CALMERS -why??

[Ladylina83]

I fed my yearling a calmer - Global Herbs so calm I think for his first few shows, I wanted it to be a good experiance for him from the off as his mum can get stressy at shows and he was amazing

 

[turkana]

I agree Kenzo, I've only had my tb for a year & one of the reasons I started giving her magnesium is she was very, very unsettled when I first got her, she has settled down a lot now she feels at home & trust me (she gets her confidence from her rider) but I don't want to risk it on the road.
She's fine in company & in the school, it's only hacking alone where she's very sharpe & spooky, why risk her, myself & car drivers, just see see if she still needs it or not? It's cheap so I'll keep giving it to her, if I ever keep her where I don't need to do road work I'll try her without it.

 

[Hippona]

I used a 'heavy duty' calmer with magnesium and L-typtophan when I got my horse a year ago...he was a nervous wreck and would actually s*** himself if a door banged- the calmer did work to the point where he would relax and listen and start to trust me.

I don't use it now....he doesn't need it....but as none of my horses have shoes I feed them MagOx daily anyway....

Incidentally...the horse is an arab.....he'll always be a forward flighty bugger and nothing I've fed him has ever changed this...I wouldn't want it to.....but the MagOx makes him more relaxed and happier in himself.

 

[Oberon]

I used a 'heavy duty' calmer with magnesium and L-typtophan when I got my horse a year ago...he was a nervous wreck and would actually s*** himself if a door banged- the calmer did work to the point where he would relax and listen and start to trust me.

I don't use it now....he doesn't need it....but as none of my horses have shoes I feed them MagOx daily anyway....

Incidentally...the horse is an arab.....he'll always be a forward flighty bugger and nothing I've fed him has ever changed this...I wouldn't want it to.....but the MagOx makes him more relaxed and happier in himself.

I feed mag ox as well as balanced minerals and herbs. I stay away from starchy/sugary feeds and make alot of effort on his diet......

Bloody Arab still went for my face yesterday

 

[bumblelion]

I tried various calmers a few years ago, didn't seem to have any effect. To me they're a bit like a placebo!

 

[Piglet]

I used to use them but not anymore, at 14 my boy can jolly well get on with it!!!! I used to use them religiously but on looking back now, there is no difference in his behaviour!!! It took a long time to wean myself off them but then it could be that he is a little bit older, will see what happens at the 1st of his outdoor shows next year, if he stresses up when corrected, or someone canters up behind him in his show class, I may well have to try them again - hopefully not!!!

 

['S'teamed]

I don't bother using calmers anymore. I don't think they make a blind bit of difference tbh .

this

i would cut out all hard feed before i fed a calmer

 

[Ibblebibble]

for the same reason some people have to have a dose of rescue remedy before going to the dentist, a few shots of brandy before hunting or a dose of dutch courage before a show

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

After reading a few other posts about Calmers.... why do people use them and for what for?

I wouldn't use calmers on my horses, for example loading, as i'd rather practise it until my horse was happy and relaxed rather than using calmers.


I've never used them, doubt i ever will. I've got two very highly strung horses but i like them like that. You could argue that the one can be 'dangerous' at times, but its a behaviour we are working on! x Using a calmer wouldn't stop his underlying behaviour.

My friend borrowed my lorry once to move her very non-loading Arab, he was purely stubborn, when he had a calmer before loading he went in alot better so i can see its uses. I actually have a calmer in my tack room as i won it team chasing!!

Not a dig or anything, just curious as to why people use them?

Yes I use a calmer as my gelding is very very sharp . he has one scoop am and pm


even an other instructress finds she cant school him when he is like it. he is spooking head in air looking for things to spook at

I call him my duracell battery. he is a power pack.

he doesn buck he broncs , bounces on the spot , and more he has broncked his sharer off a few times.
He broncked me off one day in the school , re damaged my back broke ribs was told i should b 6 ft under after that .


He is like a hiper kid without it on it hes gr8 does flying changes and everything i even did a 13 miles sp ride in oct he had never done more than 6 small bales of straw as i taught him western not jumping and he did at least 50 JUMPS


Horses dont naturaly have magnesium some need a helping hand.

