Are you looking for a calmer to offer quick and effective relief for an anxious or excitable horse? Here are the best instant calmers for horses below. These are available in paste or gel form and are administered via a large syringe into the horse’s mouth, which makes them perfect for a one-off stressful occasion.

If you’re looking for a calmer that’s fed daily, check out our best daily calmers for horses. They all have the same aim of reducing acute stress and overall anxiety, which should allow your horse to learn better, be more manageable and lower their risk of stress-related disease.

Best instant calmers for horses

It’s designed for use before competition or stressful events and results are usually seen within an hour. Can be used in addition to SuperCalm powder or SuperCalm liquid.

When should I use an instant calmer?

Any change of routine, such as your horse starting box rest, or novel situations can bring new stresses with it. In these situations, the best instant calmers for horses can help to “take the edge off”, leaving you with a more relaxed horse that may be easier to handle. Some are designed to work alongside a daily calming supplement, while others are effective on their own.

How to choose an instant calmer

We’d usually suggest considering the form a supplement takes, but these all come in paste form. Instead it’s worth considering the time each one takes to act as although they’re billed as “instant calmers for horses”, most take at least an hour or two to enter your horse’s system.

Cost is another consideration – some of these syringes deliver multiple doses so are better value for money if they work for your horse. You’re also better off buying multipacks where available if you’re likely to require the calmer on multiple occasions.

If you compete with your horse then it is important you make sure any supplements you use do not contain any prohibited substances.

You might also like:

Best calming supplements for horses: what’s on the market?

Calming supplements — how do they work?

Some horses have a genetic tendency to be highly strung despite what they are fed

16 toys to help horses beat their boredom

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Do you think your horse could benefit from one of the best calmers for horses? This guide looks at the best daily calming supplements and includes the manufacturers’ descriptions of their products and RRPs so that you can compare your options. Horse calmers are specially formulated and contain ingredients that may help to reduce and regulate your horse’s response to stress and the related behaviours.

If you’re looking for something to take a more immediate effect for a one-off upcoming event, check out our guide to the best instant calmers, which are designed to be administered as and when required.

Best daily calmers for horses

An advanced magnesium supplement that is easy and flexible to feed and can also be used to support the metabolism, facial nerves or muscle relaxation without compromising performance. Also available as a syringe paste.

This natural magnesium-free calming supplement combines seven herbs to help settle anxious, stressy horses, keeping them focused and calm, while also supporting good gut health.

A dried herbal blend suitable for horses and ponies prone to nervousness or excitability; including a blend of chamomile, lemon balm and vervain, which are renowned for their calming properties, while magnesium helps to support an even temperament. An ideal supplement for use when bringing a horse back into work.

Does my horse need a calming supplement?

Before you feed a calmer it is important to check that any change in your horse’s behaviour isn’t due to pain and discomfort. Get your horse’s teeth, back and saddle checked by a suitable, qualified professional to rule out any problems.

Changes of routine can bring new stresses with it. In these situations, calming supplements can help to “take the edge off”, leaving you with a more relaxed horse that will be safer to handle.

How to choose a calming supplement for horses

Most of the best calmers for horses are available in a powder or liquid form and they take time to build up in your horse’s system with the same overall aim of reducing acute stress and overall anxiety.

Despite lots of anecdotal evidence to support their effectiveness, there is limited scientific research into how calmers for horses and their active ingredients work. Popular ingredients include:

• magnesium, which is thought to produce an anxiety-reducing effect
• tryptophan — a building block of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter associated with lower levels of stress
• valerian, which is thought to reduce anxiety

Consider the form the supplement takes – calming supplements can come in liquid, powder and paste forms. Your horse may have a preference to one over another, which could make all the difference as if he won’t eat it, your horse won’t receive the benefit.

Cost is another consideration – we’ve calculated the daily cost of all the horse calmers featured in this guide to help you compare them easily. To make it as comparable as possible, we’ve used the smallest tubs available, but you’re better off buying a larger volume of supplement if you can as the daily cost can become significantly lower.

If you compete with your horse then it is important you make sure any supplements you use do not contain any prohibited substances.

Types of horse calmer

Some calmers for horses are instant or fast-acting — instant calmers are often in paste-form and administered via a large syringe into the horse’s mouth — while some of the best horse calmers take time to build up in your horse’s system, and are more likely to be in powder or liquid form.

They all have the same overall aim of reducing acute stress and overall anxiety, which should allow your horse to learn better and have a lower risk of stress-related disease.

