finding the right calmer

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One & a Million & 2

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Hi All,
I'm looking to buy a calmer to help relax my mare and help her concentrate and relax more and not find the world as spooky, but there are so many on the market, I would like to ask your advice on what brands, ingredients you think would help the best and what you have found to be the better product on experience?
there are so many with different ingredients, different sources of magnesium, some having l tryptophan in it then others having a selection of just herbs, then some having a small percentage of all ingredients. Its very easy to get lost and not sure what to buy with the range of prices to some being reasonable and some being very expensive, some advice and to hear what other people using and think are effective with be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks in advance.
 
I feel your pain but every horse is different so it will be a case of trial and error. All these magnesium or tryptophan supplements did not help my boy in fact I think it made him worse.
I have had great success with Dodson & Horrell Placid daily I love this supplement as its all herbal and is very cheap so a big bonus. If I feel I need something more for competition days I use Confidence EQ which is a gel that goes on the nostrils. These do not cure him of his spookiness but it just helps take the edge off and help him to think before he reacts.

Hope this helps :)
 
We got on well with D&H Placid too. Magnesium based calmers will only work if your pasture is deficient in magnesium - and most in the UK are not. Excess magnesium can make matters worse. There is limited research into the impact of Tryptophan, calcium etc. Some of the time the effect is really more for the rider than the horse. You think they are calmer, you act calmer, they respond to that and are calmer. No criticism - if it works I don;t care how / why!

The only thing that does have a track record (although some 20% or horses don;t respond to it) is Valerian. Which is why it is banned in competition.

Other things to think about are your feed solution generally. If she has more calories than she needs she'll be worse. You could try cutting her feed right down to the bare basics. Some horses get more spooky with Alfalfa. Some react badly to cereals. Too much sugar can also be a factor.

Before you begin on a very expensive trial of loads of calmers - do consider her diet and general management in case there is a cheaper option available!
 
One & a Million & 2 said:
Hi All,
I'm looking to buy a calmer to help relax my mare and help her concentrate and relax more and not find the world as spooky, but there are so many on the market, I would like to ask your advice on what brands, ingredients you think would help the best and what you have found to be the better product on experience?
there are so many with different ingredients, different sources of magnesium, some having l tryptophan in it then others having a selection of just herbs, then some having a small percentage of all ingredients. Its very easy to get lost and not sure what to buy with the range of prices to some being reasonable and some being very expensive, some advice and to hear what other people using and think are effective with be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

The best calmer I have found for a horse is more work .
 
I totally agree with Shay. Do check everything for mollasses, avoid licks and treats laden with mollasses. I think it's bad that so much of that stuff is put into feeds when it can cause such severe behavioural problems. Alan and page do a line in mollasses free feed. My horse goes completely adhd on mollasses.
I have used global herbs supercalm with good effect for years. Just helps him live with the dragons and tigers that lurk under bushes.
 
Dodson & Horrell Moody Mare works for my mare who gets silly & spooky when hormonal :)

Agreed with cutting out alfalfa & molasses - she is very reactive to those ingredients.
 
Interesting article. I'd agree that magnesium has never worked for zig. Never tried calcium or b vits. Camomile growing in his field has a hugely calming effect on him when he grazes it. Global herbs work for him but not for others who've tried it. They're ayurdevic herbs which are recognised as potent medical grade herbs.
It's an expensive process of trial and error really. Some swear by Magic but it did nothing atall for Zig.
 
I posted on the David Marlin thread too! I tried naf magic one and it def worked on mymare but too well, she was practically asleep, so def not a placebo in my view but not a good one for riding.

I’ve started using calming cookies by the equine edge on a recommendation, for pre show anxiety in my horse. He was never bad but he was really fidgety and would paw the ground, scratch on his hay net, and generally move about when tied up outside the lorry. Realised it was anxiety on his part, used a claiming cookie a few times now and his behaviour is sooooooo much better.

The ingredients are below, can anyone shed light on the science behind these?

Soyflour, Molasses, Flax Meal, L-Tyrosine, Fenugreek, Himalayan Salt, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Turmeric, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, Lecithin
 
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