What Calmer do you use?

[Tern]

(Also posted in HC & F)

As title really.. Have decided to put my mare on a calmer for a while and won some VetroCalm a while back so going to put her on that and as it's only 90 days will most likely switch to Global Herbs SuperCalm (as all their other stuff has worked for me!) as it's same price. Would just like to hear what you guys use.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I have used this in the past with great result.....had a welsh cross tb that was very scatty and just needed to calm down and think things through rather than just react, I actually had to halve the does for her as it worked so well. She was on it for about three months and then I gradually weaned her off.

One thing though it did help her hold her weight as it's oil based.

http://www.rideaway.co.uk/super-solvitax-calming-formula

 

[Tern]

I have used this in the past with great result.....had a welsh cross tb that was very scatty and just needed to calm down and think things through rather than just react, I actually had to halve the does for her as it worked so well. She was on it for about three months and then I gradually weaned her off.

One thing though it did help her hold her weight as it's oil based.

http://www.rideaway.co.uk/super-solvitax-calming-formula

Mine is a scatty Welsh so will look into this, thank you.

 

[cptrayes]

What calmer do I use?


No hard food without hard work.
Turnout.
Work.


Never needed anything else in over 30 years with multiple horses of all types, all young except one.

 

[Kikke]

equine america magnitude for my welsh cob. used to be naf magic but that cost a arm and a leg and this works just as well if not better for a fraction of the price!

 

[MCWScout]

I use mollichaff calmer for my pony, although he's still spooky you can definitely tell when he hasn't had it for a while as he's so much worse. I would really recommend it, and as it's a bulk food it's a lot cheaper than most other calmers out there.

 

[silv]

What calmer do I use?


No hard food without hard work.
Turnout.
Work.


This, I don't remember calmers being around a few years ago and the majority of horses were not lunatics.


Never needed anything else in over 30 years with multiple horses of all types, all young except one.

just aswell, I don't think "calmers" had been invented 30 years ago. I am sure some have their place but they seem to be the norm these days.

 

[*hic*]

They may seem to be the norm nowadays because 30 years ago there was not this insistence on feeding everything hard feed and they were not needed! The first port of call should always be to take horse off all hard feed and then see how it behaves.

 

[janietee_5]

I am using Top Spec calmer on a horse on box rest. He fractured a bone in his fetlock and had it screwed together. When he started kicking the door with his broken leg I decided to try a calmer and if that did not work then would have to use sedalin. Not ideal long term. I started off with a Naf magic Instant Calmer and that worked within 2 hours. Went to R & R in Melton. Mowbray, was totally confused by the huge offering of calmers and took the advice of one of the staff there who had used the Top Spec before. luckily it worked and we have a chilled boy on box rest.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Erm my scatty welsh was on as much turn out and no hard feed at all....the reason I put her on it was because she had learnt in her previous home to rush and get through things as quick as possible in a panic. They weren't nice people. I just needed to tone down the panic reaction for a while so she could actually think about what I was asking her to do and that she wasn't going to get beaten if she didn't do it right away.

They have a place but i would.never have a horse on it long term. After three months she was weaned off it and never been on one since. That was about 11 years ago.

 

[Princess Rosie]

In 36yrs of "horseying" I've never had to use calmers, however I now have a mare who is very sharp and when she gets excited she gets herself very stressed (we've very recently learnt the reason for this, she has been feral for most of her life!). Anyway we tried equine America and it had no effect whatsoever, we also tried relax me but you have to load it (2 big scoops for up to 10 days) and she refused to eat it, I've heard good results of it but you have to be feeding a substantial feed for it to take the amount of calmer needed in the loading period (my mare wasn't fed and wouldn't even eat it in a jam sandwich). I've got her on hilton herbs, calm and collected liquid gold and the difference is phenomenal, she has never coped with change well or new things but the calm and collected we can introduce her to new things without her having a complete breakdown.

 

[turnbuckle]

Valerian. Cheap and effective, but not comp legal.

 

[Goldenstar]

Like cptrayes I believe turnout , restricted additional food ,and work particularity long slow work are the best calmers .
Hanging around calm steady confident humans helps horses too

 

[Tern]

Like cptrayes I believe turnout , restricted additional food ,and work particularity long slow work are the best calmers .