You might also like:

11 ‘instant’ calmers that offer quick action

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Many dogs unfortunately suffer from anxiety or stress, leading to behavioural issues. Just as for humans, exercise is typically a useful antidote. Not only does it occupy and distract the dog, but it’s also great for his physical and mental wellbeing. It also means he’s interacting with his human, which helps him feel secure and bonded. Different dogs will find different situations triggering. For some, it’s loud noises such as fireworks and thunderstorms. For others, separation anxiety kicks in as soon as you leave the home without them. Still others find their walks actually induce anxiety, because strange dogs and people may stress them out. So there’s no size fits all when it calms to stipulating which are the best calming products for dogs.

Training, reassurance and consistency are key. Do consult a professional animal behaviourist if you are struggling. But a variety of calming products can play a part in your toolkit.

Calming dog treats are handy to have easily accessible to distract from a tricky situation. If you are after more of a long-term effect, you may want to try a dog calming supplement, which can be administered in the food on a daily basis.

If you want something more practical, how about a calming collar or a calming dog bed. The latter can give an anxious dog a sense of security in the home in his safe refuge.

Bear in mind that calming products can be marketed as such without being subject to the same regulation standards as veterinary medicines.

Best calming products for dogs

Adaptil Calm Diffuser

Format: Diffuser | RRP: £32.76 |

This home diffuser lasts for 30 days. It contains a synthetic copy of the “dog appeasing pheromone”, which a mother naturally releases to calm and reassure her litter, and has the same effect on adult dogs.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk

In the US? View now at amazon.com or chewy.com

Silentnight Calming Dog Bed

Sizes: S/M or M/L | Colour: Grey | RRP: From £35 |

This calming doughnut shape appeals to your dog’s natural nesting instinct and helps create a calming environment, reducing anxiety.

The premium materials are specifically designed to give your dog the same level of comfort as Silentnight’s top-quality beds and pillows, made for humans. It is filled with responsive fibres that support your pet while he snoozes.

It is machine-washable and finished with a non-slip base and covered in a super-soft plus fabric to provide the ultimate comfort.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk or silentnight.co.uk

Zylkene Calming Supplement

Format: Capsules | Options: Small, medium or large dog | RRP: From £14.99 for 20 small dog tablets |

Branded as the UK’s no 1 calming supplement and widely trusted by vets, Zylkene is designed to help pets cope with separation anxiety and stressful situations in and outside the home.

It contains a natural milk protein, alpha casozepine, with clinically proven calming effects without causing drowsiness.

To administer, split the capsule and sprinkle on to your pet’s food for easy consumption.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk or petsathome.com

RS Pet Dog Calming Collar

Size: Adjustable (up to 25in) | Duration: 60 days | RRP: £18.95 |

This collar contains calming pheromones made from natural ingredients and starts working immediately. The collar mimics the natural pheromone that mother dogs emit after giving birth to help their puppies feel safe and calm.

It is recommended by vets to help anxious dogs cope with travel, thunderstorms, fireworks, visiting the vet, a new home, new baby and separation anxiety.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

In the US? View now at amazon.com

All For Paws Heartbeat Toy

RRP: From £14.65 |

This soft toy replicates a mother’s heartbeat, which has a comforting effect on a puppy. Some also contain a warming pack that doesn’t need microwaving or batteries.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk

In the US? View now at amazon.com

SettleMe Calming Support Liquid

Format: Liquid | Flavour: Salmon | Sizes: 120ml | RRP: £24.99 |

Also available in capsules and chews, this is a handy alternative for dogs with a fussy palate or dental issues as you can either drop on to their food or administer directly into the mouth with the dropper. The tasty salmon flavour and addition of catnip is said to be popular with dogs.

It contains a concentrated blend of ingredients, including L-tryptophan, L-theanine and valerian root extract, believed to be helpful in supporting calm behaviour and in reducing anxiety, stress-related behaviours and over-activity.

In the UK? View now at viovet.co.uk

Adaptil Chew

Quantity: 30 chews | RRP: £25 |

Adaptil is the world’s leading dog behaviour calming range and is scientifically proven to help support dogs during stressful situations. This product is a fast-working, calming and tasty chew for dogs. The manufacturer says that dogs “love them and will eat them like a treat directly from your hand”.

Made from an enhanced calming formulation – which is non-additive and non-drowsy – to help dogs during stressful situations such as thunderstorms, fireworks, travel or vet visits. The calming ingredients include L-tryptophan, colostrum, green tea extract and thiamine.

