On the day calmers who has used...?

Queenbee

Queenbee

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Right, I've seen some good things about deFUSE by supreme products, described as a combination of vits, amino acids and magnesium. So I thought I may try this for the next show. My problem is last year I dosed him with magic paste (which is magnesium) and it made sod all difference. So my question is have any of you experience of using magic and it NOT working, but then using deFUSE with a good effect? Or am I just chucking money down the drain since it's another magnesium product and if one doesn't work neither will the next??!!

Perhaps if that's the case, some one could reccommend something else? I'm thinking valerian cordial as we aren't competing at an affiliated level.
 
Hi QB, long time no speak. Hope you are all well. In the past with Ebony I used a paste and for the life of me I can now not remember the name of it lol and all I can say was it took the edge of her a bit, but back in the early days she still kicked off if the mood took her, the more we did the better she became and now I do not have to use anything. Hopefully some of the others will have tried the one you are thinking of. Oh just thought one thing I did do was put a drop of lavender oil on my gloves its supposed to have a calming effect !! not sure if that was for me or her x
 
Magic won't work unless the horse has a magnesium deficiency, so I'd imagine there are a lot of horses who it doesn't work for, and it will be the same for any magnesium based calmer. Mine is getting it just now as it seems to help him be a little less reactive when the spring grass is growing as frantically as it is ATM, but I don't bother with it in summer or winter as it makes no difference.

What issue are you trying to combat? Could it just be a case of needing to go out more so it becomes routine and not exciting? Mine can be a bit of a spooky PITA if he isn't going out regularly, but once he's out quite a bit, it's normal for him and he just gets on with his job, albeit with a bit more tension that I'd have at home.
 
ebonyallen said:
Hi QB, long time no speak. Hope you are all well. In the past with Ebony I used a paste and for the life of me I can now not remember the name of it lol and all I can say was it took the edge of her a bit, but back in the early days she still kicked off if the mood took her, the more we did the better she became and now I do not have to use anything. Hopefully some of the others will have tried the one you are thinking of. Oh just thought one thing I did do was put a drop of lavender oil on my gloves its supposed to have a calming effect !! not sure if that was for me or her x
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Hey! Lovely to hear from you :) hope you and you're ebony are well x may well try the lavender oil trick and see if it helps thank you ;)

chestnut cob said:
Magic won't work unless the horse has a magnesium deficiency, so I'd imagine there are a lot of horses who it doesn't work for, and it will be the same for any magnesium based calmer. Mine is getting it just now as it seems to help him be a little less reactive when the spring grass is growing as frantically as it is ATM, but I don't bother with it in summer or winter as it makes no difference.

What issue are you trying to combat? Could it just be a case of needing to go out more so it becomes routine and not exciting? Mine can be a bit of a spooky PITA if he isn't going out regularly, but once he's out quite a bit, it's normal for him and he just gets on with his job, albeit with a bit more tension that I'd have at home.
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Hi, no I'm aware that magnesium based calmers don't generally work if the horse is not deficient in magnesium, which is why I have been somewhat cautious about getting another, however, I am hearing from various people that while magic did naff all (excuse the pun) they did have great success with defuse, even though they are essentially both magnesium based, although supreme products do say that there is also some vitamins and amino acids that are in the defuse. What happens when he arrives at a show is that he just blows his brain, he remains varying degrees of tense throughout, and he is anxious (it's not pretty). The best environment and behaviour I have had out of him was at a large county show, where we went up the day before when it was quiet, he had a box to chill out in and there was far more organisation and not such a free for all as you get at local shows. Last year we boxed to a local show and he was cantering around on the end of a leadrope, this year we hacked to a show and I was already on board, but it took a lot out of us both to get him to contain his anxiety and energy, and it took a long time for him to get to any point where I could consider going near the rings. I totally agree that with time, and experience he will get over this, he is just a baby and it's all very new to him. The plan is to go to some indoor events this winter, which will give him a much more controlled situation and hopefully next year we will be massively improved and look back on this stress not believing the change! However, once that adrenaline spikes, it's very hard for them to come down off it, I want something to help him in his early days so it can be the best possible experience for him and he can be there feeling as Unpressured as possible, whilst he gets used to everything. For me it is no different to when he was clipped, the first time he had a tube of sedalin and a twitch, the second time, half a tube and a twitch, this time no sedalin and partial use of a twitch... I simply do not see the point in taking him in and making him feel so anxious and stressed when he could have a little *help* to begin with.


Just to add, issues wise they present in the following way... Scared and insecure to downright grouchy.

To begin with he was spooking at some things... Mainly whenever a lead Rein pony broke into trot, he would try and run away. Crabbing towards other horses he knows in trot and trying to break into canter from trot to get over to them. Joggy little piaffe movements, a few attempts at cat leaps. Expecting someone to kill him from every angle. People walking out of lorries scared him and made him look and take a step back. He got grouchy and took a dislike to nearly every other coloured around :/ and whenever they misbehaved no matter how far away he would pin his ears and arch as if he was going to give them what for (but he didn't). He jumped in the ring (the jumps that is, not out of his skin) but it's the rest of the time he needs help, he also tried mini rears whenever he had to wait, or be left by someone... I can handle it all and kept him on the move, and contained, but don't feel he should have to handle it without something to help him chill if he doesn't have to.
 
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I had a horse which I really struggled with, and sadly had to sell on eventually because of his stressy temperament.

In that time I tried Global herbs instant sachets and naf magic instant syringes - neither worked. I tried Equifeast c/c&c longer term which didn't help either, and neither did valerian.

Tbh I have very little faith in calmers - if a horse is spooky or stressy then it is either down to their genetic make up or management. If it is a management issue it can usually be resolved, but if it is just down the horses personality, I don't see how a few herbs will help.
 
I have a very nervous pony, when I need an 'instant' calmer the only one that works on him is Global Herbs SuperCalm

Magic, Oxyshot. Defuse. Nupafeed are amongst the ones that didn't work for my particular scatty chap however they do work for others and all have their own loyal fan base, I think its a matter of trial and error to find the right one for an individual
 
The only calmer that i found that actually worked was Equine America So Kalm BUT that was 12 years ago before they took the valerian out of it. Now its useless lol!
 
Interesting, to be honest I'm no stranger to stress heads at shows, ebony was a wreck in the beginning! I'm sure he will grow out of it in time, it is after all only his third show, his second local show and his first ridden show... I've got some defuse on order with YO who is off to badminton tomorrow, hopefully that will work but if not, it will be the valerian cordial I think...
 
What about a handful of hops? I have used them with success over the years, you can get them on ebay, have a play about with quantities before a show.
 
I'm sure calmness will come with time.

We used Zyklene (unfortunate name!) as an instant calmer for a nutter. Many say they've had good results with it and it's competition legal.
 
LJR said:
What about a handful of hops? I have used them with success over the years, you can get them on ebay, have a play about with quantities before a show.
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Thank you, will definitely consider this ^^^^ *trundles off to ebay*

Slightly Foxed said:
I'm sure calmness will come with time.

We used Zyklene (unfortunate name!) as an instant calmer for a nutter. Many say they've had good results with it and it's competition legal.
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Cheers, will check this out :)
 
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