What do people suggest that is the best calmer?

These calmers don't act as a kind of sedative, if you know what I mean. I've seen a magnesium calmer work when the horse was deficient in magnesium. If your horse isn't and her behaviour is (likely) caused by lack of turnout, a mag calmer will make very little difference. Or that is my entirely anecdotal experience with these things.
 
Best calmer is an environment to suit the horses needs and temperament.

For example, My Tb was awful on DIY, too many comings and goings, others getting food when she didn't, some in, some out which changed, kids screaming and dogs running around, random farm machinery etc equalled unpredictability and lack of consistency. For her, this was stressful. At full livery in a consistent and highly professional yard, she was an angel.
 
Achinghips said:
Best calmer is an environment to suit the horses needs and temperament.

For example, My Tb was awful on DIY, too many comings and goings, others getting food when she didn't, some in, some out which changed, kids screaming and dogs running around, random farm machinery etc equalled unpredictability and lack of consistency. For her, this was stressful. At full livery in a consistent and highly professional yard, she was an angel.
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It's not just mine then. She too turns into a stressy mess at DIY yards. I 'fess up, I tried a magnesium calmer at one a few years ago. It didn't help. Moving did.
 
Balanced diet is the key all calmers are trying to address is an imbalance which is why some work for some and others don't. Excluding sedatives of course.

Lack of salt seems to be a common cause of deficiencies esp with high potassium in the grass.

Another issue is calories in are in excess and the horse is finding uses for this extra energy.
 
OP, I am not going to advise moving the horse or riding it more because doing either can be difficult or impossible depending on the facilities available within you local area and/or your own personal circumstances at the moment.

I have a 2 year old on box rest at the moment and have found Zyklene very useful for her. Another useful product is Vetplus Calmex I used this with extreme success on a horse confirmed to his box for 11 months and during his rehab.

Feed wise I have found linseed, unmollassed suger beet, soaked grass nuts or hi fibre nuts all help to maintain condition without blowing brains.
 
Thank you adorablealice :). And yes very difficult when I already excersise her 6 days a week she should have a day or two off a week surely?. And turnout is very aliminted in my area its either 24/7 turnout with no facilities or in every night and out every other day with facilities so I choose this one as I'd like to excersise my horse, and OK thank you might have to try that then, as last winter she was 4 and was out everyday but in at night and it didn't change as soon as your on her back very fresh doesn't do anything naughty etc.. bronks or buck a or rears but when you do ask for canter she shoots off, but as soon it comes to summer she is fine. Thanks for your help
 
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You exercise her six days a week, but what work does she actually do?

Two haynets a day for a horse in full work in all day does not sound enough to me, is there any left in the morning? If not, more hay, no hard food would be a good idea though I know this is not always easy in a livery yard.

Does she ever get a good gallop? It sounds like that's what she wants, and might need.
 
cupcakes16, I think that if you gave your mare as much hay as she could eat it would go a long way to solving your problem, she should be able to maintain her weight on hay only.
 
She does have hay left in the morning yes. and 45mins school work 3 times a week and 1hour hack or so 3 days a week. My horse is in perfectly good condition so she's oviously getting anough hay/feed. When she i out in the field she also gets grass and hay chucked out their, and yes gave her a good gallop about 1 week ago didnt so much at all.
 
Looking at her feed, it is all low starch so doubt very much it is the problem.

The problem appears to be purely lack of turnout.

Unless the horse is magnesium deficient then a magnesium based calmer will do diddly squat. I am alarmed at the marvelous marketing behind magnesium, especially so when it makes the horse excrete calcium at too high a rate, so if fed, should ALWAYS be fed with added calcium.

In the absence of turnout, the ONLY calmer worth the money imho is Science Supplements ProKalm.
 
Thankyou Amaranta :). I didnt think it would be her feed either as i spoke to a qualified nutritionist and she said none of this feed should heat her up. She was the same last winter and she was turned out everyday but was in at night, but because we have changed yards the schedule is every other day out and in at night, and she is no worse than she was last winter, and has been was on the same feed as she is this winter as her condition is perfect on the feed she is on. So i just imagine its just change of weather, been clipped etc..
 
cupcakes16 said:
She does have hay left in the morning yes. and 45mins school work 3 times a week and 1hour hack or so 3 days a week. My horse is in perfectly good condition so she's oviously getting anough hay/feed. When she i out in the field she also gets grass and hay chucked out their, and yes gave her a good gallop about 1 week ago didnt so much at all.
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I think you just need an air jacket then, I'm not sure anything feed or exercise wise will make any difference. Mine are both sharp right now and so are my friends, all out every day in the fields.
 
Also consider if she is getting a balancer already it is unlikely she is deficient in magnesium.

Too much magnesium can have the opposite affect and wind them up more - it is all about the balance, so be careful before supplementing her with any more.

Good luck!
 
Sidney said:
Also consider if she is getting a balancer already it is unlikely she is deficient in magnesium.

Too much magnesium can have the opposite affect and wind them up more - it is all about the balance, so be careful before supplementing her with any more.

Good luck!
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I recently researched this for a friend and as far as I can discover it's one very persuasive marketing man's opinion based on three horses. He sells a rival product (surprise!!) and others have totally rubbished his claims.

I've never heard of magnesium depleting calcium either, as an earlier poster said. Very many barefooters 'overdose' magnesium long term without any apparent issues.
 
Ive never heard of magnesium depleting calcium either and used straight mag ox for years with good effect on my mare and no ill effects, can the poster who wrote it link the research please to let us read through it, thanks
 
I have a very sharp mare and she has been on NAF Magic. She gets fed Spillers Cool Fibre and Spillers Original Balancer but I am lucky that she doesn't need feed to keep weight on. You could try changing her feed to a different manufacturer as there may be something that doesn't agree with her. On the days that your horse isn't turned out, could you let her out in the arena for 10 minutes to have a run and play or take her out for 10 minutes to eat on the verges (not on the road)? At 5 years old, I would want to be riding her 7 days a week, she is still young and needs a day off now and then and may still be growing (don't know what breed she is). I have also been known to give her rescue remedy and it certainly seems to help on stressy days.
 
Thank you DSCC, she's a welsh d x tb. And OK thanks for your advice and yes I've been letting her out in the menarge for 20mins twice per day when she is in, once in morning while I muck etc.. and 20mins at night when I skip out etc,. Thanks for your advice :)
 
Thanks Maccachic, very interesting bit of research but states youre unlikely to overdose your horse on mag and states many horses are borderline deficient. Mine are on clay soil, so i will continue to feed it as ive done for the last 10 years or so.
 
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