Can be used daily or as needed, alongside the dog’s normal food.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk or petsathome.com

Rucomfy Burrower Dog Bed

Sizes: M or L | Colours: Mustard, slate grey, platinum grey or teal | RRP: From £59.99 |

This bed is ideal for breeds that are known to burrow, anxious dogs, or just any dogs that love to snuggled under a duvet and hide in a cosy place. Made of cosy jumbo cord for a stylish and comfy look.

The underside of the bed is made of a water-resistant fabric so you can flip the bed over when the dog comes home wet from a walk and then back to the cosy side up when he’s dried off. Machine-washable cover.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

Nutripaw Calming Treats

Flavour: Pork | Quantity: 120 chews | RRP: £34.99 |

This is branded as the “UK’s most loved calming chew”, and “trusted by 100,000+ customers”. It is packed with nine powerful natural ingredients in the guise of tasty pork treats, to help reduce your dog’s anxiety, stress, hyperactivity, barking and fear.

The non-drowsy, non-sedative ingredients include organic passion flower, L-tryptophan, L-theanine , hemp oil, ginger root, valerian root and organic chamomile.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Is your horse stressy and anxious? Simple management strategies should help him settle, explains Kieran O’Brien MRCVS

While many horses adapt well to the limitations of domestication, some find coping more difficult. These are generally thought of as stressy types. Such animals may show behavioural traits such as volatility, restlessness, poor trainability and stereotypies (stable “vices”), or veterinary problems such as stomach ulcers, all of which reflect their maladaptation.

Although skilled management can ameliorate many of these issues, there are individuals in every breed – especially thoroughbreds and Arabs – for whom special adaptations must be made to keep them sane and happy.

As well as those who are intrinsically hyper-reactive, horses who are otherwise more placid can become stressed and anxious when placed in certain environments – on box rest, for example, or when separated from favoured companions.

Two’s company

Stressy behaviour often stems from unrecognised and perhaps very subtle pain, typically caused by a problem in the back or limbs.

A comprehensive vet examination, both in hand and under saddle, is essential. A management appraisal may then be necessary, starting with the horse’s lifestyle.

It has been shown that horses kept alone spend 10% less time eating and are three times more active than if stabled with another horse. While individual stabling is usually necessary for practical and safety reasons, enabling visual and tactile contact with an adjacent horse via a “talk hole” or even a grille between stables is far preferable to visual contact alone.

One study showed an 86% reduction in weaving when stabled horses were offered nose-to-nose contact. Owners who have noticed some affiliation between pairs of horses in a paddock should ensure they are stabled in adjacent stables, if possible.

Although a small proportion of horses react aggressively when first introduced to a stable mirror (suggesting that they do not recognise the reflection as their own), most accept them readily and may spend many hours close to them. Mirrors have also been shown to reduce weaving.

An anxious horse will benefit from maximum turnout. Many experienced riders compete their horses at a high level directly from grass, when the weather is appropriate. Grass intake should be carefully controlled (by strip grazing, for example) to prevent obesity, and necessary shade and fly relief provided.

If horses cannot be turned out together, paddocks can be divided into sections. While it may be tempting to provide a pony as a companion, preventing laminitis can be a major task if he is allowed to range freely with the horse.

The stressy type should be exercised daily, in conjunction with turnout, to release pent-up energy. He may be better alongside a more placid horse, or even with a more experienced rider – as his own rider may be transmitting non-verbal anxiety cues, such as increased rein tension. If a trial run reveals that he is happier in more confident hands, rider issues should be addressed.

It has been shown that exercised horses sleep on their side for longer than box-rested horses. Every effort should be made to provide an optimal sleeping environment, with a large bedded area and a deep bed.

Removing unpredictability from a horse’s life may have a calming effect. Some horses benefit from a strict feeding, exercise and turnout regime, and may prefer being kept at a yard where there is very little irregular daytime activity.

Comfort food

A horse’s blood glucose level peaks some two hours after a starchy feed, such as a mix containing cereal grains and molasses.

As it is around this time that most horses are ridden, it has been suggested that this “sugar rush” is responsible for bad behaviour. As 12 separate research studies in children have failed to show any link between blood glucose and behavioural changes, it is now generally accepted that the “sugar high” concept is a myth.

