Calmers

[Gingerwitch]

As some if you know I am working on a horse that isn't mine. Has an instructor out tonight who saw the issues first hand, after 45 mins we finally got 2 strides of a slow walk and a halt. We called it a day, I have totally stripped her if tack, no flash, no noseband, larger broadband so no pinching behind the ears and put her in a French link fixed fulmer.
All I can say is, I did not get off and she did not scare me.....but we did have a couple of times when she just bubbles.
So would you put her on a calmer ?
I can't work out if its fear of something or temper or is something going on in her brain ?
She gets 8hours turn out in a small group, fed hay and a bit of chaff, and a bit of magnesium.

 

[McFluff]

When I got my boy he ran on his nerves, and this manifested itself as ‘go, go, go’. To help me and him get on the same wavelength I used the premier performance calmer. It worked for us, along with regular lessons. He never scared me, it was more that I didn’t like that he was so tense, and had to keep moving. All the time. Whether it was psychological or really did make a physiological difference is something I’ll never know. But I’m glad we used it. Only needed it for a couple of months. He is still really forward and active, but now stops and half halts off my seat and is so much happier.

 

[be positive]

I put one mare on https://www.hiltonherbs.com/calm-and-collected-en
I had a leftover bag in the yard so thought it worth a try for her as she arrived with a lot of issues to untangle and a very limited time to get to the bottom of them, it may well have helped as she relaxed and settled fairly quickly, I also worked her twice a day once on the lunge/ long reins, once ridden until she fully settled, she remained on it once she returned home until the bag ran out but by then was far more established and has since gone forward in her career with a fairly level, if still enthusiastic, head.
It does contain valerian which is a sedative and banned from competition use, pure valerian would probably do the same job, if used carefully it is worth a go.

 

[Kizzy2004]

what’s she like on the ground is she the same? My gelding was like this and I spent a lot of time doing groundwork, lunging and long reining and very short ridden sessions and built up from there.

Have you tried the horse without magnesium? It can have the opposite effect and make them more spooky then calmer.

The best calmer I’ve come across is valarian but it’s not competition legal.

 

[Gingerwitch]

what’s she like on the ground is she the same? My gelding was like this and I spent a lot of time doing groundwork, lunging and long reining and very short ridden sessions and built up from there.

Have you tried the horse without magnesium? It can have the opposite effect and make them more spooky then calmer.

The best calmer I’ve come across is valarian but it’s not competition legal.

Thanks lizzy, she is worse on the lunge and long reins as we know she has fell over in the achooln9n the lunge and the owner lost her in long reins which scared the be jesus out of her. If we can get through the ridden issues I will look to the lunge long line in the summer when hopefully c 19 will allow more than 2people in the school x

 

[Kizzy2004]

Bless her.

Do you have poles. I found doing lots of pole work really useful to keep his mind focused on what he was doing rather then what’s going on around him. I would often use a square of poles or triangle with poles leading in and out and would ask for a transition down in the box so walk halt walk, trot walk trot, trot halt trot.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Sounds like she needs lots of desensitisation.

Have you looked at ground work with her? TRT Method is really good. I know a few friends who have used it on very worried horses that run on frayed nerves.

It's about teaching them to be in a state of calm when something bad happens.

I am not up on calmer but one I used years ago was super solviatex (think that's the one) camomile one. It made my welsh so calm we had to reduce the does as she went from shooting across the school when you put your leg on to wanting to sleep ?

Is she warm enough?
What are her muclses like?

 

[Gingerwitch]

Sounds like she needs lots of desensitisation.

Have you looked at ground work with her? TRT Method is really good. I know a few friends who have used it on very worried horses that run on frayed nerves.

It's about teaching them to be in a state of calm when something bad happens.

I am not up on calmer but one I used years ago was super solviatex (think that's the one) camomile one. It made my welsh so calm we had to reduce the does as she went from shooting across the school when you put your leg on to wanting to sleep ?

Is she warm enough?
What are her muclses like?

Thanks, I have put an exercise rug on, am doing ground work with her in hand, she gets massaged and carrot stretches.
I have ordered a selection of bits but basically stripped all the tack, martindale, flash, noseband off, took her out of a gag and put her back on a fulmer whilst waiting on bits
It's me that will have to change and think it's a pure challenge and what will be will be. I dont know how long I will be working with her but want to try to help as I honestly think there is a good horse under this nervous stress.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Bless her.

Do you have poles. I found doing lots of pole work really useful to keep his mind focused on what he was doing rather then what’s going on around him. I would often use a square of poles or triangle with poles leading in and out and would ask for a transition down in the box so walk halt walk, trot walk trot, trot halt trot.[/QUOT
Dont laugh but we have a shortage of poles and cones on the yard so I have spent my Christmas money off mum and dad on 7 lightweight poles and 8 cones and pole cups.....I will use them with my others but she has made me bite this bullet and get some jazzy coloured light weight stuff, ne as an oldie with one good arm can manoeuvre. It will also help me make a pole lane for a bit of freedom. I just worry she will be a tit and scare herself more. X

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Thanks, I have put an exercise rug on, am doing ground work with her in hand, she gets massaged and carrot stretches.
I have ordered a selection of bits but basically stripped all the tack, martindale, flash, noseband off, took her out of a gag and put her back on a fulmer whilst waiting on bits
It's me that will have to change and think it's a pure challenge and what will be will be. I dont know how long I will be working with her but want to try to help as I honestly think there is a good horse under this nervous stress.

It sound like you are right there is a good horses under there.

What I have learned when I've had horses running on stress is to not be too careful with them but set easy goals first off then start asking for more.

Have you done ground work then hopped straight on for a ridden session? Get her into a calm state on the ground and then hop on for a little ridden session to do some basic movements even if it's just in walk.

 

[Flamenco]

Is she still showing signs of magnesium deficiency? If so, you may just need to increase the magnesium. A deficient horse often needs more on cold frosty days (now!), or when grass is growng quickly. Lots of info here

https://feedxl.com/33-pasture-is-it-affecting-behaviour/

http://www.gotcha.com.au/index.cfm?pageName=horse_health_checklist

If not, then you've ruled out magnesium based calmers. Most calmers are magnesium, brewers yeast, L tryptophan or valerian.

Magnesium and brewers yeast from ebay work for mine and is much cheaper than a branded supplement.

 

[ecb89]

I’ve used omega equines pure magnesium. I looked at their zen calm which is basically magnesium and brewers yeast and I was already feeding brewers yeast so decided to add magnesium to his feeds. I think it worked really well.
A little while later, after some reading, I added chamomile. I’m believe this has made a massive difference!
He is still a spooky looky horse but doesn’t react half as much as he used.