are highly bred and can be quirky, but most will happily settle down to a routine that may not involve regular work, as long as they are not being over fed
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Totally agree with this . . . I've got a stress-prone TB-type who, now that he's in an established routine and understands what is expected of him is much calmer - and doesn't get a specific supplement to affect his temperament. He gets very little hard feed (just enough to deliver necessary vitamins and minerals - very low in sugar and starch and NO molasses), loads of hay and plenty of turnout/grass. In the winter when he's more prone to dropping weight (and the grazing is poor), I add speedibeet . . . just to put something extra in his belly to help "stoke the fire" and help him keep himself warm - particularly at night.

I do think this issue (supplements or no supplements) is down to good or poor management - or perhaps lack of knowledge. . . but then the feed manufacturers/merchants sure don't make it easy for novice owners to work out what is an appropriate feed. I've had to ask alot of questions and will admit to having made mistakes in the past (mollichaff for example . . . it's like rocket fuel for my boy).

Lastly, I don't think it's fair to tar all novice owners with the "numpty brush." Yes, perhaps some people ARE overhorsed, but a) that's their business; and b) I suspect it's more to do with people going out and buying horses with little or no guidance and/or help . . . and then having a tough time navigating their way through the labyrinth that is horse care and management. To the uninitiated, it can all seem like a foreign language . . . and I do think that some horsey people can forget where they started and be a little (ok sometimes alot) snobby about those who are just starting out rather than being understanding and helpful.

Not all of us were born wearing jods and with an encyclopedic knowledge of horse care and welfare . . . rather than assuming that those who (in your view) are getting it wrong are doing so because they are idiots, how about accepting that people are learning, can make honest mistakes and offer guidance and help?

Climbing down from my soapbox.

P
 
i tend no to use them unless i have real reason to. my current project pony was pretty much unhandled and as a result is very nervous and spooky, he is getting better each day and whilst im working hard on building his confidence, ive got him on some calmers to help him settle and calm a little so he can absorb what he is meant to! once he is calm and i can handle him with no silly jumping around, i will then wean off the calmers slowly so that eventually no calmers and a happy pony!!! Ive given to another youngster before who found the whole breaking in thing quite stressful, so we took things slower and gave some calmers, he really settled and is now a fantastic riding horse on no calmers! I do agree that some people over feed and substitute exercise/cutting down hard feed/turnout with calmers.
 
I am with you OP, there are lots of threads on here too asking about them. I reckon that in 99% of cases it's down to not enough work.
 
I have been using a calmer on a very anxious young horse.....

He's now doing really great- like a different horse....but then again when I got him I changed his diet, his routine, his handling......so its probably a bit of everything thats worked.

Trouble is....he's doing so well I'm dithering about stopping the calmer in case he goes fruit-loop again:o

( Maybe thats why so many people use them....to scared to stop:eek::p:D)
 
Working in racing for years, we had a lot of horses that the average rider would consider to be a problem but we never used calmers, we used better riders and plenty of work, I only remember one mare who had a herbal supplement, and that was her bad behaviour, she was a perfect ride.
I think that over the years more pastures are being grazed year on year by horses, with no organic fertilisers to replace the elements that are being removed.
Farmers have re-seeded grasslands with ryegrass which is suitable for fattening cattle and producing milk, but horses really need a mix of grasses which are low in sugar and high in fibre, and in a perfect world they would have to walk miles per day, and have to seek out herbs as they go along, all this combined with stabling and all the "unatural" things we ask of them will lead to stress.
I do feed a magnesium supplement [six weeks at full rate, then less] when I am bringing my boy in to work, but mostly because my reactions are too slow for a sharp and spooky horse. I am considering trying MgO which is cheaper, but I think we have to be very careful adjusting the mineral intake, with one element, as there is a lot of interaction between different minerals.
 
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Im not saying there isnt a time and a place for a calmer, im sure there is. Nervous horse changing yards, backing etc etc but, should they or do they need to be used everyday? If i had to use a calmer on my hose everyday i would seriously wonder what was wrong, and hes's an ex racehorse! Again, you can argue that the fact you can buy them from a retailer means they probably aent really that strong but in that case why use them. Are they just a habit that cant be stopped? I just find it odd. What on earth did we do all those 20 years ago when they werent available????? I dont recall seeing alot of uncalm horses around!
 
martlin said:
You could say I use a calmer, I suppose - Magnitude is marketed as a calming supplement. The reality is, all my stock (cattle and sheep) get a magnesium supplement through the months of lush grass, so as a natural extension of that practice, my horses get Magnitude.
Magnesium is important part of horse's diet and UK soils are frequently deficient in it. It's not just nervous system, muscle function etc, but also the quality of hoof and general well being of the horse gets influenced by it.
Click to expand...

