Daily calmer for spooky horse?

[spacie1977]

My horse is quite strong and spooky but also very lazy. It's an awful combination because if he's given higher energy feed to combat his laziness he's likely to spook more, but cutting down on feed to prevent stressy fizz will give him less oomph when schooling. I've been doing some de-spooking with him in the school, and he's not getting his knickers in a twist quite as much as he was whilst hacking alone, but does still survey the horizon like a wide eyed giraffe for the first half hour of a hack until he's had a few spooks and canters, and it's quite tedious always being on guard he's about to dart sideways to escape a horse eating bird in a bush. I'm wondering if I should start adding something magnesium based to his feed every day. Does anyone use a calmer daily and have you seen a significant difference in your horse since feeding it? If so, which calmers are best?

 

[HorsesandParrots]

Magic is best.

 

[applecart14]

My horse is quite strong and spooky but also very lazy. It's an awful combination because if he's given higher energy feed to combat his laziness he's likely to spook more, but cutting down on feed to prevent stressy fizz will give him less oomph when schooling. I've been doing some de-spooking with him in the school, and he's not getting his knickers in a twist quite as much as he was whilst hacking alone, but does still survey the horizon like a wide eyed giraffe for the first half hour of a hack until he's had a few spooks and canters, and it's quite tedious always being on guard he's about to dart sideways to escape a horse eating bird in a bush. I'm wondering if I should start adding something magnesium based to his feed every day. Does anyone use a calmer daily and have you seen a significant difference in your horse since feeding it? If so, which calmers are best?

I didn't really see much difference in my horses spookiness whilst using magnesium myself. If you want to give him more energy but without fizz then try Spillers Instant REsponse. Its briliant, and there is one for laid back horses which it sounds like your horse is. Gives more stamina but without the fireworks.

My horse tends to ignore things that spook him once he's working hard and is a little tired. If he spooks at something and I canter him past it a few dozen times he soon gets bored with spooking. I think sometimes its a bit like an over imaginative mind. Once its tired it starts to calm down a little.

 

[spacie1977]

Thanks guys. Sorry I should have mentioned he's on full livery where fees is included (and more or less the same for most the horses). He's currently getting two feeds a day of chaff, pony nuts and sugar beat. I'd prefer to get an additive than ask to switch his feed because I don't want to complicate things too much for the yard owner who has to feed so many horses, and I don't want to spend a fortune buying specialist feeds either when feed is supposed to be included in what's quite expensive livery. He's kept in at the moment due to weather/paddocks a mess but that's not made him any spookier so it seems he's just a nervous horse rather than fresh. He does concentrate more on me and work in a nice outline if I've tired him out but he's a pain in the bum until then and doesn't make the first half of a ride enjoyable.
I've heard of Naff Magic, Equine America So Kalm, Horse First Relax Me and Magnitude. Have also read somewhere yeast can work. The first two get good reviews but I don't know whether they're used more because they work better or just have a good marketing and advertising strategy.

 

[Elsbells]

All the above can work but you'll have to use trial and error as horses react differently to different products. I use Equine America, not because she's spooky but because I read up on magnesium years ago and have had her on it ever since.

 

[trottingon]

I found that there are two "types" of calmers. Magnesium based and herb based. Different horses react to different calmers. If for example you try a magnesium based calmer first and it doesn't work, don't be disheartened, just try a herbal based calmer next, or vice versa. My horse doesn't react to the magnesium calmers so I stick to the herbal ones.
Good luck!

 

[spacie1977]

I found that there are two "types" of calmers. Magnesium based and herb based. Different horses react to different calmers. If for example you try a magnesium based calmer first and it doesn't work, don't be disheartened, just try a herbal based calmer next, or vice versa. My horse doesn't react to the magnesium calmers so I stick to the herbal ones.
Good luck!

What herbs do you use and how do you know how much to give?

I've just looked up magnesium on eBay and it's much cheaper buying medical grade stuff there than getting the brand names so might give that a go first.

 

[JennBags]

I use Magnitude on my spook-monster, it seems to help marginally. I cut out all carrots - made a big difference. I have also cut out all hard feed, he is fed chaff only, but he also gets Alltech Lifeforce which is an all-round supplement, it keeps the weight on him and has definitely helped with the spookiness. When he's feeling lazy, I give him a couple of squirts a day of NAF EnerG which seems to give him oomph without spookiness.

It's difficult when you're on full livery, but your YO should understand that each horse is different & has different feeding needs. The horses on full livery at our yard are fed a variety of different products, the YO is always happy to sort it out.

 

[Shay]

Obviously addressing his feed would be better - but if you can't... personally we found magnesium based calmers only worked for a very limited time. They tend to be more effective if your soil or hay is deficient in magnesium. We've found Dobson & Horrel's Placid very effective in the longer term. If you are competing watch out for calmers with Valerian in. It works - but its a banned substance!

 

[trottingon]

What herbs do you use and how do you know how much to give?

I've just looked up magnesium on eBay and it's much cheaper buying medical grade stuff there than getting the brand names so might give that a go first.

Hi. I don't use individual specific herbs as such, but the supplement manufacturers often make two types of calmer eg: Global Herbs makes Magnitude (mag based) and Supercalm which is mainly herb based (but does have some mag in it)
, NAF Magic (mag base), Dodson & Horrell Placid (herbs and mag), TEN Positive Calm Behaviour (herbs and mag), Positive Calm Behaviour Plus (mag based), and I found the ones I tried with high or pure mag didn't make any difference with my horse, but those with lots of herbs and a bit of magnesium had the desired effect.