horse calmer.....please help :)

[scrumpyjackles]

hi my horse is very highly strung and gets very wound up at competitions, he is fine show jumping and xc but turns into a thug doing stressage ! (only on grass) i was wondering if anyone knows of any calmers i can give him before the show to take the edge off ? i have tried naf magic calmer but if anything made him more insaine !!!! i realise that long term it will just mean me getting him out to as many dressage comps on grass but need a helping hand !!

 

[Kenzo]

Relax Me by Horse First (mag type calmer however) tends to take the edge off, I've had good results with it, if he's just being a thug then I doubt a calmer will have that much difference if he's just playing up, but if he's on just got a bit too much energy or a bit spooky etc then yes it does work nicely.

I think it's just a case of trial and error, some you need to feed in advance say a week before as daily supplement, others are instant that you can give on the day but I think it really just depends on the horse and what exactly is causing the behaviour.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Magic calmer used top spec never made a difference

 

[faith123]

Feedmark Steady-up is fab! Calmed my girl right down (several friends have found the same with theirs)

Magic didnt make a difference (I used it for a long time though!) and Relax me I couldnt get her to eat it!

 

[rach.m]

SO KALM PLUS IS GREAT FOR MY SONS SJ PONY ITS MADE BY EQUINE AMERICA, YOU FEED IT DAILY AND DOUBLE IT UP AND HOUR AND HALF BEFORE COMPETING, IT JUST TAKES THE STRESS EDGE OFF, HAVE USED OTHERS IN THE PAST BUT FOUND THIS TO BE GREAT. I ALSO WATCH HIS FEED AND GIVE HIM HIGH FIBREAND LOW STARCH AND SUGAR.

 

[foxyrubyred]

I found Oxyshot the best!!
Its one that has no Magnesium in it and works on allowing more oxygen.
Its FAB as Magnesium based one just wound my horse up more.

 

[Shipley]

Horse First relax me. Worked really well for my horse who has the atmposphere get to him

 

[horse_lover]

Global Herbs Super Calm instant sachets helped my TB, I tried them after recommendation through a friend, they are only about £2.50 for them individually or about £10 for a tub of 5. You need to feed it about 1-2hrs before hand though

 

[jesterfaerie]

Global Herbs Super Calm worked on my TB, I then used the sachets when I took him out show jumping, he was still excited but I think he would have been worse without them. As it is magnesium based it will work if the horse is deficient so by staggering the doses (regular dosage in his feed, then sachet before the comp) it kept the levels topped up allowing him to be calm.

However I have since started using straight magnesium oxide as I was using it on my old pony (not as a calmer) and I have found he is a million times better, if he does spook he is easier to bring back and concentrate on his work before he would stress, worry, stress and then worry some more.

ETA - Tried NAF Magic and that didn't work with him. I have heard very good things about Relax Me.

 

[scrumpyjackles]

brilliant thanks everyone....only trouble is everones given me different advice and now i dont know what to try lol !!

 

[Achinghips]

I've tried them all - nothing works, but ensuring you have a companion there

 

[scrumpyjackles]

ohh no ! i suppose i shouldnt expect to be able to find a 'quick fix' problem its just getting him out more ! you would think at 7 he might have chilled out a bit but dressage on grass is always a huge prob for me ! maybe i should sedate him hahaha !

 

[Dubsie]

I've tried them all - nothing works, but ensuring you have a companion there

Now if we have a companion there and he knows the companion is there he's a right daft idiot! We do take both ponies to one very local show, one hacks I drive the other in the box, and we hide them from each other when my daughter swaps ponies, she leaves one at the box while I walk the other around the other side of the lorry park so they don't see each other, never a problem!
We use Magic. It does seem to work. However just as effective but far cheaper is Rescue Remedy (pastills or liquid) for my daughter and telling her he's had his shot of Magic (that's when I forgot to bring it with us). She communicates her nerves to him - he's a bit of a baby and really takes his lead from the rider. Although I'm an appalling rider if he so much as attempts to spook when I'm on him (he can really make a mountain out of a molehill with daugher sometimes) I just laugh at him and he looks all sheepish and pretends he wasn't scared at all!

 

[onemoretime]

Buy some dried camomile flowers (look on e bay they are very cheap) put about 4 large teaspoons (heaped) full in a cup and put hot water on and leave it to brew. When cool mix with his feed (or if he doesn't have much feed) mix with a double handful of alfalfa or just plain chaff and feed this to him about an hour before you go to the show. I found this worked very well.

 

[scrumpyjackles]

Buy some dried camomile flowers (look on e bay they are very cheap) put about 4 large teaspoons (heaped) full in a cup and put hot water on and leave it to brew. When cool mix with his feed (or if he doesn't have much feed) mix with a double handful of alfalfa or just plain chaff and feed this to him about an hour before you go to the show. I found this worked very well.

This sounds interesting ! i only have til wednesday i wonder if i can find it in a supermarket....could i just make him a camomile tea lol ?!

 

[Benjamin Brown]

ohh no ! i suppose i shouldnt expect to be able to find a 'quick fix' problem its just getting him out more ! you would think at 7 he might have chilled out a bit but dressage on grass is always a huge prob for me ! maybe i should sedate him hahaha !

Mine's 15 and I've tried loads of different calmers and he's still a nut !! Insecure really but it comes out as nutty behaviour and he has never relaxed doing dressage, not helped by me worrying

I have him on So Kalm Plus long term and have tried many others but nothing really overcomes the competition excitement.

Its horses for courses really so you're going to have to just keep trying them until you find one but nope, I'm afraid there is no quick fix and you may never get him completely relaxed but good luck !!!

 

[laurahayley]

Hi I have a 16.2hh WB x TB who is highly srtung. Can got whappy at shows. I have tried the following wth not much if not no affect at all:-

Feel Good Science
Top Spec Calmer
Global Herbs Super Calmer
GH TB Calmer
Relax Me
Oxy Shot _what a total waste of money!!!
magic shots
Equi Kalm


I do how ever use a mix of Feed Mark Steady Up !! & herbs. You can use D & H Placid or I tend to get mine from Natural Horse Supplise & use the Calmer complete comp on as it does not have velarin in it. These togethe seem to take the edg eoff him. It wont change him, but takes the egde off eg the switch is not so sharp & it does not last half so long. plus lots & lots of schooling & taking him out. I took par in an ODE the other day & he was brilliant. Little bit spookey but tha was my fault I was running late!
Good luck

 

[emze-wemze]

calmers are over expensive and 9 times out of 10 dont work with properly highly strung horses.

The best way to calm your horse is to introduce magnesium to his diet via his feed to build it up within his system so it can be released as and when he needs it. You can add any extra calmers before the dressage competition etc. to top up the dosage (friends have found that the carl hester calmer works the best).

The best place to buy magnesium is from this site www.rockfoot.com

if you build it up within his system it will be there whenever and will make a lifelong difference not just a quick fix!