Well sometimes you are in situations where this is not always available to do. She is out 24/7 anyway. I asked about calmers people use, I did not need the bitchy comments to go with it - My horses are not kept at a nice yard with arenas and facilities I can use, they are kept at home which makes it more difficult to actually ride in the winter.

 

[buzyizzy]

I do agree with Jemima, mine are endurance horses and don't have any hard feed, BUT I have noticed a significant improvement in their temperament this season as my barefoot trimmer suggested I add mag ox to their feed to help their feet and it has taken the edge of our normally very excitable Connie. He was able to concentrate and he settled into the rides much more quickly.

 

[NU ABO]

I don't use anything for my boy the majority of the of the time, except when we go out to Hunter Trials I've given him a dose of the calmer mum uses on her spooky, half-blind TB. Don't know if it makes a difference to my boy, but it's done wonders for mum's TB, you can definately tell the difference and it's given him a better quality of life as he's not living on his nerves all the time and can actually engage his brain faster!

It's Science Supplements ProKalm, fairly expensive but you can get it in £10 weekly packs (they usually last us a bit longer because we only need to give the TB half a scoop to make a difference, we only give full scoops if the situation calls for e.g. new competition venues, fireworks night etc etc)

http://www.sciencesupplements.co.uk/products/horse-calmers.html

 

[Tern]

I do agree with Jemima, mine are endurance horses and don't have any hard feed, BUT I have noticed a significant improvement in their temperament this season as my barefoot trimmer suggested I add mag ox to their feed to help their feet and it has taken the edge of our normally very excitable Connie. He was able to concentrate and he settled into the rides much more quickly.

Yes, although I agree and have never used calmers on any of my horses it is not applicable and I do believe this horse will work better on one this winter and then in the Summer she will come off all hard feed together. I read that Mag Ox should never be used when a horse is in work for some reason..?

I don't use anything for my boy the majority of the of the time, except when we go out to Hunter Trials I've given him a dose of the calmer mum uses on her spooky, half-blind TB. Don't know if it makes a difference to my boy, but it's done wonders for mum's TB, you can definately tell the difference and it's given him a better quality of life as he's not living on his nerves all the time and can actually engage his brain faster!

It's Science Supplements ProKalm, fairly expensive but you can get it in £10 weekly packs (they usually last us a bit longer because we only need to give the TB half a scoop to make a difference, we only give full scoops if the situation calls for e.g. new competition venues, fireworks night etc etc)

http://www.sciencesupplements.co.uk/products/horse-calmers.html

Thanks, will look into that one.

 

[EquiEquestrian556]

I use Feedmark Magnesium powder in my mare's hard feed, only in the evening, and she has a NAF Magic syringe if she's likely to be a
bit nervous or excited when we go hunting or competing.

 

[lizzardk]

I've tried loads with my mare ( Chestnut I'd like to add!) and I feel that we go through good and bad patches.I've tried Magic, Prokalm,global herbs and another instant one. I currently have her on Equifeast Cool calm and collected which has a hefty month long loading period and we're adjusting the amount of magnesium to try and get the right level. In general she is much happier, no longer hammering on the door when she wants something and she actually let me get on from a mounting block without being ditzy. However yesterday, she did her best to get me off during a dressage test! Not our best result. She was acting like she had a sore back but has shown no signs of this at all prior to the comp. I really think she was just taking the piss out of me! She was also a psycho in the field when I went to get her in where as normally she is so placid. Who knows!
They are animals after all with their own brains! I'll never understand. :/

 

[cptrayes]

I read that Mag Ox should never be used when a horse is in work for some reason..?

This isn't true. A very high proportion of barefoot horses are on mag ox.

But it will only act as a calmer if the horse is magnesium deficient. Ditto calcium calmers. Anything which makes the horse calmer while not correcting a deficiency is a sedative, which is why it worries me how much they are used these days :'(

I wonder how many people would be as happy to say 'i keep my horse permanently sedated' as 'I use a daily calmer' ?

 

[turnbuckle]

I wonder how many people would be as happy to say 'i keep my horse permanently sedated' as 'I use a daily calmer' ?