Thats why i use calmer

I know alot of people use them before going to shows, but if your horse hets up on the excitement....is that really a big issue? can that not be worked on rather than using them?

whats the point of having a hiper horse at a show he is a danger to himself as well as the rider. He wont concentrate on the jumping thus knocked them down or fall

 

[superted1989]

I've not used one as I haven't felt the need, if my cob was stressy then I would give it a go!
Sometimes I think people use it and it has the 'Dumbo with the magic feather effect'. A lady at our yard religiously gave a tube of Magic to her horse every time he came down to the yard with her as he was so stressed out. If somebody else brought him down (he was a grass livery) he was quiet as a lamb, very laid back. She was quite an anxious person so, maybe the horse would have been stressy with her without the calmer by picking up her vibes, or, she felt more confident knowing he had calmer in him? Who knows!

 

[MrVelvet]

Well seeing as this is a little bit aimed at me, I shall explain why I am considering them.

The yard I am on at the moment prevents me from turning him out at all and when it comes to moving day he will have been in for a week 24/7. He is 3 yr old and quite sharp when he wants to be, it would not be safe to exercise him as the only place I would be able to do it would be to go on the busyish roads. I am moving quickly due to an incident which has made me make a quick decision. I do not have a trailer or box to practise. Said horse is usually fairly calm but I know he will be a bit sharp as he hasn't been out in so long, When we arrive at the new yard he will eventually be turned out in a large space (unfortunately there is no way I can section any off). My horse is valuable and precious to me. The journey is only about 10 minutes and he won't be traveled again for another year or so til hes riding away so I don't need to practise yet. I would like him to have a nice pleasant journey and arrive relaxed and happy. I may give him one before he goes out so he hopefully doesn't injure himself, I may not - I will make that decision when it arises. These are my reasons.

 

[MrVelvet]

There is no shame in wanting to make life a little easier for a horse or youngster in stressfull or excitable situations.

You don't get medals for braving things out or putting yourself, your horse or other people in danger neither.

Training, time and patience I agree without doubt the most important factor and some unfortunately do not attempt enough of this first, but there are perfectly good reasons why people use or should use or try a calmer.

The bold bit especially, People are no worse a horse owner for giving their horses nice experiences. I agree on a long term basis then training and practise may need to be done. Sensitive horses sometimes need a nice experience to know things won't bite!

 

[Oberon]

The only thing I want to emphasise (because I feel strongly about it) is that magnesium based calmers are NOT calming the horse.

Magnesium is in the grass and hay the horse eats but may not be being absorbed effectively because of a depletion or unbalance in the grass/hay.

If a horse responds positively to a magnesium based calmer, it indicates that the horse is deficient in magnesium. The agitation that the calmer is being fed for, is a symptom.

It is a very important mineral and should be fed to such horses long term to maintain good health and happiness.

In these cases PLEASE just buy plain old magnesium oxide. Don't waste money on brand names and packaging.

Feed companies charging double for it takes the p*** IMO

Ok I'm done

 

[YasandCrystal]

I feed mag ox as well as balanced minerals and herbs. I stay away from starchy/sugary feeds and make alot of effort on his diet......

Bloody Arab still went for my face yesterday

I do this with my stress-head WB - absolutely no sugar or cereal now, bar 3 tiny carrots a day, adlib hay. I do feed calcium rich food though as he and the others all get carob or locust bean which is calcium rich, so I think I will add magnesium oxide as a precaution.

Someone mentionned magnesium sulphate - I am sure I read somewhere that that one should be avoided as it is not easily absorbed by a horse.

 

[Oberon]

I do this with my stress-head WB - absolutely no sugar or cereal now, bar 3 tiny carrots a day, adlib hay. I do feed calcium rich food though as he and the others all get carob or locust bean which is calcium rich, so I think I will add magnesium oxide as a precaution.

Someone mentionned magnesium sulphate - I am sure I read somewhere that that one should be avoided as it is not easily absorbed by a horse.

Ah - but does he STILL go for your face?

I'd also look at the phosphorous balance in your horse's diet too.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Ah - but does he STILL go for your face?

I'd also look at the phosphorous balance in your horse's diet too.