Studies have strongly implicated a link, however, between a lack of the normal diversity of micro-organisms in the human digestive system (known as the microbiome) and issues such as severe depressive illness. This “gut-brain” axis is the subject of much current research, including in horses.

In a recent study, horses were fed either a hay-only diet or a diet where 44% of the hay was replaced with barley. Not only did the intestinal microbiome alter significantly in the barley-fed horses, but their frequency of “blowing” (the startle response) when exposed to novel objects was significantly greater – that is, they found the objects more stressful.

We are only just beginning to probe the diet-behaviour relationship in horses, yet we do have enough evidence to recommend giving temperamental types feeds that are high in oil and low in starch. This will also help prevent gastric ulcers, another result of stress.

Owners often use calming products to solve what they perceive as behavioural problems in their horses. These products seem to be increasingly popular in all disciplines, although it is difficult to find much independent scientific evidence – rather than anecdotal reports – proving that they work.

If a calmer does work, it is worth asking yourself whether the substance is restoring an abnormally behaving horse to his normal state, or suppressing his inherent exuberant, difficult or even downright dangerous behaviour. If the former, attempts should be made to find the true underlying cause, rather than relying on a substance to put in his feed.

Research on calmers has shown a strong placebo effect on the rider. There is a need, however, for further independent research on the effect of these products on horses.

Trip hazards

Experience suggests that the most common cause of travel stress is the design of horse trailers.

In most cases, the partition means that the horse must stand facing forwards, confined to a space barely wider than his body. Removal of the partition to allow the horse to stand obliquely, if he wishes, and with a more wide-based stance, can have a dramatic effect.

The horse should be tied as loosely as possible to the front, rather than at the side, of the trailer, so he can swing his head to counterbalance the movement of his hindquarters.

His haynet should also be tied at the front, to prevent any further restriction of head movement. In addition, he may be happier with a small safety mirror or quiet company.

“We adapted our ways to suit her”

When Arab racing mare Johara Bint Shuwaiman arrived at the training yard run by Nikki Malcolm and her partner Nathan Sweeney, she came with a history of being “difficult” and had displayed major behavioural problems.

“From the start, it was clear that Johara was a worrier,” says Nikki. “She was very stressy, she travelled badly and would stand in the yard with her eyes staring and her ears pricked.”

Once veterinary issues, including gastric ulcers, had been ruled out, it was decided that the yard training regime would have to be adapted to Johara’s personality.

“We did a huge amount of trotting and slow canter work to settle her before doing any fast work,” says Nikki, adding that Johara preferred to be worked alone. “She was turned out with company, as much as possible, and placed on a low starch/high oil feed along with a probiotic and antacid supplement.”

Johara travelled to the racecourse with a quiet companion and was tacked up in the stableyard rather than the saddling boxes. The plan worked, as she won twice and achieved numerous placings.

“There are certain horses that become stressed and upset when they lose control,” says Nikki. “Rather than trying to force them to fit in, the key is to adapt the management and training regime to suit them.”

Ref Horse & Hound; 21 May 2020

Spillers’ equine nutritionist Clare Barfoot provides one H&H forum user with some helpful advice on how and when to feed calming supplements and how feed can affect behaviour

Q: Feeding calmers: “I’m looking for advice on calmers — specifically supplement ones as opposed to syringes. My horse is quite a worrier. It only takes one thing to startle him and I’ll completely lose his attention. Thereafter he will be very spooky and seem to use anything as an excuse to exacerbate the issue. Then will come the loose droppings and I get cross because we can’t achieve anything productive. I’ll continue riding until he settles out of principle, but it seems like a pretty pointless exercise. Take tonight for example. I was leading him in from the field, the wind was blowing a hooley and someone was banging around in the feed room as we walked past. He didn’t jump, but it worried him. After that he spooked at an out of place bag of shavings, a leaf that blew past his foot and he then wouldn’t settle when tied up — it’s a real pain. I’m not worried that it’s his feed as he goes through spates of worrying rather than it being all the time. I’m considering introducing a calmer in his feed to take the edge off the worried spells. What would you recommend? Is it best to feed calmers every day or is it better to feed during his worried periods (although is that a little like shutting the door once the horse has bolted)? Any advice is much appreciated.”

A: Although all horses are individuals with their individual temperaments and characters, there is no doubt that feed can affect behaviour and performance. But before you reach for the supplement shelf at your local tack shop, it might pay to take a closer look at you horse’s diet.

