Supplements for stress

F

Fionafaye

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 April 2009
Messages
104
Location
Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Visit site
I put a post on here about my horses behaviour problems yesterday (called- She is driving is nuts!!) and I had a lot of replies saying she sounds stressed.

Does anyone know of any supplements/remedies to reduce stress (preferably herbal based)?

I was thinking of leaving a radio on during the night, do you think this would help?

and any tips for boredome relief? Any home made toys ect.

Thanks in advance.
 

Stress and stable vices are often a management/ diet issue. I have the horse from hell in a stable... who is now an angel. Horses are not like people, they are stressed by their environment. A supplement won't cure it, if you don't find the cause.

He would as you describe, box walk all night stirring up his bedding and be covered head to toe in the morning. Be weaving at the door constantly, head nodding, kicking etc. What I have found and some of this by pure accident:-

Stabled horses NEED work, if shes too young to work, then at least a full day of turn out.
Look at what you are feeding. I removed ALL cereals from his diet and he looks better than ever. There is a small chance it could be ulcers as they are linked to many vices in the field and stable.
Stable mirror, didn't work for my lad, but at same time bought one for the little pony I nanny, and it was unbelievable, stands and stares at himself for hours. For £30 off ebay what have you got to lose?
Ad-lib hay, if shes the kind that pigs it all in the first 5 mins, then use a bigger net. Cannot stress this point enough!
Try wood pellet bedding, its cheap and super absorbant of smells and everything.

I thought my lad was bored so needed to be able to look out at other horses, but he had to be moved to a back stable temporarily where he couldn't see others and people walking around with hay and feed, and his vices stopped almost over night!
I also use Magnitude, which is a magnesium supplement. Not sure where you are but its quite common where I am for the soil to be magnesium deficient. I don't think its brilliant as a calmer, but it does something to relax them a bit.

Good luck, don't give up :-)
 
I am going to start lunging her when I take her in so she will get all day outside and extra exercise on top. She now only gets a handful of cool mix (instead of a scoop and a half) mixed through a large scoop of chaff (keeps her occupied for longer). She gets a large hay net with small holes which holds over half a square bale. I was really just looking for something to add to this to keep her as calm as possible, but maybe with her new routine she wont need. I'll just have to wait and see.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top