Oberon I tell you I had never met as aggressive a horse as my WB. He would bite continually really meaning it, snaking over his stable door, striking at you with his forelegs, rearing, kicking out with his hinds. He is so athletic and at 17hh well able to reach anyone at the headend. He really was a prize b*****d. And all my so called pro friends kept telling me this was his personality and that I was being too fluffy hence he took the p*** with me!
Transpired after my perseverence and refusal to have a 5 yr old pts that he has chronic Sacroilliac dysfunction (diagnosed at Newmarket)- he also had low grade ulcers. The poor horse had been broken in and ridden with this injury and beaten up by a trainer. He had been left undiagnosed and untreated. No wonder he bit. He was screaming he was in pain. The vet reckoned the horse just knew I would listen hence the OTT behaviour. I put him on a calmer (RelaxMe) and in a communication he told the AC to tell me to stop giving him the stuff that made him so fuzzy headed!!
He's almost a pussycat now. He has had rehab, he is treated like a God I haven't been bitten in 9 monts Will look into phosphorous.
A holistic vet had me giving him a green clay and chlorella treatment for hind gut health . Have you heard of that? Poor hindgut function displays itself as a stress head - very alert always on standby!

 

[FanyDuChamp]

The only thing I want to emphasise (because I feel strongly about it) is that magnesium based calmers are NOT calming the horse.

Magnesium is in the grass and hay the horse eats but may not be being absorbed effectively because of a depletion or unbalance in the grass/hay.

If a horse responds positively to a magnesium based calmer, it indicates that the horse is deficient in magnesium. The agitation that the calmer is being fed for, is a symptom.

It is a very important mineral and should be fed to such horses long term to maintain good health and happiness.

In these cases PLEASE just buy plain old magnesium oxide. Don't waste money on brand names and packaging.

Feed companies charging double for it takes the p*** IMO

Ok I'm done

You asked about Coligone, will get the ingredients off the tub and post them. It has made a hell of a difference to my gelding, he was in pain, which made him difficult, not to say dangerous at times. He is now completely different.

FDC

 

[Oberon]

Oberon I tell you I had never met as aggressive a horse as my WB. He would bite continually really meaning it, snaking over his stable door, striking at you with his forelegs, rearing, kicking out with his hinds. He is so athletic and at 17hh well able to reach anyone at the headend. He really was a prize b*****d. And all my so called pro friends kept telling me this was his personality and that I was being too fluffy hence he took the p*** with me!
Transpired after my perseverence and refusal to have a 5 yr old pts that he has chronic Sacroilliac dysfunction (diagnosed at Newmarket)- he also had low grade ulcers. The poor horse had been broken in and ridden with this injury and beaten up by a trainer. He had been left undiagnosed and untreated. No wonder he bit. He was screaming he was in pain. The vet reckoned the horse just knew I would listen hence the OTT behaviour. I put him on a calmer (RelaxMe) and in a communication he told the AC to tell me to stop giving him the stuff that made him so fuzzy headed!!
He's almost a pussycat now. He has had rehab, he is treated like a God I haven't been bitten in 9 monts Will look into phosphorous.
A holistic vet had me giving him a green clay and chlorella treatment for hind gut health . Have you heard of that? Poor hindgut function displays itself as a stress head - very alert always on standby!

God bless you for listening to him.

Green clay is in most ulcer treatments - but I'm a bit ignorant as to how it works. I'd like to know more.

Chlorella - I'd like to know what's in it to see how it works.

My Arab has been with me since the age of 4 - I've always tried to do the best for him. He's always been grumpy for the last 21 years...

I'm coming to the conclusion that he's just an ass

 

[Oberon]

You asked about Coligone, will get the ingredients off the tub and post them. It has made a hell of a difference to my gelding, he was in pain, which made him difficult, not to say dangerous at times. He is now completely different.

FDC

Thanks for that. Glad it works. If I know what's in it, I can learn about how it works

 

[blood_magik]

i was considering giving mine a calmer before travelling (he stresses himself out when he'a in the lorry and it's stationary) but I'm not sure if it's going to do anything after reading all of this.

back to the drawing board

 

[Oberon]

i was considering giving mine a calmer before travelling (he stresses himself out when he'a in the lorry and it's stationary) but I'm not sure if it's going to do anything after reading all of this.

back to the drawing board

Perhaps a mirror?

 

[blood_magik]

hmm.. on the head divider?
can't think where else to put it.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I give mine magic and it really seems to work. He has special powers that means he can see gremlins and fairies that others can't see and his helps him deal more calmly with his gift.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I give mine magic and it really seems to work. He has special powers that means he can see gremlins and fairies that others can't see and his helps him deal more calmly with his gift.

I give mine magic too tho he hates the taste, often leaves his food little git,