Hey, think of how many highly-strung people need meds of some sort to function easily. It ain't ideal, but sometimes it makes for a much happier life.

 

[L&M]

I have had two horses in the past that I tried them on, and tbh not found any that work, whether magnesium based or herbal.

The first horse was plain nuts and was forced to admit he was too much for me, so sold him on to a more experienced home.

The second I chucked out 24/7 and has been a dream to ride ever since, so any 'un-wanted' behaviour was purely down to a management issue.

Imo most supplements are just a waste of money, and would only bother now to use one on a vets advice.

 

[Sukistokes2]

Hi OP,

I am currently using magic calmer on my young horse, it helps him settle and focus. I have found that it helps.

He is out 24/7 and on a little chaff with his calmer mixed in. He is just young and gets a little over excited at times.....bless!

 

[samleigh]

Well sometimes you are in situations where this is not always available to do. She is out 24/7 anyway. I asked about calmers people use, I did not need the bitchy comments to go with it - My horses are not kept at a nice yard with arenas and facilities I can use, they are kept at home which makes it more difficult to actually ride in the winter.

I have read the replies & by far yours in the most reactive!

 

[sunleychops]

Save your time, They're all a waste of money.

Placebo effect at best.

Edit - The Magic instant syringes seem to work for show, travelling etc but all of the maintenance calmers seem utter crap in my experience.

 

[PolarSkye]

This isn't true. A very high proportion of barefoot horses are on mag ox.

But it will only act as a calmer if the horse is magnesium deficient. Ditto calcium calmers. Anything which makes the horse calmer while not correcting a deficiency is a sedative, which is why it worries me how much they are used these days :'(

I wonder how many people would be as happy to say 'i keep my horse permanently sedated' as 'I use a daily calmer' ?

I use MagOx for Kali's feet . . . has no affect whatsoever on his temperament.

P

 

[Tern]

This isn't true. A very high proportion of barefoot horses are on mag ox.
I wonder how many people would be as happy to say 'i keep my horse permanently sedated' as 'I use a daily calmer' ?

Heya, thanks for confirming re mag ox. I have decided to hold off using calmer.. she seemed but calmer today (hadn't given her any calmer)

Hey, think of how many highly-strung people need meds of some sort to function easily. It ain't ideal, but sometimes it makes for a much happier life.

Exactly.. sometimes it helps a difficult situation with some of them, thank you!

I have had two horses in the past that I tried them on, and tbh not found any that work, whether magnesium based or herbal.

Ahh okay, interesting..

Hi OP,

I am currently using magic calmer on my young horse, it helps him settle and focus. I have found that it helps.

He is out 24/7 and on a little chaff with his calmer mixed in. He is just young and gets a little over excited at times.....bless!

Heya, thank you - this is an answer I like - simple and answers my question.

Save your time, They're all a waste of money.

Placebo effect at best.

Edit - The Magic instant syringes seem to work for show, travelling etc but all of the maintenance calmers seem utter crap in my experience.

Will remember Magic calmer then for the exciting days.

I use MagOx for Kali's feet . . . has no affect whatsoever on his temperament.

P

He mustn't be deficient on Magnesium then!

 

[Tern]

I have read the replies & by far yours in the most reactive!

Sorry if I have caused offense but I asked a simple question.. people jumped on the gun not knowing the full facts and just assumed I was using it for an easy way out.

 

[WetandMuddy]

I have tried most of the calmers on the market after owning an extremely 'sharp' Welshie (who has a massive buck). However, he is now turned out 24/7 and only fed hay and Pure Feeds 'Pure Easy' (just fibre - no cereals, molasses, etc.) and he is now perfect. Fabulous to handle and ride!!! In fact, I can not ride for a fortnight and get straight on and hack out and you would never know!!!!

So, I agree, purely a management issue in my case!

 

[nikkimariet]

It varies from horse to horse...

I've had success with some, where others have not.

I've found the magic syringes and relaxin to be the most effective and do really rate them.

Fig is turned out 6.30-3.30 every week day and roughly 8-3/4 at the weekends. He is in hard work. He is on non heating feed. He is just, quite simply, a very sharp horse who will run off adrenaline at any opportunity. Absolutely not a management issue here.