Firstly, you might have to accept that this type of nervous behaviour is part of your horse’s character; like people, some horses are just more highly strung! Then I’m sure you are, but it can also be of benefit to get some help from a trainer who can assess you and your horse and give you some tips on how to tackle some of these behaviours.

Continued below…

Related articles:

• H&H forum: find out what H&H readers suggested
• Calming supplements — how do they work?
• Read more information on calmers

Then it’s time to turn to the diet. If you have an excitable horse or a horse that gets spooky and up-tight like yours, make sure you base his diet on fibre and oil and avoid cereal-based feeds, such as coarse mixes. Fibre and oil are described as slow release energy sources and are therefore less likely to cause excitable behaviour than the ‘instant’ energy that is provided from starch contained within cereals.

Your horse’s condition will dictate the calories he will require from his feed. If he is a good doer he may benefit from a feed balancer such as Spillers Original Multi Balancer alongside hay. If he needs a little more in the way of calories try Spillers High Fibre Cubes, or for even more energy try Spillers Slow Release Energy Cubes.

Continued below…

Once you have adjusted the diet, you could also try a calming supplement, although it is important to note there is little in the way of scientific evidence to support their use. This is not to say they won’t work, but their effect is highly individual so it might be down to some trial and error to see which one has the desired effect. However, whichever one you choose make sure if you are competing under affiliated rules you feed a supplement that is BETA NOPS approved.

For more information on feeding to support weight gain call the SPILLERS Care-Line on 01908 226626.

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Nupafeed has been rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over two adverts for its products that appeared in H&H last July.

The ASA ruled that Nupafeed could not “adequately substantiate” claims that its MAH calmer was “a proven supplement that stops stress at its cause” and “the only calmer supported by published trial data”.

The ASA also ruled that the claim Nupafeed Staying Power was “beneficial for laminitis and EMS [equine metabolic syndrome]” had “not been adequately substantiated” and was therefore “misleading”.

A spokesman for Nupafeed told H&H that magnesium was “by far and away the most scientifically supported stress-reducing nutrient”.

She added that it was hoped future research would “bring better clarity” to its importance for animals prone to laminitis.

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A new product to calm anxious horses has been launched by supplements company Equine America.

“SUPER So Kalm Powder” is an improved formula of its So Kalm Powder — with added calcium.

“Our original So Kalm Powder was formulated by [nutritionist] Bruce Snipes using top quality ingredients,” said Phil Middleton from Equine America.

“This formula was used in trials on his own racehorses, and was shown to have excellent calming effects on nervy horses.

“Further trials have shown that by adding extra calcium carbonate and magnesium the horses became even calmer. So we have improved the original formula by adding extra of these two ingredients.”

There is a special introductory price of £29.99 for 908g, which is approximately 32 servings.

For more information visit www.equine-america.co.uk

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rebuked a supplement firm, headed by leading vet Dr David Marlin.

The ASA received a complaint questioning claims, made in an advert, that the calmer ProKalm was “scientifically proven to reduce anxiety and nervousness” and could “aid concentration”.

The assertions appeared in an advert for tack shop Horse Requisites, based in Newmarket.

The ASA upheld the complaint on 19 November.

John Waterfall of Horse Requisites told H&H: “We will not be advertising ProKalm anymore but it does work — we tested it on our horse before we became a stockist.”

He said the claims made in the advert were taken from research by Dr Marlin’s company Science Supplements.

However, the ASA rejected the results of the study into the effect of ProKalm on 16 horses.

It said: “Our expert was concerned that [the research] did not detail the formulation of the active product or placebo and that bias had not been ruled out with regard to the selection of the horses included in the study.”

Dr Marlin told H&H: “We are disappointed that the ASA has invested so much time on a single, isolated and anonymous complaint, which we believe came from a competitor.

“The ASA’s criticism was based not on the efficacy of the product but, surprisingly, on the small sample size of the trial.

“We will be releasing the results of a scientific study undertaken in October shortly, which will demonstrate even more conclusively the efficacy of ProKalm.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (29 November 2012)

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Equestrian health brand Equine America has added two new products to its range – So-Kalm Solution, to help keep horses calm, and Cortaflex HA Regular Solution, to support equine joint health.

And both products are currently available at a special introductory price of £19.99.

“The amino acids, premium grade magnesium and vitamin B1 in So-Kalm Solution will relax your horse without removing the edge required for competition,” said a spokesman for Equine America.

“Fortified with Hyaluronic Acid, Cortaflex HA Regular Solution economically and effectively supports and maintains healthy joints for each and every horse and pony throughout their life.”