This is what I use in the summer months. the grass greatly lacks magnesium and she turns into th is unmanageable spooky horse!!!
 
I used to swear by a magnesium calmer with my previous horse, when I sold him I asked my friend if she wanted me to send the rest with him, she said no, she never uses calmers and I thought she was mental! now he's receiving very regular work, he doesn't have a single supplement!

my mare's very sane and is worked 5 times a week, even without that she'd fall asleep if I gave her a calmer lol

So many people reach for them without trying other options first! I know, I was one of them
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I bought a calmer last week for the newbie, she was a bit stressy and I wanted to take the edge off and help her settle....waste of money as she has no idea what hard feed is so no calmer has been used lol :)

I`ve got a PBA who most people would use a calmer on but I dont see the point, it`s her character to be a bit of nut job so I just sit there and let her get on with her antics!:D Her mad moments are what I love about her most!

Only time I ever use supplements is if they need it, if they drop condition over winter (very rare) I give them Pink Powder, otherwise nothing :)
 
martlin said:
You could say I use a calmer, I suppose - Magnitude is marketed as a calming supplement. The reality is, all my stock (cattle and sheep) get a magnesium supplement through the months of lush grass, so as a natural extension of that practice, my horses get Magnitude.
Magnesium is important part of horse's diet and UK soils are frequently deficient in it. It's not just nervous system, muscle function etc, but also the quality of hoof and general well being of the horse gets influenced by it.
Click to expand...

This ^^. Both of ours are on a 'calmer' (in our case magox) as our grazing is deficient in it so their feed is topped up with what they lack. The same as we do with other minerals that they don't get enough of, the magnesium is no different.

That said, I do think if more people learnt how to manage their horse and insist on manners without having a fit at the horse, and also fed in accordance with the horses work level, then there would be less of a hunt for a wonder calmer. Even so some horses are just stress heads and something that brings them down off the roof can be helpful in occational stressful situations! Horses for courses and all that!
 
Ayla84 said:
I`ve got a PBA who most people would use a calmer on but I dont see the point, it`s her character to be a bit of nut job so I just sit there and let her get on with her antics!:D Her mad moments are what I love about her most!
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Ha! Totally agree. This is what i dont get tho, what are arabs part bred or full bred known for? Why on earth would someone buy an arab and then give it a calmer everyday because they cant handle it. Simple answer, dont get an arab, buy a cob!
 
Mine is on a calmer. He is a headache even on it, would be a walking migrane without it!

He is not fizzy/excitable, but is a real worrier and a stress head. He is exercised 6 days a week and lives out 24/7. He is fed only enough to carry the calmer so I assure you its not a management issue!

I have done and still do a variety of de spooking work, I've tried a range of techniques to stop his over-reactions to things but its clearly innate to his character and the calmer (anxi-calm) seems to make things a bit easier for him.

Not all horses are the same some just need a little extra help! :rolleyes:
 
Oh that's funny, I was just trying to find something to pep mine up a bit for shows.....!!! If we gave ours calmers, they would be alseep.....
 
IMHO requirement for a calmer is down to what else is fed.

As a quick example, I took on a little mare at the beginning of the year. She was pretty much unhandled, had never been fed anything other than grass and the occasional hay when the snow was really bad and was so chilled and easy and gentle. Once we confirmed she was in foal the vet advised feeding her mare and youngstock mix. Our quiet gentle little mare turned into a bargy bossy spooky pony in two feeds. We scratched our heads and then cut out the mix - pony back to normal in about three days. Changed to something with less oats - back came the monster. Cut that out, nice pony returned. Changed to as basic and "calm" a feed as possible and again she turned into a bargy horror.

She gets no cereal at all now and is back to being her sweet and gentle self. I do seriously worry how many horses and ponies being fed off the shelf "normal" cubes and mixes are actually badly affected by them and am sure that the reason so many people seem to need to feed calmers is because of what they are feeding in the first place.
 
I feed my 6 year old gelding a calmer. He's not a "hot" horse and can be very laid back a lot of the time but he does get stressed out by little things and has flipped in the past so I started feeding it to try and help him deal with the things that upset him. I'm not sure if it's worked or that he's more settled with me now and is worked most days but I'll keep feeding it until it runs out and then see what happens. I started it because I had some left over from when my old boy was on boxrest and I figured it wouldn't do any harm.

I agree with whoever said that it's unfair to tar all novice owners with the same brush.

I also have an arab mare who's very forward and can be a silly spooky girl some days but I'd never dream of giving her a calmer! I love her flounceyness!!
 
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