rowy
Well-Known Member
Thought I would post on here to get some ideas.
Basically, every winter my mare turns tense, rushy and argumentative in the school. She always is a angel to handle on the ground, its just ridden!
I put her on magnesium oxide over the summer/ autumn which did stop all the unnecessary spooking but as soon as she has started coming in at night she has gone back to her own ways of wanting to go everywhere at 100mph and when I slow her and try and get her to relax she just gets really choppy stride and can be chompy on the bit. So frustrating as she was going so well before she started coming in!
We compete BD elem level but am giving her the winter off for training. She is on Bailey's performance balancer, fibre nuts, chopped grass, equiflex and magnesium oxide and salt when she gets sweaty. She gets haylage in the stable ad lib (it is fairly dry, def not rich!).
All this food she got during the summer as well so no changes made.
I am thinking of a calmer but most contain magnesium which she is already on and not making much difference. I am pondering between putting her on valerian just to keep her (and me!!) sane during winter for training and then wean her off it in the spring. Or cool, calm and collected although I tried this 5 years ago and it didn't have any effect and am reluctant because of massive price if it doesn't work.
She can't stay out 24/7 as where we live it is quite open, very very windy (huge gales at my window as we speak) fields get fairly wet and she is a wimp and very sensitive.
Basically, every winter my mare turns tense, rushy and argumentative in the school. She always is a angel to handle on the ground, its just ridden!
I put her on magnesium oxide over the summer/ autumn which did stop all the unnecessary spooking but as soon as she has started coming in at night she has gone back to her own ways of wanting to go everywhere at 100mph and when I slow her and try and get her to relax she just gets really choppy stride and can be chompy on the bit. So frustrating as she was going so well before she started coming in!
We compete BD elem level but am giving her the winter off for training. She is on Bailey's performance balancer, fibre nuts, chopped grass, equiflex and magnesium oxide and salt when she gets sweaty. She gets haylage in the stable ad lib (it is fairly dry, def not rich!).
All this food she got during the summer as well so no changes made.
I am thinking of a calmer but most contain magnesium which she is already on and not making much difference. I am pondering between putting her on valerian just to keep her (and me!!) sane during winter for training and then wean her off it in the spring. Or cool, calm and collected although I tried this 5 years ago and it didn't have any effect and am reluctant because of massive price if it doesn't work.
She can't stay out 24/7 as where we live it is quite open, very very windy (huge gales at my window as we speak) fields get fairly wet and she is a wimp and very sensitive.