So-Kalm can be fed as part of a daily diet to difficult horses, or when training young or nervous horses to help maintain a relaxed temperament.

Cortaflex HA Regular Solution can be introduced to a horse’s diet at anytime during a horse or pony’s life as part of their regular health care routine.

Both products are available in 946ml solutions, which equates to one month’s supply.

For more information visit www.equine-america.co.uk.

Find out more about calmers

Competing on calmers

While commercially available calmers are advertised as having no prohibited or banned substances under FEI rules, FEI veterinary director Graeme Cooke warns competition horse testing looks for a wide range of substances, including those currently used in legal calmers.

“We test all the time for things not on the prohibited list and we know when excessive levels appear in a horse, levels which might have a performance-enhancing effect; it’s extra effort but the technology allows for that. We look for abnormal shifts from the baseline level we find in the thousands and thousands of tests we conduct,” says Mr Cooke, who admits legal calmers are an “area of confusion” but one under close review in the coming months.

“If we found a very high level of magnesium in a horse — very much higher than routinely expected — we would investigate this and take advice on whether it had significantly affected the performance of that horse.

“We have concerns about supplements generally because of quality control during manufacturing and the possibility of cross-contamination with prohibited substances, and would advise owners to be very cautious.”

New rules for ALL competitors

In March 2011, the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) announced a new set of National Equine Anti Doping and Controlled Medication rules (BEFAR).

The new rules, which closely mirror the FEI guidelines, will affect all BEF member bodies in FEI disciplines (dressage, eventing, showjumping, para equestrian dressage, endurance, driving, vaulting and reining) and all disciplines must be fully compliant by 1 January 2012.

“The new system will see an increasing number of anti-doping tests across the disciplines and all affiliated members should expect their horse to be tested, whether they are competing at grass roots level or at a national championship,” says Claire Shand from the BEF, which represents organisations like British Showjumping and British Eventing.

Read more about calmers

Read more about feeding horses

Some horses have a genetic tendency to be highly strung despite what they are fed. A healthy market for feed additives developed to have a calming effect helps cater for this.

Magnesium is one of the more popular active ingredients.

Recent independent testing, by RAC students Sarah Field and Nikki Stradling, of a commercially available magnesium supplement revealed that heart rate (a reliable measure of arousal) in supplemented animals was significantly reduced when confronted with everyday stressors like short periods of isolation.

So how does magnesium exert a calming effect?

It has the potential to reduce the release of dopamine — a brain hormone also linked to hyperactivity.

Interestingly, dopamine release within the brain leads to a higher level of eye blinking.

In another study, we found that magnesium-supplemented animals exhibited lower blink rates, which indeed suggests that this active ingredient functions at the level of lowered brain dopamine.

Calming supplements do not work for all horses.

In competition animals consideration of the risks of using a possibly prohibited substance — see the FEI website — should be discussed with your vet.

For the full veterinary article on feeding stereotypies, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (16 June, 2011)

Find out more about feeding horses

A new product to help calm your horse over the winter has been launched by Organic Horse.

According to the company, Calming Powder is an organic, natural remedy made using homeopathic ingredients and herbs that horses instinctively source in the wild.

“Changes in routine, restricted turnout, reduced exercise levels or an increase in hard feed can trigger personality changes that are often hard to combat,” said a spokesman for Organic Horse.

“The ingredients work together to promote a calmer, happier horse and unlike conventional calmers the ingredients change seasonally to prevent the body from building up resistance to the ingredients.”

Calming Power is 100% natural and includes magnesium, calming herbs and antioxidants to help support the horse’s natural immunity.

It also helps support the horse’s nervous system, leading to a calmer outlook on life, which makers claim in turn helps improve concentration, encourage relaxation and ultimately lead to a softer, more flexible horse who learns quickly, efficiently and enjoys their work.

Organic Horse performance squad member, Kerry Graw, was one of the first to trial the products.

“Within two weeks of using Calming Power I started to notice a difference, my mare became far more workmanlike and relaxed,” she said.

“It was put to the test when I ran out of the product and she had three weeks without it — there was a noticeable change and she had slowly returned to her old ways and proved very difficult, flighty and generally quite grumpy. She is now back on Calming Power and is much more rideable.”

Calming Power is available in either 40-day supply, priced at £32, or 100- day supply, priced at £60.

For more information visit: www.forestfarmacy.com

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